Every other week, this column will review a D.C. gym and one or more trial classes.
Like many other gyms in the area, Sports Club L.A. offers a free trial period for prospective members to its club. Located 10 minutes from the Dupont Circle Metro station next to the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Sports Club L.A. is an exclusive club that specializes in fitness classes. The class schedules and the link to sign up for their trial period can be found on its website. If you’re lucky like me, it may even give you a few extra days in the trial to decide if the club is right for you. Becoming a member of the club includes two free personal trainer sessions, a free pilates course and other benefits depending on the package you purchase.
How is the gym?
Upon entering the gym, the large reception desk and various guests in suits are a sure sign that Sports Club L.A. is an elite space for professionals. Though there is a student discount available, the club is high in price (at least $149) and is mainly geared towards working businessmen. The club is immense, with two full stories of workout equipment, class space, squash courts and a half olympic size pool. Though there were easily a couple hundred people throughout the gym, there didn’t seem to be any shortage of machines available for use.
The club offers a variety of classes like yoga and pilates in its mind and body studio as well as dance and cardio classes in its various studio rooms. In addition to the workout areas, the club offers a juice bar cafe, a large locker room, including a steam room and sauna, and a sun deck by the pool to relax on when the weather is nice.
Try this class.
The Sensazau class, similar to Zumba, was a very unique experience. Sensazau is an hour of intense dancing to music influenced by hip hop and Latin tunes. The dancing was extremely fast, though it was very easy to follow. The instructor stopped every so often to review harder moves and periodically checked on the class to make sure they could follow along. The class was an incredible workout, working your core in ways that Zumba never has before. The dancing included a lot of shaking, sweating, jumping and hip moving that is’t always used in other dance classes. Despite the intensity, the participants varied in ages and ability. The best part of the class was that everything was so fast paced that you could get really into it quickly without feeling ashamed of any lack of coordination. It was easy to dance to the beat and even smile while working a great sweat. This class is definitely recommended!
Things to know before you go.
Sports Club L.A. was recently purchased by Equinox, the company that owns Soul Cycle. Because of this, the prices and trial opportunity may change within the coming months. Be sure to act quickly if this is an opportunity you may be interested in.
Make sure you time yourself out correctly. When you make the reservation online to have a free trial, you will be asked to meet with a recruiting director at the club. This will take some time, so letting them know you plan to take a class at a specific time will be helpful to them. In addition to this, make sure you check out all their class options – it’s the best part of the club! If you are lost, let them know what kind of class and time you are looking for and they can recommend a class for you.
There is no need to bring locker room supplies during your visit. All guests are given a complimentary locker and key. Also, the locker rooms are stocked with towels, shower necessities and blow driers, so showering after is quick and easy.
