Photos: Looking in on Hollywood’s hot new gym
Hollywood is getting fitter.
Equinox recently opened its 84th gym. It’s within the Camden, a new multiuse complex near the famed intersection of Hollywood and Vine, highlighting the neighborhood’s tony transformation. The 40,000-square-foot loft space is sleek and artistic with exposed concrete, marble, a streak of vibrant red furnishings coursing through the lobby and hand-painted murals by California-based artist Brendan Monroe.
The Hollywood layout is designed with street-view windows that let lookie-loos spy on your bench presses and — take note, shy bathing-suit wearers — backstrokes.
As we prepare for 2017, here are five other reasons to check out the luxury space. It should give you some inspiration for what you do and don’t want in a gym as you get a jump on those New Year’s resolutions:
1.) It’s curated for this side of town
“We intentionally tried to make the Hollywood location a little edgier,” and design fitness programs aimed at the industry crowd, said Equinox Chief Executive Harvey Spevak. Examples: Dance fitness classes 5-6-7-Broadway!, Cardio Hip Hop Funk and Classical Ballet could draw particular interest in a neighborhood busy with dance studios.
2.) It’s full-service
It all starts with an Equifit Assessment that includes a body composition test to determine the ratio between body fat and lean mass. “Our brand is deeply rooted in science,” said Amy Dixon, Equinox’s group fitness manager. While it may not have the diversity of ClassPass (hello, trapeze and trampoline lessons!), Equinox Hollywood has a pool, four fitness studios — including spots for indoor cycling and Pilates — as well as barre, kickboxing, yoga, precision running, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and more.
Cardio exercise equipment includes the popular Woodway Curve treadmills, as well as ellipticals and bikes that allow you to charge your phone, watch TV, connect to the Internet — or virtually trek across Yosemite National Park.
3.) Amenities galore
Eucalyptus-scented towels, Kiehl’s shower products, a steam room, a full-service spa, smoothies and health-food mini-market Earthbar … it’s all designed to lure you into coming often and staying longer. “When I first started in fitness people questioned if going to the gym was a fad,” says Spevak. “Now today it’s ‘I want to be active six-to-seven days a week,’ ‘I want to eat a certain way,’ ‘It’s reflected in what I’m wearing,’ ‘It’s reflected in how technology is playing a role’ — it’s what we’ve always been preaching, it’s a high-performance lifestyle.”
4.) Free 2½ hour parking
You know those crazy photos of LA parking signs that would be even funnier if those confusing ticket-bait signs didn’t actually exist? Parking in this part of Hollywood is no joke. The 24 Hour Fitness located near Equinox next to the ArcLight is far less expensive but charges $3 for parking (with validation).
It all comes at a price, of course. The cost: $180 a month plus an initiation fee. Private training starts at about $1,200 for 12 sessions.
5.) The ‘hood
When you’re finished sweating (and showering), there are plenty of places to eat, drink, shop or hang out, including restaurants Paley and Sugarfish by Sushi Nozawa, Trader Joe’s, the ArcLight, and Hollywood & Highland.
Equinox Hollywood, 1550 N. Vine St., (323) 471-0130, equinox.com
Where’s your favorite place — gym or not — to work up a sweat in and around L.A.? Tell us what’s special about it in the comments section below and it may be included in an upcoming Saturday section.
READ ON!
Caring for cuts, burns and scrapes: The rules have changed
4 L.A.-area running clubs that are way more than just running clubs
Zendaya explains why ‘fearless’ is the best compliment you can pay her
