This is my first review and I will preface it by saying that I will not do a bad review. I’ve been to a couple of places already but was unimpressed for one reason or another, so I am going to listen to my mother and not say anything since I don’t have anything nice to say. That being said, I can’t believe that they will all be this glowing.
Training Mate is a magical land of gorgeous people with fun accents who know EXACTLY what they are doing when it comes to combining a great workout, excellent form, and a lot of fun into a workout that just flies by — 45 minutes felt like nothing. I could have stayed all day (mind you, I am a little crazy and a fitness freak). I definitely think you can last 45 minutes and feel great about it! I give this place a perfect score, and they are not paying me. let’s have a look at the areas that are important to me and a little explanation for this round of applause.
Greeting
I walked in, stated my name and this gorgeous woman got super excited and said “welcome to your first day!” She told me she was the trainer for the class and went straight into the exact right question “do you have any pre-existing conditions I should know about?” When I said no she followed up with a breakdown of how things would work and said the next exact right thing: “If anything feels wrong stop immediately. I can give you a modification or an alternative.” Safety first = YES!
Class Intro
She moved through it quickly and efficiently. Her instructions on form were on point. i’m already hooked.
The Class
There are three groups, with three stations each. You run through each station three times — 45 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds of rest, then move to the next station. After the three rounds, there is a one-minute break, then you move to the next station, after that you finish in the final station. Fnally you grab a matt and hit the floor for about five minutes of well-chosen ab work.
The trainer was fun with great energy — just the right amount of encouragement without being cheesy. Most importantly she had her eye on the whole room and was helping people correct their form when needed. I didn’t see anything go unnoticed, which is hugely important to me. Form is everything!
(I went back for a second class to make sure my first experience wasn’t a fluke, this time with a male trainer who was also gorgeous, knowledgable and just as fun! They are consistently great!)
The Music
The music was awesome. I don’t always love remixes, but I recognized and loved most of the songs, and the remixes were dope, perfectly set the vibe and kept the flow going.
The Other People
Super nice and good looking. Not all crazy intimidating good looking, but a full range of healthy nice people. It was a mixed crowd, so if you are hoping to find “him,” he might be there. Get a great workout and a boyfriend — not a bad deal. You can definitely make friends here.
Who Is This For, Who Maybe Not So Much?
It depends on your goals…
It you want to be ripped and huge, I think traditional bodybuilding and a trainer could be better for you.
If you want a tight Fight Club type of body, this could do it.
If your life is crazy busy and you don’t have time to do lifting and cardio… this is for you!
If you want some functional and endurance training, also for you.
If you like a group setting this is definitely for you, it was a great group and the whole place felt very welcoming and supportive.
If you are out of shape? I didn’t see anybody in the class that was. I would say that people that were at least on the low end of intermediate would do best. That being said, the trainers are pretty dope, and I am sure they would be happy to support someone new to the game; you could go at your own pace for sure and once again, they are great with form. They encouraged me to break or modify whenever needed.
The first session is free and you can sign up online. If you have been on the fence about trying Training Mate or you are just looking for something new, give them a try! They have locations in West Hollywood and Studio City. (I took both classes in Weho.)
