Los Angeles is to the fit traveller what Florence is to the foodie; paradise found. LA is a town that is insatiably hungry for the latest trends in fitness, health, beauty and longevity and there are new studios constantly popping up to meet the demand. Cue ClassPass; your key to road testing each trend, without having to commit. How very Hollywood.
Los Angeles is a fitness fan’s playground and ClassPass could be the key to getting the most out of your LA healthy holiday. Image © Skye Gilkeson
We rolled int0 Los Angeles with one thing on our minds: training. Having a ClassPass meant we could flirt with the latest fitness crazes around the city, without having to pay exorbitant one-off day visit fees or signing up to a contract (which often you can’t do without a local address). We could book in, take a class and we didn’t even have to call the next day if we didn’t want to follow through. It is perfect for active travellers passing through town. But we also found locals loved ClassPass and had ongoing monthly memberships. Friendly folk in our classes gushed over the flexibility and fun the pass afforded. They were eager to share tips about their favourites studios, instructors and new workouts popping up on to the schedule.
How does ClassPass Work?
ClassPass is a monthly membership based program which allows you to book in for an unlimited number of classes at any of the gyms and studios around the world while the membership is valid. You can simply start with one month to test it out. The membership fees starts at about $AUD79 per month (depending on your country, city and local area). If you compare that price to a one-off visit to a regular gym there is no question ClassPass is more economical for the regular gym goer. The variety of class styles and locations keeps it interesting too, which is ideal for both those who train a lot and have tried most fitness disciplines and those new to training looking for a workout they enjoy. There are tens of thousands of classes at over 7,000 locations in more than 36 markets around the world.
The Hubby relaxing during our ClassPass Normatec Compression session at GESP Brentwood. Image © Skye Gilkeson
ClassPass Los Angeles
It would be difficult to exhaust the classes available in Los Angeles. You really are spoilt for choice. As we didn’t have a car, we simply used the map function to find studios within walking distance from where we were staying and some a little further away so we got a warm up and warm down walk in too. During our week-long stay in LA, we went to Great Earth Sports Performance, Speed X Brentwood, ElliptiFit and Body Wellness in Santa Monica.
Drifting off to sleep during our Normatec Compression session at GESP in Brentwood, LA. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Great Earth Sports Performance
We wanted to book a class as soon as we got our ClassPass so we literally looked at the next available local session and it was at Great Earth Sports Performance. We had been running every day prior, so it was actually an ideal way to start our ClassPass campaign. GESP offers a number of different services aimed to improve performance and recovery, from full body cryotherapy to altitude conditioning. We booked in for a Normatec Compression session. Essentially, two thigh high boots wrap around your legs, they then begin to massage the muscles up and down the leg using a dynamic compression technique. The session only lasts about 10 minutes and I found it quite relaxing. This is one of the clear benefits of the ClassPass; if I wasn’t using the pass, I most likely wouldn’t have sought out a treatment like this while travelling. but I was so glad I was able to try it.
The space age Cyclic Variations in Adaptive Conditioning pods at GESP Brentwood, LA are used for altitude training. Image © Skye Gilkeson
The calm studio before the Speed X storm. Loved this HIIT workout in Brentwood, LA. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Speed X
Speed X Brentwood was our training destination for the following morning. It was a pretty ambitious booking too, as we hadn’t been doing any consistent weight training for the last little while, let alone doing hour-long high-intensity training sessions. Thankfully, the studio staff were really welcoming and they actually all joined in the class alongside the two of us and a group of very fit regulars.
A pre-Christmas killer workout at Speed X Brentwood, LA. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Cleveland, our coach unveiled our optimistic circuit on the board. It challenged everyone in the class. He was extremely attentive and inclusive to both The Hubby and I which is so important as first timers, particularly in such an intense and sometimes intimidating environment. The energy was great throughout the class and we both surprised ourselves at how well we did. If I lived in LA, this would absolutely be a regular workout spot for me.
They Hubby, worn out and ready for a little recovery after a tough session at Speed X Brentwood with ClassPass. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Stepping out of our comfort zone with a high intensity Elliptifit class in West LA. Image © Skye Gilkeson
ElliptiFit
I was skeptical about ElliptiFit when I first saw it listed online. Memories of hours spent on a cross trainer at the gym came flooding back, but curiosity won me over and I had to try it. The studio was illuminated by blue lighting, it was large and clean and beautifully air conditioned. I soon found out why that was so important; the workout was intense but only lasted about 45 minutes. Having spent so much time on a cross trainer in the past I was very surprised to find that there were so many more ways of training on the machine than I had previously tried. I really felt like we had an all over body workout. I would definitely recommend this class to someone looking for a way of getting a high-intensity workout, without the impact of plyometric and HIIT style circuit training.
The light, airy and welcoming Body Wellness pilates studio in Santa Monica. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Body Wellness
LA seemed like a fitting place for The Hubby to try his first ever pilates reformer class. So we booked into Body Wellness in Santa Monica. Reformer can be daunting for a first timer, especially when you are trying to coordinate the machine, the springs and you are the only guy in the class. But he was a good sport and I’m sure sharing the studio with a couple of bubbly and buff local women and our gorgeous instructor Chris wasn’t too tough. I hadn’t done a pilates class in a while and the class certainly pushed me. It also gave The Hubby a better understanding of why I often can’t walk too well after doing a lot of reformer classes in a row.
Why we love ClassPass
- It makes fitness accessible – Trialling a new gym or studio can be daunting, particularly to those who have been out of the ‘scene’ for a while. The pressure is off to commit so it makes it easier to road test a lot of different styles.
- It makes fitness fun – There are so many unique classes, particularly in LA that you will absolutely find something you love.
- It is motivational – There’s something motivational about the prospect of trying something new. It fights the monotony of a strict, repetitive training schedule.
- There is no pressure to sign a contract – Gym contracts can be tricky things and sometimes tough to get out of. It’s also very difficult to know if you want to commit to one training style and one studio when you’ve only been there a few times.
- It is made for The Fit Traveller – For someone trying to stay healthy and fit while travelling, who trains regularly, it’s a great way to see a new city, meet some locals and stay in shape.
Skye is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Fit Traveller.
She is a journalist, writer, photographer, intrepid traveller and a former personal trainer with a passion for helping others reach optimal health.
As a TV journalist and producer, Skye has worked for household names such as 60 Minutes, Sunrise, TODAY and Nine News. She has also written for Women’s Health, Fodor’s Travel and Yahoo7 Travel, among many others.
Equally comfortable in a 5-star resort or hiking a far-off mountain, Skye loves the unexpected and enriching life experiences that each trip brings and can often be found in a backstreet chatting to locals with her camera in hand.
Skye is based in Sydney, working to master the balance between motherhood and her appetite for adventure.
Read more about Skye’s story here.