At a Glance
Website: http://www.fitmixstudio.com
Address: 601 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Class length: 55 min
Price: first class free, 1 class/$35, 10 classes/$240, month unlimited/$219
Sweat Scale: high
Energy level: high

It’s always fun to try out a new, LA exclusive workout—especially one that kicks your butt and takes names. I knew I was going out of town for a week and wanted to make sure I didn’t sit on the plane feeling like I hadn’t gotten the most out of the previous night’s workout. I found the perfect sweat, The Mashup at Fitmix Studio.

Pre Sweat

One of the reasons I chose to check out this studio was that it’s located 1.5 miles directly south of my apartment. Hollywood (and all of LA) can be a nightmare for the 6:30 workout timeslot so location is everything. That’s a lie, parking is everything. I saw that Fitmix had only three spots and got a little nervous, but my nerves subsided when I turned the corner and saw neighborhood parking that isn’t permitted until 8 pm!! I’ve only ever seen 6 pm, which always prompts me to search for a meter, so 8 pm was just right! Better yet, if you come to a class after 8, the meters are free! Moving on…I parked one block in from La Brea and headed to the studio where they were finishing up an Endurance Pilates class.

Sweat

After the earlier class was over, I introduced myself to Katherine and let her know it was my first time. Although I told her I had some experience on a reformer, she took me over to one and explained the parts then showed me how to use their treadmills. The class is run similarly to Barry’s Bootcamp, alternating between the reformers and the treadmills. We started with a 4 minute warm up on the treadmill then moved into three 3-minute intervals, changing the speed and incline to whatever Katherine announced. There were times when I found myself sprinting up a steep hill…the sweat began dripping rather quickly.

After 15 minutes, we moved to the reformers, keeping our shoes on, to do ab work. We planked, crunched, and did hundreds while my body tried to cool down from the sprints. It made the reformer work harder than it’s ever been for me because my body was already exhausted! Ten minutes later we moved back to the treadmills for 10 minutes of sprints. We warmed up again (basically starting at a jog and increasing the speed .5 every 30 seconds) and then did two 90-second sprints and two 60-second sprints. I was relieved when it was over. Lastly, we moved back to the reformers for arms. We did pull-ups, tricep work, and curls. This was without a doubt a full-body workout and I walked out of there with shaky legs!

Post Sweat

One of my absolute favorite LA restaurants, L’Assiette, is two blocks west on Melrose. For $25 you get a starter (salad or sorrel soup GET. THE. SOUP.) and two portions of steak frites. They are absolutely amazing and it is the cutest place. If you need something a bit less fancy, check out Pink’s hot dogs, Chipotle, or Bludso’s BBQ all within a block from Fitmix.

Tricks of the Trade

• This sounds gross, because it is, but bring flip flips or a pair of clean socks to change into. My feet were sweaty from all of the running so I was happy not to put my feet back into sweaty socks after the Pilates portion.
• Bring a small towel. I don’t have a designated gym towel so I never bring one but this workout had me sweating like crazy. All of the regulars knew the drill and had towels.
• Don’t be embarrassed to go a little lower on the speed than what the instructor says.
• We didn’t do a group stretch (darn) but you were allowed to stay on the reformer to stretch yourself if you wanted.