Bored with your workout? Here are 4 new places to blast summer calories
A studio is dedicated to crafting the perfect behind; boxing’s biggest name makes a splash in Los Angeles; Merge moves to swankier digs; and a new yoga studio opens in Long Beach. Here’s a look at what’s happening on the local fitness scene:
Katie Lilly, founder of new Los Angeles fitness studio Bunda, has long believed that the Stairmaster should be given more recognition. So she installed 12 of them in her new 2,000-square foot-space, alongside 12 custom-built floor work stations, to help people specifically target their behinds in her “Butt and Legs” classes.
“We focus on lower-body training because we believe that results in a total body change,” said Lilly, adding that “Bunda” is Portuguese slang for the derriere. “The Stairmaster has the ability to shape the body while you do cardio because you can move in different directions, targeting problem areas like the inner and outer thighs.”
The 50-minute workouts alternate between exercises on the Stairmaster and floor work using weights, resistance bands and slide boards for lunges that “tone the back of the legs, the butt and are great for cellulite,” she said. In addition to the concentrated lower-body work, Bunda offers two days a week with workouts focused on the upper body and core.
Info: 8231 W. 3rd St., Suite C, Los Angeles. First class is free. Thereafter $30 per class. Discounts for packages. Unlimited monthly membership is $299. trainbunda.com
::
Boxing champ-approved workouts
The recent opening of Mayweather Boxing + Fitness was attended by the champion himself. The 3,000-square-foot studio offers a number of different classes, including several that use virtual reality — with a virtual Floyd Mayweather coaching each student.
James Williams, CEO of the studio, said Mayweather oversaw each component of every class — and even developed an accessible version of the combination that he used to knock out Conor McGregor in their record-breaking fight in Las Vegas last year.
“We wanted to keep the authenticity of the sport intact,” said Williams. “And the classes also showcase the efficacy of this type of workout.”
Classes are either 45 minutes or an hour, and start with a six-minute warm-up based around shadow boxing. The rest of the time is a mix of functional training — using treadmills, cycles and rowers — and boxing moves, working on footwork and refining technique and form. “The more technically correct the form, the better the workout and the more calories burned,” said Williams, adding: “55% of our members are women. The classes are filled with all ages and every demographic.”
Info: 6221 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 101, Los Angeles. First week free. Contact the gym about pricing packages. Other packages available. mayweather.fit
::
New place for Merge studio
Even though personal training studio Merge had only been in its West Hollywood space for five months, when the opportunity arose to move a couple of miles away into a former spa with luxurious shower facilities and plentiful parking, founder Alfonso Moretti jumped at it.
Moretti oversaw the reopening of Merge in its new location in early July. But what hasn’t changed, he said, is the personal training approach with no more than 10 people in a class at a time. The program has also retained its inclusivity; the workouts are designed for people of all weights, ages and fitness levels, and can work for those with strains or injuries. “We focus on posture and bringing the body back into alignment,” he said.
The seven high-intensity interval training classes held each day in the 2,900-square-foot space vary in format, but each 45-minute workout incorporates stationary biking, body-weight training, and rowers and mat work. The overriding objective, said Moretti, is to “burn fat and use fat for fuel in addition to building total fitness and strength. If this is all you did, you would be generally fit for most exercise protocols,” he said.
Info: 165 N. San Vincente Blvd. Los Angeles. $35 for single classes, discounts for packages. Monthly unlimited is $279.99. mergeworkout.com
::
More yoga in Long Beach
In setting up Ra Yoga in Long Beach, co-owners Robert Kittleman and Jenny Vande Hei-Secor wanted to offer a broad enough range of classes. So there is Hot Ra, for those who relish a good sweat (poses are done in 110 degrees); Yogalates, for an energizing yoga-Pilates fusion; and Lunchtime Yoga, a brisk 45-minute class for a midday boost.
“We realize there is no one way to do yoga,” said Kittleman. “Yoga is self-expression, and with 100 classes a week [there are] plenty of opportunities for students to [find] their own authentic style.” The studio also has branches in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.
The 3,400-square-foot space near the Long Beach Airport opened in early July and offers an unusually cool and industrial vibe; the two yoga rooms — offering heated and nonheated classes — hold intriguing recycled materials culled from shipping yards.
Info: 3860 Worsham Ave., Suite 310, Long Beach. Single classes start at $20. Packages available. Monthly unlimited classes are $110. rayoga.com
READ ON!
