Fear of commitment? A new service lets you sample L.A.’s hottest workouts
From stretching in Valencia to a wellness event in South Bay, a way to try 10 different gyms a month to a camp for women that — literally — rose from the ashes, here are some ideas to stay focused on well-being as we ease into March.
StretchLab, a boutique chain that focuses specifically on stretching out muscles, has opened a Valencia location, its third in Southern California.
The 1,200-square-foot location joins others in Laguna Niguel and Solana Beach (there are several around the country), offering dedicated one-on-one stretches with in-house “flexologists.” The 25- or 50-minute sessions on one of the 10 stretch tables are designed to improve flexibility, help with joint pain and improve the quality of workouts and sports performance. Group sessions using foam rollers and yoga straps are also available. Byron Elton, owner of the Valencia StretchLab, said several more locations are planned for Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange counties this year, including an upcoming one in Culver City.
Info: Prices vary, but an introductory 25-minute stretch is $29, stretchlab.com
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Los Angeles trainer Chris DiVecchio is launching his “emergency” weight-loss program.
“We all have good intentions to drop weight for a wedding, pool party, reunion, and we procrastinate and then we’re scrambling for a way to dial it in during that last week,” said DiVecchio. His “E7” program is a workout/nutrition/supplement plan that also involves something he calls water cutting, and describes as a technique that helps the body shed water weight. (Hint: drink more water, not less.) He modeled the program after what bodybuilding competitors and high-level athletes do, “but I stripped it down to something anyone can follow … anybody can do anything for seven days.”
Info: The E7 kit, priced at $98, comes with a day-by-day guide and a set of supplements including dandelion, decaffeinated green tea and MCT oil. The launch event will also include a pop-up marketplace with fitness products, meal delivery kits and CBD oils: Noon to 3 p.m. March 9, Coast Fitness Gym, 5001 W. El Segundo Blvd., Hawthorne. Free. RSVP to rsvp.e7@gmail.com
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For those who want to try a diverse range of classes, FitReserve is expanding its monthly subscription plan for access to numerous gyms across Los Angeles. Previously operating in New York, Boston and Washington, FitReserve now offers some 6,000 classes a month at 50 studios around Los Angeles and Orange counties. Members can dip in and out of classes like indoor cycling, yoga, boot camp, dance, Pilates and barre, among others.
“People don’t want to do the same thing all the time,” said FitReserve chief executive and co-founder Megan Smyth. “They want the ability to combine different classes at different places and mix and match.” FitReserve works with fitness studios such as Cycle House, Wundabar and Modelfit. Classes through FitReserve are typically about half the price of a drop-in at most boutique gyms.
Info: Plans start at $55 for three classes a month, to $135 for 10 monthly classes. fitreserve.com
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Campowerment, a women-only camp program, had its regular Malibu location burn down in November, on the day it was supposed to start. The Woolsey wildfire burned through the Gindling Hilltop Camp, where Campowerment had run its retreats since the program launched six years ago. Tammi Leader Fuller, Campowerment founder, said the majority of buildings that served as dorm-style rooms, dining hall and gathering spaces for campers were burned to the ground.
“We had 160 signed up to start, some of whom were boarding flights to get here,” said Leader Fuller, who with her colleagues was setting up for the first day of camp when they were told to evacuate. “We left all our supplies and materials behind, everything we’d accumulated over six years, and lost it all.”
Leader Fuller found a new location in Lake Arrowhead and will now be mounting the event in late March, offering the same attractions women have been coming to Campowerment for since its inception. In addition to bonding over rope challenges, meditation and yoga classes, there will be speakers on parenting, body language, integrated medicine and “writing your legacy.” Leader Fuller said that for the foreseeable future, she will take her camp on the road; another event is planned for Ojai in November.
Info: March 22-25, Running Springs (near Lake Arrowhead). $1,599 includes all activities, lodging, meals and snacks. campowerment.com
