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24 Hour Fitness
Category: Active Life Fitness & Instruction Gyms Gyms [Edit]
1417 2nd StSanta Monica, CA 90407
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
(310) 255-0008
1 free Pass
Get a free 24 Hour Fitness pass. Join millions who have changed their lives through fitness. http://bit.ly/oHHsHM
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 5:30 am - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 7 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
81 reviews for 24 Hour Fitness
81 reviews in English
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Review from Sophia W.
3/11/2012
Flapjacks in the front,
Bowling balls in the back.
My butt's so big, like Saks' shoe department, it's got its own zip code. Only one thing is able to keep my gluteus maximus from getting outta control, and it's regular visits to Le 24 Hour to work on my fitness (Fergie's my witness).
This Super Sport is lacking compared to other ones I've been to. Other than free towel service, I don't really see what the fuss is about. Free towels hardly is a reason to charge an extra $20/month for, BUT since all the other 24 Hour locations in LA REALLY suck, this location is kinda amazing in comparison.
And since this location is a Super Sport and you have to pay extra to go here, it weeds out all the hoodlums (not like Santa Monica had many of these to begin w/). To take their place are middle-aged Lululemon-wearing stay-at-home MILFs with wedding rings the size of golf balls. They tend to form little cliques, put their mats next to each other during yoga, make bedroom eyes at the trainers and scope out the next hot pool boy to hire with hubby's paycheck. I like to observe them for a good laugh.
Classes here are great! I highly recommend...
- Brick's HIIT class (T & Th 9am): Not for the faint of heart!
- Ashley's BodyPump class (Th 11 & 6pm): I'm so in lust w/ Ashley. She's wonderfulllll!!
- Jenn's Zumba class (F 9am; Sat 11am; M 7pm): Jenn shows you how to shake what yo momma gave ya!Listed in: Work It Out!
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Review from Shaina R.
Los Angeles, CA
5/22/2012
This gym made me quit my membership.
Parking:
Parking is horrible and is almost impossible to find. I get off of work at 4 o'clock and it only takes me 15 minutes to drive down. At 4:15p.m. (Monday-Friday) there already is no street parking available. The structures are very confusing and cost an arm and a leg and are still a long walk away (the closest parking structure to the gym is under construction and will reopen next year). Arriving at 4pm-10pm you will never be able to get a decent workout in.
Workout Machines:
There are only a few of each meaning there is usually a wait unless you get lucky. All equipment seems a little outdated. The gym doesn't have spray bottles and paper towels to wipe down machines after usage. Pretty gross to me.
Classes:
The room where classes are taught is extremely small. I think only 20 members can take the class and fit comfortably. There is no air circulation and/or air conditioning or fans in the room. The teachers are decent but the size of the room is not desirable. The matts given out for yoga classes are old and disgusting and probably have never been cleaned.
I quit my membership and am paying a little more for my membership now but it is a nicer gym, with its own parking and plenty equipment (new). With the $5 a day I was paying for parking alone going to 24 on 2nd street- I figured that I would still be saving money. -
Review from Ada L.
4/5/2012 6 Check-ins Here
This is the nearest location to my apt (at the Sport or Active level). It's a very small gym and doesn't look very nice on the inside. The good thing is that it has all the machines that I normally like to use.
I tend to get to the gym around 5:30am (when the gym opens) in order to find a parking spot right in front of the gym w/o too much of a hassle (as well as to get my workouts over with). I do wish that the gym would open a bit earlier though. It's unfortunate that this 24 Hour gym location isn't actually open for 24 hours. -
Review from Lindsay H.
Santa Monica, CA
3/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was bordering appalled when my roommate gave this gym a negative review -- since moving to Santa Monica, I've grown very attached to this adorable 24 Hour Fitness that is walking distance from my home and work. The only downside I encountered from the start were the weekend hours: only open till 5pm on Sat and Sun!
Buuut, after going here awhile, I'm sadly starting to agree with my roommate and other Yelpers. When equipment is out of order, it stays that way for a long time. The main water fountain always seems to be out of order, and when it's not, it's leaking a big puddle on the floor.
