Crunch gym opens in Burbank

A new Crunch gym has opened in downtown Burbank following the huge success of the company’s West Hollywood location, which has become a trendy work-out spot for celebrities and entertainment-industry types.

Burbank’s identity as the “entertainment capital of the world” should fit right in with the gym’s L.A. branding, according to company officials.

It’s only the second Crunch gym in the Los Angeles area, said Amita Balla, general manager of the new gym, located at 761 N. San Fernando Blvd., above Barnes & Noble.

“It’s so long overdue for us to open another location in L.A.” Balla said, adding it’s a good idea for the company to have a presence in the San Fernando Valley.

Mixing fitness and entertainment is something Crunch has become known for at its West Hollywood site, which opened in 1997.

Balla added, though, that this new gym is seeing more families showing interest, since many people who work in the entertainment industry tend to move to the Valley when starting a family.

“It’s a really nice blend,” Balla said.

Because of that different demographic, the Burbank Crunch offers a Kid’s Club for children ages 3 months to 12 years old, Balla said.

The kid’s area features toys and video games that keep children active.

Balla said the 26,000-square-foot gym has 80 pieces of cardio equipment in nine different types.

One room has 42 spin bikes, while another large room offers classes in traditional types of exercise.

Unique classes, such as anti-gravity yoga — where participants are suspended by cloth hammocks — are also available, as are pole dancing and burlesque, Balla said.

In one area of the gym is a “throw-down cage,” where someone can do about 50 different exercises using medicine balls, ropes, monkey bars or barbells. If using the resistance bands on the cage, the number of possible exercises increases by 80.

This is the 37th Crunch to open in the United States and the 24th corporate-owned location, Balla said.