At a Glance:

Website: http://www.pinkiron.com
Address: 1106 N La Cienega Blvd,
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Class length: 60 min
Price: first class free, 10 classes/$180, month unlimited/$189 (no contract)
Sweat Scale: high
Energy level: high

I’m not one to seek out a CrossFit style workout because the die-hards intimidate me, but in a low pressure, all women environment I decided to give it a try. And I’m so glad I did!

Pre Sweat

Pink Iron, a female only, cross-fit style gym, is located in the same little strip mall as Barry’s Bootcamp and Earthbar in West Hollywood on La Cienega. In my reservation email from ClassPass, they let me know that there was free parking underneath the building. When I walked into the gym, I was pleasantly surprised by how nice and inviting everything was. The girl at the front desk greeted me and had me fill out a form on an iPad before showing me around.

The music was loud and the 6 am class was still going strong. There were lots of positive words of encouragement being shouted from group to group and I could quickly sense that these were some strong women. I was a little intimidated and it didn’t help that I was still sleepy!

Sweat

We gathered around Viv, the instructor, who had us introduce ourselves, tell how long we had been at Pink Iron and who our sHero (female hero) was. She explained the workout of the day that was written on a white board. The high intensity interval training included lots of jump roping, burpees, running, squats, sit ups, jumping jacks, lunges and more. We did one 3-exercise circuit to warm up, followed by 30 minutes of rotating between another 6 exercises, and ended with two 2-minute circuits where we repeated the same 3 exercises until time was called.

What was so great about Pink Iron was how motivating everyone was. I was the only first-timer there and the group kept encouraging me throughout the entire class, offering a bunch of high-fives at the end. Viv made sure that I understood each set and helped modify when an exercise was too difficult. These women are all regulars in a group that is so uplifting they make you want to push yourself to the limit.

Post Sweat

Pink Iron is located right above Earthbar that offers a variety of fresh, organic smoothies, juices, and shots. If you’re interested in some espresso paired with a French quiche or crepe, check out WeHo Bistro across the street.

Tricks of the Trade

• Need to head to work right after? Not a problem! Pink Iron has towels, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, blow dryers, lotion and more to help you leave your sweaty self behind.
• If any exercise is too difficult, make sure to let the instructors know and they will happily modify it for your level.
• Don’t worry if you’re completing the circuit at a slower pace. Everyone is just trying to push herself, not compete.