Health and fitness holidays are on the rise, which is why BESTFIT TV’s Faris Fisher headed to Club Le Santa in Lanzarote to see what kind of break is on offer in Europe

Club La Santa is an apt name for a pre-Christmas break and it didn’t take us long to realise just why this Lanzarote resort is one of the most popular in Europe, as I jetted in for a brief trip to film a couple of features for the latest BESTFIT TV series (available on Free Sports).

There was little time to enjoy the welcome blast of heat that greeted us at the airport, with our schedule including a crossfit class that was due to begin in less than an hour.

Club La Santa has over 80 free activities and 500 instructor-led classes per week to take part in – and we couldn’t wait to sample them. It’s too easy to get stuck in a routine when you’re busy with work and I have to admit that, although I admire crossfit, I’ve never had the time to get down to my local box and enjoy a session. Heading out on a sports holiday – however short or long it might be – offers the perfect opportunity to try all those things that you never make time for back home.

Crossfit is obviously aimed at getting the absolute maximum out of yourself but there was most definitely a team mentality in the room – everyone was going for it and there was no slacking off from anyone. Everyone was driving each other on.

The fact that the exercise was taking place outside in the morning sun, with athletes on the track opposite, served to motivate everyone further still. Within no time we were on the last round and there was an audible sigh of relief as the final few seconds were counted down. Despite the burn in my shoulders, this workout was refreshing in every sense.

Next on the agenda was lunch, coupled with a few hours to spare to explore the complex. The first thing that struck me was the sheer size of the place, with pockets of activities everywhere you look. Not only is there a beautiful leisure pool to catch some rays on your down time, there are also three Olympic-size 50m pools, alongside an athletics stadium, tennis courts, bouldering room, golf course and dance studio.

In short, if you love sport, then there’s something for all. Take biking as an example. I’ve always had a passion for it, but I’d forgotten just how much fun it could be. And, like everything else here, this isn’t your average bike centre. Unlimited bike use is included in the stay and all of the bikes available are top of the range.

Lanzarote has some beautiful roads and the traffic, unlike the sports on offer at Club La Santa, is sparse. Having not ridden for many years I chose a safe route and headed out to the coast. I was, though, in the mood for adventure and soon found myself off-road. Before long I had travelled 4km uphill and found a dirt track to head back down on. Quite honestly, it was amazing. And although a seasoned biker may not have found it overly challenging, it simultaneously delivered a great rush of adrenaline and a flood of happy childhood memories. In fact, it was so good that I did it again before heading off to find a pit stop for a coffee.

Biking is one of those activities that can sometimes get overlooked on a fitness holiday but I’ll definitely make sure I take advantage of it next time it’s on the menu.

My final activity in what amounted to a whirlwind pit-stop was not of my choosing but made in the name of TV. I must admit that I did have some preconceived ideas of what a Body Combat class would entail, and I actually thought I would breeze through it. How wrong I was. While it wasn’t challenging strength-wise, you needed a lot of co-ordination, stamina and speed to keep up. The intensity grew throughout the class and I did look a bit of a fool trying to keep up and get my kicks as high in the air as possible.

It was difficult but I did enjoy it and it was definitely a fun finisher to the day. And, with all the activities included, why wouldn’t you try as many of these classes as possible – and have your eyes opened to something new?

You can see my failed attempt at looking cool at Body Combat in the new series of BESTFIT TV on FreeSports.

Faris Fisher travelled as a guest of Club La Santa, one of the world’s leading sports and active leisure resorts, offering 80 free sports and activities including aerobics classes, cycling, tennis and Pilates as well as a range of watersports, including windsurfing and kayaking in the nearby lagoon. For more information and booking visit www.clublasanta.co.uk or call 0161 790 9890. Prices start from £686 for a ‘comfort’ one-bedroom apartment for 7 nights, which sleeps up to 3 adults and a child under 15 years.