Home to numerous gyms and countless fitness studios, West Hollywood is LA’s undisputed epicenter of fitness. Really, walk or drive around this trendy city-within-a-city and you’ll quickly notice you can’t go more than a few blocks without passing a place to workout. This means that whether you’re visiting from out of town and looking to try something new, or a local looking to mix up your routine on the regular, you’ll have easy access to every kind of fitness offering imaginable.
To help you wade through the multitude of options, we’ve zeroed in on five places we think you’ll want to consider first — from tried-and-true standbys, to celebrity favorites, to a brand new spot from the world’s leading athletic apparel company.
Nike Training Studio
While Nike Studios plans to roll out Nike Training Studio and Nike Running Studio locations across the country over the next several years, those in SoCal won’t have to wait. Joining the inaugural Newport Beach location, the second-ever Nike Training Studio opened in West Hollywood at the end of December 2023, just in time to make good on your New Year’s fitness resolutions. Inside the crisp, clean and Nike-branded space where the kettlebells are stamped with a swoosh and the weight plates are made from recycled shoes, you’ll find a rotating selection of 50-minute classes designed to work specific muscle groups and help you “build full-body strength and athleticism without ever burning out.” The classes, a combination of HIIT and strength workouts, are broken into three main types (all named after Nike’s most populars shoes) and utilize equipment like sleds, sandbags and weights, plus athletic conditioning exercises like jumps, swings, rotations, agility drills, deadlifts, push-ups and shoulder presses.
Barry’s
You can’t talk about fitness studios in West Hollywood without mentioning Barry’s. Founded in WeHo 25 years ago, Barry’s has since grown into a national and international brand, with locations across the US and around the world. Their signature, 50-minute HIIT classes combine cardio and strength training via alternating sessions spent sprinting on treadmills and lifting weights on the floor. Classes focus on different body parts, depending on the day of the week, and those weary of running can always skip the treadmill entirely by selecting “double floor” when you book (you’ll spend the full class using weights). And new in early 2024, Barry’s will wrap up a quarter century at their original West Hollywood location and move into brand new and much larger space just a quick jog down Santa Monica Boulevard. As part of the move, they’ll also introduce classes with stationary bikes instead of treadmills.
Get to Know “Chaos Training,” the More Fun Version of Lifting
Earthquake bars, steel maces, medicine balls: this alternative regimen is tough but never boring
Rumble
Located in the heart of the Sunset Strip, Rumble is conveniently positioned for both resident Angelenos and visitors staying at nearby hotels. Their signature, 45-minute class, which is part cardio boxing, part HIIT-style weights workout, is broken into 10 three-minute rounds with recovery time between each round. If that doesn’t suit you, they also offer a longer, 60-minute class with 12 rounds of work and a shorter, 30-minute boxing-only class. Whichever option you choose, the studio’s club-like lights and sound system, along with Rumble’s motivational instructors, will help power you through. And if you’ve never thrown a punch, don’t be intimidated. Simply arrive five minutes early and an instructor will teach you the six basic boxing punches you’ll use in class.
Dogpound
From the outside, Dogpound’s sleek, all-black building with deeply tinted windows accurately conveys the fact that this is one of West Hollywood’s most exclusive gyms. And you’d assume that with the countless celebrities who work out here, you wouldn’t be allowed through the door without a membership — but that isn’t the case. Semi-private personal training sessions are offered a la carte, as are their group fitness classes. Check out their cardio-focused HIIT class, their bodyweight-centric calisthenics class which Dogpound says will “help you build supreme functional strength and mental fortitude,” or their “full body burner” mat pilates class. So whether you’re in town for a weekend and looking for a taste of the LA lifestyle or a local looking for a more consistent fitness home, Dogpound is a solid option. And if you’re bicoastal, check out Dogpound’s original NYC location in Soho.
Silver Springs
When you’re ready for something lower impact and a bit more zen, check out yoga and pilates studio Silver Springs. While the aesthetic here feels more like an art gallery than a workout studio, don’t be fooled — the studio’s heated classes mean you’ll be in for a solid sweat session. Yoga wise, they offer a vinyasa class called Power Flow which promises to “build strength, foster flexibility and get your heart rate up,” as well as Yin, a more gentle, slow moving practice. On the pilates side, there’s HIIT Pilates and Mat Pilates, both of which utilize bands, blocks and weights instead of traditional pilates reformers (so fear not if those machines intimidate you). Each class lasts 60 minutes, and again, takes place in a heated room — so come ready to sweat.
More Like This
Whether you’re looking to get into shape, or just get out of a funk, The Charge has got you covered. Sign up for our new wellness newsletter today.