I never see any employees cleaning the workout areas. And I KNOW the changing rooms aren't cleaned (or very rately). I dropped my iPod shuffle in one and it wasn't found for several days. I was told by two different people that a cleaning crew comes daily, but if that were the case, my iPod would have been found sooner and someone's lone flip flop wouldn't have sat under a changing room bench for days. Another changing room has dried snot and blood on the walls. Even after mentioning it to an employee, it's still there a week later. I hate to think that the workout areas and machines might be cleaned as poorly.
After all that, I'll probably keep coming here because of its proximity. Despite its quaintness, there are rarely waits on machines and it has everything I need. The staff is nice, too. -
Review from Bob L.
Santa Monica, CA
5/23/2012
I really like this 2nd St. gym. It may not be the biggest health club out there, but the equipment I use at this location definitely does the trick for me. Plus, the vibe here is very low key and cool. The great majority of the other gym-goers here are considerate and friendly, not too in-your-face like at some other health clubs I've been to in the past. And the staff is great! Club manager Ivana, along with the other staff members, are super-nice people. Btw, parking in the public garages is free for the first two hours if you park before 6 p.m.
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Review from Mimi E.
Los Angeles, CA
1/19/2012
Alright, if you need a place to work out - this place exists. After the expansion, they now offering towels and more cardio machines. Be careful of the towels. They are so rough that I still bring my own from home. However, they never smell "unclean" which is something I have experienced at other gyms.
While the cardio machines are now in abundance after the revamp, if they break - they will still stay that way for a while. Luckily, there are enough cardio machines to go around even with the consistent rotation of broken machines. I've never had to wait.
The biggest disappointment to their remodel is the new spin room. Big and airy with a ton of mirrors, the room shows promise. However, the new room doesn't allow for the lights to be dimmed. So...basically, you are spinning in a bright room with the lights on 100%. It's weird but I never knew how important dimmed lights were in a spin class. I have had the worst experiences trying to spin here. After I pulled myself out of bed one early morning the instructor didn't show up to an early morning class and the class was cancelled 15 minutes after it was supposed to start. A ripped bike seat cover ripped my workout pants and scratched my skin. The instructors dont bring their microphones half of the time, so you can hear what they are asking you to do.
The bathrooms have been redone. I guess they are nice but I never go in there.Listed in: I Workout!
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Review from Teddy L.
Santa Monica, CA
3/8/2012
Full disclosure: I'm still a member of 24 Hour Fitness, I just go to the one on Ocean Park now. I live right next to this location so that is why I would go. But after about 2 years of broken equipment that never gets attention, a hand dryer in the bathroom that looks like it's falling apart, and the fact it isn't open 24 hours -- I had to switch locations. It is very small... which is fine. But if you go in there during a busy time, it gets very crowded.
The fact it's a 24 Hour Fitness, but doesn't stay open for 24 hours in a row blows my mind. I asked the guy at the front desk why that was the case and he told me the City of Santa Monica won't let "stores" at the 3rd St. Promenade stay open for 24 hours... even though this is on 2nd St, it holds the same rules. This gets very frustrating on a weekend when they close at 5.
It's dirty. And the equipment never gets fixed. It sits there with a "Do Not Use" sign for weeks or even months. -
Review from Joel T.
2/6/2012 13 Check-ins Here
Meh. I've experienced better.
This is a woman's gym (no offense, women). ONE BENCH but TONS of cardio equipment. NO POWER RACK?! Not the cleanest gym I've been to. You can do the bare minimum of weight training here. Don't expect to find a place to hang your TRX bands up on though. The place is two floors, with a little aerobics room that I usually see elderly folk in. Parking in the structure next door is free for the first two hours between 8-6pm.
Anyways, I don't like complaining...but since I can't goto the next closest 24 Hr, I'm a little bitter. There aren't any other good 24hr's around either so I'm stuck going to this closet of a gym. I can still get my crap done here, I just don't like it. Having the option to go to this gym and to not work out at all ALMOST makes me want to choose the latter.
Not to mention, it's not even open 24 hours. -__- -
Review from Jordan R.
