If you follow us on Instagram, you know how much we love our group fitness classes! Classes help us stay motivated because you can’t leave, quit, or text during the 45-60 minutes and you have a trainer constantly inspiring and motivating you to keep going.
Here are our Top 5 favorite studios and instructors (not in order!). Also we know all these instructors (except 1) are male… We are not sexist. Our favorites just happen to be male, so please do not be offended because we aren’t and they aren’t.
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David Zint at SoulCycle
SoulCycle is hands down our favorite spin studio, which is our favorite form of cardio. We hate running, but we can spin for 90+ minutes straight! Not only are there multiple locations around Los Angeles, from Downtown LA to Manhattan Beach, but the studios are all so clean and friendly. Plus they recently partnered with Le Labo, so showering there is amazingggg.
David Zint at SoulCycle David is our absolute favorite instructor. We both normally don’t like instructors who talk. We would rather have them just cue us and tell us what to do next. But David constantly inspires us and is so positive! We try to take at least 3 classes with him weekly because we need it. It’s better (and cheaper!) than therapy!
Things to know: First SoulCycle class is $20. Bike sign-ups go live every Monday at 12:00 pm. It’s stressful AF, definitely harder than getting Coachella tickets.
David teaches at the West Hollywood and Hollywood studios, and his classes book up FAST especially his weekend ones.
Other instructors to try: Pixie, Josh, Ross
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Matt Conrad at Barry’s Bootcamp
Barry’s Bootcamp is a 60-minute bootcamp, where you switch off between the treadmill and the floor. Each day is a different focus. Mondays are Arms & Abs, Tuesdays Butt & Legs, Wednesday Chest, Back & Abs, Thursday Abs, Friday-Sunday Full Body. The runs are really hard (according to Joanna because Grace is still too scared to run lol). We usually do Double Floor (DF), so all floor work for the 60 minutes. But even without the running, we leave class drenched and our heart rate up. (PS They have Oribe products in their showers… So don’t mind showering there at all!)
Matt Conrad at Barry’s Bootcamp Matt is our favorite Barry’s instructor. We’ve taken a couple others, but no one else compares to him for us. He’s hilariously sassy and snarky in class, so don’t take what he says personally, just laugh! His leg days are absolutely killer. But then again so are his upper body and full body days. Don’t think we’ve ever left his class not sore. We actually love him so much that we now do personal training with him outside of Barry’s too.
Things to know: You can also pre-order your smoothie, so it’s ready when you’re finished with class! Our favorites are the Skinny B*tch and the Skinny PB.
While Barry’s is on Classpass, the spots go pretty quickly. You also can’t pick your treadmill / floor spot or a DF spot. It just assigns any open spot to you.
Matt teaches at the West Hollywood and Hollywood studios.
Other instructors to try: ……we really have no idea. We only take Matt. #sorrynotsorry
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Xavier Quimbo at Speedplay
Speedplay is a 60-minute HIIT class. You run on a Woodway Curve treadmill, which is the best treadmill ever since it’s fully powered by you and safer on your joints. This is the only treadmill Grace will run on because of her knee problems. You row on a C2 rower, and you do floor work with barbells, dumbbells, and body weight. We actually did a month challenge in January 2017! (Check out our post on our thoughts about the challenge.)
Xavier Quimbo at Speedplay X is one of our favorite instructors. He has the most insane amount of energy, and he makes all the moves he demonstrates look effortless and easy… Then you realize it’s really not. We love him because he knows how to push us. He’ll stand next to us on the treadmill telling us to run a little faster, flip our screen back on the rowers so we focus on the row itself, and add a dumbbell to our legs when we’re doing abs to add that extra challenge.
Things to know: DTLA parking can be difficult, so you can park at the Palms valet for $2 with validation.
If you take a class with X, always know he adds a “bonus round” at the end of the class. It can be anything from another run to a burpee train to a squat hold.
Other instructors to try: Blake (especially his abs class), Jenny (especially her glutes class)
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Justin & Taylor Norris at LIT Method
LIT Method stands for Low Impact Training. There is no running, jumping, or weights. Instead you row on a water rower and use your body weight on a TRX and resistance bands. By the way, low impact does NOT mean low intensity. We sweat so much during LIT!! We’re obsessed with the water rower since it’s so smooth. We also love that in class there’s an instructor and an assistant to help motivate you and to show you form. The best part is if you have an injury, they will help you modify so you don’t hurt yourself anymore.
Justin & Taylor Norris at Lit Method Justin & Taylor are the owners and founders of LIT and our favorites. They’re both incredibly upbeat and motivating in class. According to Justin, it’s always Friday at LIT. When they’re next to us during the sprints on the rowers, we hit our fastest speeds. We may cry a lot when they add additional resistance to our leg work when they push against us, but we’re obsessed with their classes. If you want the additional challenge, try the Strength class on the weekend… But just know it’s REALLY hard and the other class attendees are intense AF.
Things to know: Show up early to choose your rower / spot in the class! They also ask for any injuries, so the instructor can work around it and show you modifications if needed.
Each class ends with a short foam rolling session. It’s amazing. (PSA: You should always foam roll.)
Other instructors to try: Matt. (We’ve only taken Justin and Matt, so our experience is a little limited…)
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Luke Milton at Training Mate
If you haven’t tried Training Mate yet, you’re missing out. They’re hot Aussies. And if that wasn’t enough, they also tell the funniest dirty jokes in class, so you’ll laugh the whole time. Training Mate is a circuit workout, so you do a workout at each station for 45 seconds, switch, and repeat. Bondi Burn is an arm focus day. Thunder Down Under is legs. Mighty Mate and Sydney Circuit are full body. You also end each class with an abs session. Not sure what works your abs more… the workouts or laughing from the funniest worst jokes.
Luke Milton at Training Mate Luke is the owner of Training Mate and definitely tells the worst but best jokes. The workouts are not easy and have definitely gotten harder, but Luke makes the time pass by really fast. We hadn’t taken a class in forever and took one a few weeks ago. We forgot how much we love it and Luke! Our favorite (and least favorite) is when he stands next to us for our burpees and counts them out, so we have a steady pace throughout the 45 seconds.
Things to know: Sign up ASAP. Just go. You won’t regret it. Luke teaches both at the Studio City and West Hollywood locations.
Other instructors to try: Shrug. We only take Luke.
If you couldn’t tell, we’re really loyal to our favorite instructors and have difficulty changing it up because we just love them so much! But we’re always willing to try someone new or try a new studio.
What are your favorite studios and / or instructors? Is there anyone or any class you recommend we try? Let us know in the comments!
