Best Outdoor Gyms in LA

Angelenos consistently embrace the newest, sexiest, and hottest trends. From fro-yo and poke bowls to hot yoga, HIIT workouts, and kombucha. Residents in Los Angeles adapt quickly, adopt early, and act as guinea pigs for the rest of the country. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that we would find ways to get our sweat on despite the challenging times we live in. Outdoor gyms continue to grow in popularity, as owners figure out the best ways to maintain distancing, sanitize, and keep all exercisers safe. Whether you are hoping to slim down, bulk up, or just maintain your fitness, here are some of the best outdoor gyms in LA to help you work out safely:

1. Row House

Row House offers aerobic endurance and muscular strength all in one exercise. This low-impact, high-energy, music-driven workout gets your blood pumping and body engaged. You have numerous locations to choose from, too. Exercise at one of their four convenient locales in Los Angeles (Granada Hills, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Long Beach). 

Keeping You Safe:

-Reducing class size to guarantee 6 feet of distancing between members
-Hands-off corrections using verbal cues and demonstration
-‘In Good Health’ Verification, which affirms each participant is in good health and has not been in contact with anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19
-Contactless check-in using the mobile app
-Limiting equipment and sanitizing it between classes
-Mandated mask-wearing

2. Speir Pilates

Like many outdoor gyms in La La Land, Speir has chosen to move their equipment to the roof for classes. Speir stands out from the others on this list for a good reason, though. Studio founder Andrea Speir teaches many of the classes herself! That added pressure will inevitably force you to push yourself that much more. Their signature reformer classes include Power Reformer, Cardio Reformer, and Reformer/Barre Burn. Each class offers a unique way to feel the burn. 

Keeping You Safe:

-Mandated mask wearing for all participants, in addition to instructors and staff
-Reformers (Pilates equipment) are positioned 6ft apart, with no mats.
-Instructors make corrections with verbal cues
-Complete contactless check-in
-Clients must wash hands and/or use hand sanitizer upon entry and exit (touch-free sanitizer)
–Temperature checks for all instructors, staff, and clients before each shift
-Regular disinfecting of all surfaces, equipment, and common areas are between each class; disinfectant wipes are provided before and after every class)

3. Los Angeles Athletic Club

The Los Angeles Athletic Club celebrated its 140th Anniversary in 2020, and they have clearly understood the COVID-19 protocols and taken them to heart. In the Fall of 2020, they converted parking areas and a rooftop into a 26,000 sq ft outdoor gym space. But they didn’t stop there! Members can also enjoy an outdoor spa and salon area, a beach-themed bar, and DJs to keep the good vibes going. As an added bonus, Marco (the cherished shoeshine man), made a triumphant return to business with his own outdoor area for dress shoe and sneaker cleaning. The LAAC is a staple in the City of Angels, and hopefully, can open their boutique hotel very soon!

Keeping You Safe:

-Mandatory face coverings for all members (disposable masks are available at all entrances)
-Temperature checks at entrances (those who register a temperature over 100 must leave)
-Touchless entry into the parking garage, thanks to license plate-based automatic parking gate opening
-Deep cleaning, full disinfectant spray-down before opening each day courtesy of Safe Companies cleaning company + recurring nightly cleaning
-Members must wipe down equipment before and after each use
-Scheduled breaks between reservations allow club cleaners to clean between sessions. 
-Social distancing required for members and staff

4. Equinox

Equinox opened its very first fully outdoor club in Los Angeles, on September 21, 2020. They appropriately named it “Equinox in the Wild.” This massive space is gorgeous and includes stations for strength training, cardio, yoga, and cycling. The team at Equinox clearly made social distancing a priority. They purposely spread their stations and equipment across 27,000 sq ft on a rooftop. Their commitment to client safety is astounding, to say the least, as evidenced by The Equinox Standard. But the most impressive part? Their use of the Hyper HEPA filtration (discussed further below)

Keeping You Safe:

-Equinox performs rigorous deep-cleaning and disinfecting 3x daily and once overnight
-Cleaning is performed with medical-grade, EPA-registered disinfectants that are effective against the COVID-19 virus with a kill time of less than one minute
-30-minute buffers between group fitness classes allow for disinfecting
-Hyper HEPA (High-Efficiency Particular Air) filters force air through a fine mesh net to trap airborne particles: dust, allergens, pet dander, mold, bacteria, and virus particles. They filter 99.97% of all airborne  particulates down to 0.01 microns (smaller than the .1 microns associated with coronavirus particulate)
-Mandatory face coverings
-Club safety leads ensure social distancing
-Members must use hand sanitizer when entering the club and frequently throughout their visit
-Members can clean and disinfect their phones and personal devices with touchless, medical-grade UV-C sanitizer
-Touch-free temperature checks. Those with temperatures higher than 100.4 degrees will not be permitted to access the club for 3 days

5. Sanctuary Fitness

Members can enjoy outdoor sessions of Sanctuary’s most popular classes, including high-intensity interval training, boxing, and yoga classes. They have two locations offering outdoor workouts — Downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena. Moreover, they will soon be opening a third location in West Hollywood. Lastly, their HIIT classes (high-intensity interval training) are especially alluring because every day features new exercises and a new format. It’s the perfect way to ensure you never get bored!

Keeping You Safe:

-Mandatory facial coverings during entry, exit, and while in common areas (masks are also available)
-Daily professional cleaning with medical-grade products occurs daily
-Individual spray bottles are provided to participants for use on equipment
-Instructors make corrections with verbal cues and touchless demonstrations
-Touchless thermometers are utilized (anyone with a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees will not be permitted entry)
-Social distancing is observed and maintained 

Conclusion

Exercising outdoors is the new normal, for now. The current restrictions force gym rats and workout aficionados to adjust and adapt until the COVID vaccine is more widely distributed. But, based on these gyms and the other outdoor workouts available in LA, it’s clear that the market for fitness is alive and well. Above all, we are encouraged by how seriously gyms are taking this virus. They each demonstrate a commitment to keeping patrons safe.

If you liked our list, let us know! Know of any gyms that didn’t make the cut, let us know that too!