Los Angeles, CA
3/6/2012
I like popping in here for the yoga classes after a nice long run along Palisades park. Tiny, yet efficient gym located near the third street promenade in Santa Monica.
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Review from Jose M.
Santa Monica, CA
4/24/2012
This gym is tiny and walking around you would miss it. I recently moved to the area and the next best option is the Super Sport which my membership doesn't let me into. Parking looks awful, but I live a few blocks away so walking is not an issue, I just walk a few blocks and through the busy 3rd street promenade. This is NOT a 24 hour location unfortunately, and weekends they close at 5. I haven't seen the gym super full and its near empty an hour before closing time so its perfect for someone like me who feels awkward and shy about doing new exercises without looking like a fool. Equipment wise they have a lot of essentials, unfortunately there's only one bench for chest press and one full set of dumbbells. The gym is tiny but you'll find the charm in that you can easily hop from one machine to the next quick since everything is packed in. There's two floors and a changing room and a set of lockers but because space is limited there's no real men and women's locker room like other 24 Hour locations. On 4/23 there was some major leaking from one of the pipes that the ONE employee wasn't taking notice of so hopefully they fix it soon without closing the small gym. Overall, not the best gym but it gets the job done and cheaper than the surrounding gym options.
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Review from Russ B.
Updated - 8/16/2011
UPDATE - 3 months later and still no equipment updates BUT I ended up writing an email to the corp office about it and the club manager called me and we talked about it VERY NICE, wasn't expecting that.
I'm still at a loss as to why things are not fixed sooner but at least now I know someone is listening which is more that you can say about a lot of places!
Still giving it 2 stars since this club in its current condition is still the worst out all the 24Hour clubs I've been to but at least I have been told it will improve.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/20/2011
Wow, I read the reviews on this place and am just astonished by what people think is clean. I… Read more »
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Review from Daniel R.
Marina del Rey, CA
7/29/2011
It seems like people are getting the location on 2nd Street in Santa Monica confused with the one on 31st in Santa Monica. One is an Express and the other is a Super Sport (the difference in size between these two is night and day). I am reviewing the one located on 2nd Street:
This location is awesome! Yes, it is small, but it is super convenient for me and it doesn't get too crowded. I guess I am lucky to have the flexibility to go to the gym in the middle of the day when there are only a few people there, but hey, call me lucky. This location is so calm and peaceful and I am always able to get a great workout in with no distractions.
The staff is friendly, other members are friendly, plenty of free weights, and I never have to wait for a machine. Great place to workout! -
Review from b g.
Santa Monica, CA
7/23/2011
I've been a member of this 24 for about 6 months now, and I'm a big fan for a few reasons. First, the location is super convenient (for me of course, and I'm sure for many others as well). The membership costs really cant be beat (around $30 a month). And overall, this is just a nice, simple little gym for people who want to show up, finish their workout, and get back to their day quickly and hassle free. So If you like to whine about no towel service/showers/etc, then this probably isn't the place for you. But if you're into just working out, then it's a pretty decent choice.
That said, the primary reason I keep coming back is to work with my trainer, Hank Cho. His approach to fitness emphasizes more of a mind/body philosophy rather than any particular routine - which is actually pretty amazing in practice. The benefits I've received from this have had a positive impact on my life both in and out of the gym. I now look forward to showing up knowing that I will be pushed to my limits, which is quite the opposite of how I've felt while working with other trainers in the past. And that is another reason I keep coming back as well - Hank does indeed have a very good sense of what my limits are (moreso than even I do!), and he makes sure to keep me on that edge without being unsafe (my personal goals are to get as strong as I can as quickly as possible).
In sum, the gym itself is decent - a no hassle place and a pretty friendly staff to go along with it. I've never had any big issues with waiting for machines, the cleanliness of the place, etc. - and I'm there at least 3 days per week. Crowds were an issue when the Ocean Park location was being redone, but those people have since returned to their "nice" gym, and that seems to have solved that problem. So, while I am pretty attached to my convenient little gym, it's more important to me to have a trainer with whom I have complete trust and confidence in. Assuming that the Ocean Park location doesn't close again for like 4 months, and as long as Hank is still working here, this will remain my gym of choice. -
Review from Ariz G.
