Thump, punch, and underwater-spin your way to fitness in 2018

Aqua cycling, yes, spinning underwater, virtual reality fitness, and pounding the floor with drumsticks are just a few of the ways South Bay fitness studios are innovating to offer fun ways of reaching your fitness goals.  With parents’ busy schedules and the physical demands of caring for little ones, there’s an especially pressing need to find efficient workouts as well as mentally stimulating ones that will help keep you coming back for more.  Whether you are a new mom looking for ways to recover from childbirth or a parent of school age kids and want family yoga time, the studios below have something to offer.

This is a sponsored post, classes were free in order to review

Allomi.  1612 S Catalina Ave, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
www.allomi.com

Allomi is a mindfulness, yoga, rebounding, and dance studio which boasts jaw-dropping views.  Located one block from the ocean with huge windows, the space is serene, brand new (since January 6), and arguably the most visually appealing of all South Bay studios.  The “Allomi Moms” class started with 10 minutes of reflection, journaling and sharing and segued into an upbeat Plyojam dance workout and then into a tabata-based high intensity series which worked arms, legs, core, obliques and more.  The studio emphasizes wellness classes with the notion that taking care of ourselves, both physically and mentally, enables us to better take care of our families.  

PARKING: Immediately in front of the studio, metered parking is available for $1.50 per hour.  Free parking can be available in the Avenues, a 3 to 6 minute walk from the studio.

PRICING: $169 for unlimited classes monthly. $20 for single classes.  Other packages are also available.

9Round Fitness.  2370 Crenshaw Blvd Ste E, Torrance, CA 90501
www.9Roundfitness.com

9Round is well-suited for busy parents in that it’s a 30 minute efficient workout involving the entire body. Additionally, it’s a group experience, which motivates many people to work harder, but on their own schedule.  There’s no need to stick to a class schedule; if you’re available for a workout starting from 9:18am, you can begin your workout that minute and go intensely for a half hour.  You progress through 9 stations, just like circuit training and each station utilizes boxing moves and equipment. Throughout the workout, I received guidance and correction on my form from friendly and knowledgeable trainers.  9Round also offers heart-rate based devices allowing each client to track their heart rate and calories burned on a large screen.

PARKING: Free in the shopping center

PRICING: $50 for initiation.  Monthly memberships range from $89 to $109 based on the type of package purchased.

Bionic Mommy at Bionic Body and other locations. 1244 Hermosa Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
www.bionicbody.com/mommy

Danielle Spangler, the founder of the Bionic Mommy program, has created a clean spa-like mommy-friendly space and experience which feels physically rigorous and also takes into account the physical and emotional aspects of being a new mom or a soon-to-be-mom.  Her class is designed to work on the parts of a woman’s body affected by pregnancy and childbirth and aid in the recovery process.  The class incorporated TRX suspension straps, pelvic-core balls, and light weights but is changed up frequently to incorporate different movements and tools.  The environment is very supportive; the majority of participants in the class brought their infants and the instructor assisted in tending to and calming the babies when needed.

PRICING: $240 for monthly unlimited classes.  $30 for a single class.  Other packages also available.

PARKING: Metered parking is available on Hermosa Avenue for $2.50 for two hours.

Sweat Fitness. 312 S. Catalina Avenue, Redondo Beach
www.sweatfitnessrb.com

Sweat Fitness’s owner Jenn Santana is passionate and that energy comes through in her classes.  In my 55 minute Pilates and HIIT class, I got in cardio through Jumpboard work on the reformer, I worked on core and balancing doing planks on large balance balls, and utilized state-of-the-art TRX straps which worked the abdominal area intensely.  The studio is the first in California to offer Virtual Reality cycling workouts. These are 30 minute sessions in which the rider, seated on a stationary bike, gets an immersive 360 degree view of dynamic settings such as a roller coaster and outer space. The studio also offers circuit training, yoga, localized cryotherapy, infrared massage therapy, and aesthetician services. The studio owner establishes workouts for various fitness levels and conditions including pregnancy or injury.  

