A local fitness craze called Funkacise is set to increase in popularity after the creator received a grant that will see more classes available in the borough.
Scott Whitley, 28, set up Funkacise UK last year and has just received a £4,000 grant from NHS Lewisham to expand his fitness classes into Deptford. At present, Whitley runs a weekly class on Mondays at 7pm in Lewisham Reformed Church. He said that every class is “packed” with Funkacise-ites aged between 12 and 75.
With this money, he plans to put on more classes around New Cross and Deptford.
Whitley explained that Funkacise is similar to Zumba – an exercise class inspired by Latin dance that has become popular across the UK.
Speaking to EastLondonLines, he said: “You say Zumba and everyone goes ‘oh yeah I love Zumba’, but if you say Funkacise, they are more intrigued.
“It’s a bit like Zumba but with more popular music – stuff you would hear on the radio, rather than stuff you don’t know – it’s like pop funky house.”
Whitley lost a significant amount of weight, which he says was largely down to Funkacise. He trademarked the Funkacise name after teaching funky aerobics in Lewisham.
“I’ve actually created something unique and it’s Lewisham born and bred,” he said.
More details on Funkacise can be found here.