6/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
This got to be the smallest 24 active I've been too. I mean, hell... it has one bench press. ONE FLAT BENCH PRESS!
I don't see the point of having those ab-cruncher machines, I think it takes up space. They need to put more bench press. What also disappoints me was the limited number of weights.
The place doesn't even have a locker room. I mean, it has lockers and changing rooms, but no locker room. How is this surviving?
If I lived by this neighborhood, I'd go to Equinox or sign up for the John Wooden Center at UCLA. -
Review from Sokey L.
3/9/2011 5 Check-ins Here
For it's size, this 24 Hour Fitness gets the job done. It's very clean, has all the necessary equipments, employs friendly staff members, and---most importantly---sits three blocks from work.
YAY I am a fan!Listed in: Around 3rd St Santa Monica, Workin' on my fitness
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Review from Daniel A.
Santa Monica, CA
I love this gym because I am able to walk here and workout for about 2 hours and then walk home. The staff is very welcoming and the environment is nice.
The cardio machines are good, but sometimes they make strange noises when you run on them.
The weight machines are great because there are a lot of them in such a small gym.
They sell many protein drinks at the front but they are a bit pricey. But I think the convenience is worth the price.
Overall, i love this gym and will continue to workout here.
I would love to give this place 5 stars but i will admit that is not perfect. -
Review from Yi Z.
5/8/2011
Parking is such a pain. I'm not complaining that it's far from the gym, it's just very time consuming. I arrived at 9:45am on Saturday morning and had to go up the city lot until I reached the roof level to find a space.
After wasting 10 minutes parking, I signed in at the gym for a 10 o'clock Cardio Funk class that I saw on the schedule online.
I hung out near the group class room for a while but the 9am class ran long. Finally, it was our turn, right? Well...not exactly. The instructor didn't show up and didn't bother to call to let anyone know. It turns out that the instructors are booked by an offsite scheduler so this gym didn't even have the instructor's contact info.
Total Fail! What a waste of my time. -
Review from Justin Y.
6/17/2011
Had the opportunity to work out at this gym tonight and let me tell you why you should stick to the one on 31st and Ocean Park.....
Location: 2nd street. Right next to the promenade (It looks like an office.... So keep your eyes peeled for the sign that says 24 Hr Fitness (Express) They should probably change it to 24 Hr Fitness (CRAMPED) cause that is exactly how I felt.
Parking: Metered and across the street in the parkin' garage. Just read the signs carefully.
Patrons: Typical Gym crowd. I'm sure a lot of the people from the 31st location matriculated to this location for the time bein' until renovation is finished.
Equipment: Pretty top notch. Exactly what I'd expect from a facility such as this.
Space: It's tiny man. Seriously, I think they converted an old office or half a fire station cause with the red brick walls and the set-up. It reminds me of a tiny fire department.
*A decent replacement for my usual gym that I go to when I'm back in LA. But the 2 star ratin' I gave pretty much sums up my experience. Let me reiterate it for emphasis "Meh. I've experienced Better". You should too. -
Review from Mike D.
Santa Monica, CA
2/16/2011
The 24 Hour Fitness on 2nd Street in Santa Monica has had enough positives to keep me going back for 8 months now, but the negatives are definitely frustrating.
While there are just enough weight benches to make due, this location's lifting area is cramped and lacks a reasonable quantity of free weights.
My #1 issue with this location is the lack of parking after 6pm. I've been coming for months now and it's rare to find a metered spot that allows parking for longer than 30 minutes within 3 blocks. The local lots are free if you arrive before 6pm, but they all charge a $5 flat rate after 6. So if you work for a living and still try to go to the gym 3 days a week like me, that's an additional $60/month for parking on top of the $30/month for membership. Suddenly this place is more expensive than it's worth.
My final issue is that this 24 Hour Fitness is NOT open 24 Hours! It closes at 10pm so they start kicking you out around 9:40pm. Lame.
