Fitness That Feels Like Playtime
45-minute group fitness sessions disguised as the playground games you grew up with. Every game is secretly engineered to give you a full-body workout. You just won't notice because you'll be having too much fun.
All the fun. Surprisingly good workout. 🤸♂️
It's playtime.
For grown-ups.
Remember lunchtimes spent tearing around the school field? That brilliant, breathless feeling of pure, unfiltered fun, before exercise became a chore you had to talk yourself into?
Playback is a 45-minute group fitness class where every exercise is wrapped inside a game you already know how to play. Each game is carefully designed by our coaches to target different muscle groups and movement patterns: sprinting, throwing, dodging, jumping, and changing direction. So you get a complete full-body workout without ever realising it. You won't be counting reps or watching a clock. You'll be too busy trying to dodge a ball or tag your mate before the whistle goes.
No burpees. Just play. 🏆
A Typical Session
Each Playback session follows a simple structure led by a qualified instructor. Every activity is chosen to work a different part of your body, so by the end you've hit everything without a single burpee, press-up, or plank:
Warm-up
A light-hearted group activity to raise your heart rate, loosen the joints, and break the ice. No awkward stretching circles. You're moving and laughing from the first whistle.
Main Games
Two or three different activities, each designed to target something different. One might have you sprinting and working your legs. The next could be all throwing, catching, and upper body. Another tests your agility, reactions, and tactical thinking. By the time you've played them all, you've worked your whole body, without realising it.
Final Round
An all-in, high-intensity finisher that pulls everything together: cardio, strength, and a healthy dose of competitive spirit. This is the one everyone talks about afterwards.
Cool-down
Wind down with some guided stretching and a chance to catch your breath. Swap numbers, have a laugh about the final round, make plans for a coffee. The social bit that makes this more than just a workout.
Every session burns 0+ calories and works your entire body: legs, core, arms, cardio, the lot. But honestly, you won't notice. You'll be too busy laughing.
Why Playback?
Competition that matters.
The thrill of the game transforms exercise from a chore into something you genuinely look forward to. When there's a winner and a loser, your brain stops thinking "workout" and starts thinking "I need to win this." Research shows game-based exercise increases adherence by up to 40%.
Laughter is the warm-up.
Chasing a mate around a field breaks down barriers fast. Our games create genuine laughter and real connection from the very first whistle. Most of our members say they've made proper friendships through Playback. The kind you don't get from nodding at someone on a neighbouring treadmill.
80% graft. 20% brain.
You'll be sprinting and dodging, but also strategising. Games require quick decisions, spatial awareness, and teamwork. It's functional fitness without the tedious drills, and your brain gets a workout from the screen-free, in-the-moment focus.
Never the same twice.
Our instructors rotate from a library of over 30 games, adapted from playground classics and team sports. Every class features a different mix, so no two sessions are the same. Dead simple to understand, endlessly novel to play.
Sound like your kind of thing?
Register Your Interest →Games We Play
Playground classics, reimagined for adults. Each one secretly targets different muscle groups so you get a full-body workout without realising it. Here are just a few from our rotating lineup of 0+ games.
Dodgeball
The classic. Throw, dodge, and dive. Teams compete in fast 3-minute rounds. The hidden workout: upper body power, reflexes, and explosive lateral movement.
British Bulldogs
Sprint from one end to the other without getting caught. Pure chaos, pure cardio. The hidden workout: sprint intervals, lower body strength, and full-body grappling.
Capture the Flag
Two teams, two flags, one objective. Strategy meets speed. The hidden workout: sustained running, agility, and constant change of direction.
Chain Tag
Get tagged and you join the chain. Last one standing wins. Gets harder (and funnier) as the chain grows. The hidden workout: coordination, cardio endurance, and core stability.
Benchball
Like basketball, but everyone's a target. Score by getting your whole team onto the bench. The hidden workout: throwing power, jumping, and fast footwork.
Relay Races
Old-school relay with a twist. Egg and spoon, sack race, three-legged, but make it fiercely competitive. The hidden workout: leg power, balance, and explosive acceleration.
Ready to stop dreading exercise?
Register Your Interest →Everything you need. Zero faff.
Register Your Interest
Tell us where you're based and we'll let you know when sessions launch near you. No membership, no contract, no commitment.
Turn Up
Indoors or outdoors, rain or shine. All you need is trainers and something comfortable to move in.
Play Hard
45 minutes of games, laughs, and a full-body workout you won't even notice. Led by qualified coaches who keep things fun, fair, and secretly very effective.
Leave Buzzing
Buzzing, knackered, and already planning the next one. That's the Playback effect.
You don't need to be fit.
You just need to be up for a laugh.
Playback is designed for adults who've fallen out of love with the gym, or never loved it in the first place. Our sessions are suitable for all fitness levels because the games naturally scale: you sprint as hard or as gently as your body allows.
Typical Playback members are:
- 🏢 Professionals in their 30s–50s looking for stress relief that isn't another screen
- 👨👩👧 Parents who want their own version of "play" back in their lives
- ⚽ Ex-sports players who miss the team element but don't want to commit to a league
- 🏋️ Gym-fatigued folk who've tried gyms, yoga, running, and found them all a bit boring
You don't need special equipment, prior experience, or to be any particular shape. Just trainers, comfortable clothes, and a willingness to look a bit silly.
Post-game buzz 🤝
Tactics before the final round ⚡
Your safety comes first.
Fun is the priority, but never at the expense of your wellbeing. Here's how we keep every session safe.
Qualified Coaches
Every session is led by a fully insured, first-aid trained instructor with experience in group fitness and sport coaching.
All Levels Welcome
Games are adapted so everyone can play at their own pace. You push as hard as you want. No pressure, no judgement.
Risk Assessed
Every venue is checked and every game is risk assessed before we play. We carry a first-aid kit at every session, no exceptions.
Fair Play Rules
Clear rules, respectful play, and active refereeing. We keep things competitive but never aggressive. Everyone leaves smiling.
What players are saying.
"I haven't laughed that hard during exercise since I was about 12. My legs were killing me the next day and I genuinely didn't notice during the session."
"I was nervous about going on my own but within 5 minutes I'd forgotten I didn't know anyone. We were all just playing like kids again."
"I've tried every gym, class, and app going. This is the first time I've actually looked forward to my next session. My partner now comes too."
Frequently Asked Questions
Not at all. Every game scales naturally to your fitness level. You sprint as hard or as gently as your body allows. We get complete beginners and marathon runners in the same session, and everyone has a great time.
That's half the fun. Nobody's good at British Bulldogs as an adult. The games are simple to understand and the emphasis is on having a laugh, not being the best athlete in the room.
Absolutely. Most people come solo for their first session. The games naturally break the ice, so you won't feel alone for long. By the end, you'll have swapped numbers with half the group.
Just trainers and comfortable clothes you can move in. We provide all the equipment. Bring water if you like, but we'll have some there too.
Let your coach know beforehand and they'll adapt the games for you. Many of our players have dodgy knees, bad backs, or other niggles. The beauty of games is you can always adjust your intensity.
Most of our players are between 30 and 55, but we welcome anyone who's up for a laugh. You won't feel out of place whatever your age.
READY TO PLAY?
No membership. No contract. No obligation. Just play.