At a Glance:

Website: http://www.circuitworksla.com/
Address: 2005 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405
Length: 60 minutes
Price: 1 class/$28, 10 classes/$260, month unlimited/$179 (includes custom meal plans)
Sweat scale: high
Energy level: medium-high

I’ve come to love treadmill classes; in fact, I wish we had New York City’s “Mile High Run Club” in Los Angeles. It’s not always convenient for me to get to “Barry’s Bootcamp” so I was stoked to try this Santa Monica staple. Circuit Works promises to be a mix of treadmill cardio intervals, strength training, and stretching.

Pre Sweat

There was adequate street parking when I arrived, but I was informed of the 2-hour free parking under “M Street Kitchen” that Circuit Works validates. The front desk staff was really friendly and handed me a set of headphones to wear to while watching the informational video on how to take class. This is a real experience! I was also asked if I’d be interested in wearing a heart-monitor (which is free for first-time clients). This was something I had recently started doing and after a few moments of getting hooked up, I was ready to go!

 

Sweat

We first gathered to warm-up and go over that day’s workout. The class is broken down into 6-8 rounds on the treadmill and 6-8 rounds of strength training using various types of equipment. The moves were demonstrated on several of the studio’s monitors, which was helpful since I tend to be either forgetful or intensely focused on my treadmill run. There were also smaller monitors on each of the treadmills reminding me what the next running round would be (really, you can’t mess this up!).

We did varying jogs, runs, and hills, as well as leg presses, squats, resistance bands, and dumbbell curls. In between each round, the instructor, Sean, had us do burpees, push-ups, and planks.  Sean is training for the 2016 Olympics and he made me feel like a true athlete. I heard beforehand that he went full “beast mode” and that was no lie! I found it fun and challenging to wear the heart-monitor, but I was one of only two people using it in my class, so the other classmate and I pushed each other with enthusiasm and shout-outs. The class finished with great amount of stretching—you really need it after these types of classes.

Post Sweat

There’s so much to do around here! There’s even the Santa Monica informational desk down the street if you feel overwhelmed with all the options. M Street Kitchen is fantastic, Urth Caffe is close, and Dogtown Coffee is next door. I love walking from here to the Third Street Promenade with a cup of their coffee. Better yet, you can check out the beach!

Tricks of the Trade

– Arrive early to watch the video and get situated. You’ll need a good 10-15 minutes before for your first class.
– If ‘beast mode” isn’t your thing, every instructor has their own spin. I’ve also tried class with Adam who is quite zen and inspiring.
-There’s a water fountain near the leg presses so make sure to fill and refill!
-Don’t be afraid to ask for help! It can be a little daunting but the instructors are patient.

About the Author: McCall is an Actress/ Makeup Artist (currently working for Sephora), living in the heart of West Los Angeles. She is addicted to dark chocolate, Arctic Zero Dairy-Free ice cream, and a good dose of movie theater popcorn (specifically at The Landmark). Her ultimate ClassPass adventure would be either trapeze or horseback riding lessons. But overall, she’s down to try anything. If you see her at a class, or even at work, feel free to say hello!

Follow McCall on Twitter and Instagram: @mccallschenthal