Why can't they have $10/month Planet Fitnesses in LA like they do in Boston??
If you can find parking, at $30/month, this is still the least expensive gym I've found in LA.
Also, please note that none of the pictures posted on this page are of this downtown Santa Monica location. -
Review from Joshua B.
Encino, CA
8/2/2011
Pros: Clean, friendly staff, nice new equipment.
Cons: Not enough lockers (minor issue) -
Review from Flora H.
5/25/2011
24 hour fitness is what it is...
It's not the best and it's not the worst when it comes to gyms, but it's on the inexpensive side, really convenient (because it's open 24 hours) and does the job.
Some are better than others and I will say that this is one of the better ones. It does get crowded, and is a MEAT MARKET but it's Santa Monica so what do you expect.
They managed to sucker me into buying personal training sessions even though I didn't need them and couldn't afford them (one of their tactics was to send a cute young guy to do my "free" training session) so beware! -
Review from Amanda C.
Los Angeles, CA
9/25/2011
This gym rocks! Staff is super friendly ! prices are great! cool, fit and fun people coming in and out . :-) check it out !!
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Review from Maria P.
1/31/2011
This is my first time as a 24 hr gym member and I have to say I am pleased. I belonged to a gym owned by two brothers in San Diego and so I was reluctant to join a corporate conglomerate in my quest to melt away fat and become fit again.
I chose this location because it is a stone's throw away from my job. It's a good way to combat winter weight gain AND avoid the absurd traffic that is omnipresent in LA.
It's an 'express' so there are less machines, less space, and no facilities to shower but it's manageable. I have had to switch up my routine if some of the machines were occupied but overall I've never had to wait for a prolonged amount of time for a particular machine.
I did notice the first week I started working out here that there were several machines which were broken and had yellow caution tape on them. Hopefully the turn around is quick because in a smaller gym every piece of equipment matters.
Downstairs they have a few desks where enrollment occurs (I did mine through Global Fit over the phone and got a greatly discounted rate), a drink machine, the front desk, then a separate workout room for group fitness classes or when unoccupied a space to do abs, jump rope or use free weights (but do not use the ones in the room already they are strictly for class use!), bikes, elliptical machines, treadmills, ab machines, and free weights.
Upstairs they have the Xpress machines which is like Curves, 40 seconds each per machine, which no one seems to abide by. They have other arm, leg, and full body machines up there too.
Overall I am happy with this location. I'm curious to try the group fitness classes like Body Pump in the future. -
Review from Tude L.
West Covina, CA
4/24/2011
Bomb dizzle dang dang.
By far the nicest 24 hour fitness, I have been to.
Awesome equipment, friendly staff, clean bathrooms, killer showers, plenty of room, towel service and nice/friendly patrons.
I don't like showering in gyms but this one was by far my most comfortable experience.
My boo and I are gym hoppers, this gym is great.
*validate your ticket for parking. -
Review from Kevin J.
Santa Monica, CA
5/11/2011
TILL JULY 2ND THIS PLACE WILL BE GETTING THE CROWD FROM 31ST ST....
Club is tiny, with old machines . For those of you who have to drive here, you have to pay for parking..........................once you get inside:
THE FIRST FLOOR STINKS OF BACTERIA AND STALE AIR..............YUK
NO SHOWERS, POOL, SAUNA, TRACK, BASKETBALL COURT
SMALL CROWDED TOILET AREA
USELESS STAFF AND TRAINERS THAT GET IN THE WAY, USING AREA ON OR NEAR STAIRS!!!!
However if you are in Downtown SM, this is the place.
Equinox is close by but very expensive. -
Review from Jessyka L.
Manhattan, NY
3/9/2011
The only thing that keeps me coming here is that it's walking distance from where I live. If not, I would definitely be going to the 24 hour fitness on Ocean Park. This gym is tiiinnnnnyyyyy, with old machines and a weird smell. Also, it closes at 10pm!!!!!! The last group class is also usually 7pm. Do people in Santa Monica not work? Furthermore, for those of you who have to drive here, you have to pay for parking :(.
On the upside, people at this gym are relatively young and attractive, so
people watching is always fun!