PARKING: The studio shares a lot with a few other businesses.  Parking is free and very available.

PRICING: Monthly membership $239 (3 classes per week).  Single class $33.  Other packages also available.

Aqua Cycle. 14708 Hawthorne Blvd., Lawndale
www.aquacyclingcorp.com

AquaCycle is relatively new in the U.S. and this facility is the only one currently offering these types of classes  in California.  Dr. Macalintal of the Motion Plus and Aquatic Therapy Center originally used the aqua cycles (stationary spinning bikes immersed in a four-feet deep swimming pool) exclusively in physical therapy for his clients. For the last year, the classes have been offered to the public.  Criselda, the class instructor, has a degree in kinesiology with a specialization in therapeutic exercise.  The ambiance in the swimming pool area is both energetic with the upbeat playlist and relaxing with dim multi-color lighting and 86 degree water.  The facility where the pool is located is a modest physical therapy office.  The 45 minute workout is well-suited for individuals looking for a low-impact but rigorous workout.  Criselda lead the class through fast-paced portions where I was cycling as fast as possible while pushing water from front to back, core exercises such as sit-ups with feet in handlebars, and a cooldown yoga-like segment.  

PARKING:  Parking was available for free on Hawthorne Blvd when I attended class; there’s also free parking available behind the building.

PRICING: $35 per class.  The site indicates the classes may be covered by PPO insurance.

 

SHINE STUDIO. 730 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Unit 105, Redondo Beach
www.shinestudiorb.com/

Just open for 14 months, Shine Studio features a clean, bright, and modern space.  They are one of the few South Bay studios to offer Pounding classes which looks high-energy with many squats and literally a great deal of pounding on a mat using specially-developed drumsticks.  Their Pop Fit class was fast-paced yet the owner/instructor Hilary checked in with students frequently to help them grasp the choreography which is fun, dancey and makes the hour fly by.  The Mat Pilates class is more oriented to strengthening and abdominal work using light weights and a deflated stability ball; we worked arms, core, and legs.

PARKING: Free in a lot.  

PRICING: $119 for monthly membership (unlimited classes).  $18 for single class. Other packages are also available.

 

HIP Pilates. 1200 Pacific Coast Highway, Ste. 104, Hermosa Beach
www.hipstudio.com

HIP Pilates’ signature offerings are HIIT workouts using a mini-trampoline and a faster-paced and intense version of traditional reformer-based Pilates.  The mini-trampoline workout is fun, reduces impact on joints, and an effective cardio workout.  The HIP community pushes themselves hard; seeing others giving 100% to their workout motivated me to push myself harder.  Their other classes include Cardio Band which uses resistance bands, and traditional Pilates.  The instructors frequently update the choreography, helping longtime clients stay mentally engaged and physically pushing their own limits.

PARKING: Free in a lot.

PRICING: $259 for monthly membership (unlimited classes).  Other packages are also available.

 

Soul Fitness LA. 1209 S. PCH, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
www.soulfitnessla.com

This studio is located on a busy stretch of PCH and offers a very broad range of yoga classes as well as hapkido.  On the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month  (4pm), Soul Fitness LA offers yoga classes for families–adults with their little ones.  On Sundays at 12:30pm, Pre-Natal and Postnatal is offered.  For my Vinyasa Flow class, the instructor, Susan, maintained a moderate to high pace of flow, adding a cardio element into the workout.  She presented an easy-to-follow sequence of moves leaving me relaxed and less tense.

PARKING: Free during certain times on PCH though the spots can be hard to come by.  Free also on Avenues D and E, which is a 3 minute walk.

PRICING: $139 for monthly membership (unlimited classes).  $17 for a single class.  They over highly discounted introductory offers as well.

South Bay parents are fortunate to have many fitness entrepreneurs working hard to bring us the latest and technologically-advanced fitness trends.  Between dance, pounding, Pilates and aqua cycling, boxing, and yoga, there’s something to tickle everyone’s fancy.