Also, the pictures that appear at the top of this page are not pictures for this particular location.....weird... -
Review from Brigitte T.
Los Angeles, CA
9/27/2010
...when someone is considering joining 24 hour fitness, they always ask their member friends "OK, which is the best one to go to?", and though I don't recommend it to my friends looking for a fancy gym, I actually prefer this tiny, locker-room/shower free location by the ocean.
Why? In one word, simplicity. I come to the gym to workout in comfortable temperatures on working equipment, and that's what you get here more than any other location. Because it's small, out of service equipment is impossible to ignore by the management, and it's seemingly easier/cheaper to keep cool and breezy.
The thing that gets most people annoyed: There is NO shower. There is a bathroom, row of lockers, and private changing rooms. Aside from that, it's two levels of all the equipment you need, and because the promenade isn't an area a ton of people love, I've never seen this location get so crowded I couldn't use the machine I wanted.
Unlike other locations, the simplicity seems to attract people who are polite, but just want to work out. No guys flirting with me, no elderly nudist social club in the locker room, no girls showing off their new boobs, no chubby friends talking at full volume while walking on the slowest setting on the treadmill, no body builders putting on a show that takes over the whole free weight area- just people keeping to themselves.
I also love that you actually can park for free- yes, at the mall for 2 hours. If you complain about walking a full block from your parking spot to the gym, you must see the irony....
Downsides: Closes too early, I seem to remember getting kicked out at 6 on a Sunday.
Ultimately, if you want atmosphere, high-tech machines to distract you from working out, and hot babes everywhere, there are plenty of gyms in LA that offer than with a 1000$ initiation, and 80$+ monthly fee, at 20$ a month with a 200$ start-up fee, I'm quite happy with 24F. -
Review from Christina Y.
Santa Monica, CA
Updated - 3/5/2010 10 Check-ins Here
This update is a focus on the yoga class at this gym. With a relatively new job and lots of other things going on in life, my workout regimen has sadly fallen by the wayside. The part that makes me saddest is that I no longer have time for the yoga sessions at Santa Monica Power Yoga that used to mean so much to me back in the day. I decided to compromise and and take a class at 24 hour fitness, which is free for me, and only 60 minutes long.
What you get in convenience, you definitely lack in ambiance. Instead of a sprawling zen studio, you get a brightly lit, glassed in room that can get stuffy at times. While the instructor plays soothing yoga music, you can still hear the bumping workout beats outside. But it still does the job when you need some quick and dirty yoga.
The instructor I had tonight was Jeremy, who seemed to be a sub for the regular 7pm yoga instructor. He was friendly and skilled but he seems to be some sort of all-around sub, as he was just teaching the lift class before yoga started. That's fine, but kind of makes me a bit disillusioned about the idea of an enlightened yogi taking us with him on his path.
Because the class is only 60 minutes, the whole thing felt pretty abbreviated. I thought the warmup session should have been a little shorter to make way for more intense parts that seemed to be cut short. The corpse pose at the end - everyone's favorite part - was a mere minute or two. But again, it's quick and dirty and it works!Listed in: Regular stops in Santa Monica, Great Chain Businesses In Los…, Places I Can Walk To, Best Bargains In Los Angeles, My Favorite Workouts
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/6/2009
As others have said, this location is preferable BY FAR to the Ocean Park location, where the decor… Read more »
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Review from Kirsten J.
Santa Monica, CA
6/12/2007
Let me preface this with some background info:
I'm not a gym person. I had a gorgeous 3 floor mecca of a gym in college and probably went no more than 10 times a year. However, since moving to LA from Boston/NY, I noticed I walk about 3 miles less each day, and that adds up real quick, so...
About 2 weeks ago the bf and I sucked it up (our guts, that is) and decided to sign up here. We'd heard good things about it from our friends who also have memberships, and it's a great location, as it's just a block off the promenade and Jamba Juice (after workout fruit goodness *drool*). After testing out the gym on a free 7-day pass from the website, we decided we liked it's unpretentious atmosphere, and the fact that you're more likely to see saggy old man boobs as compared to smelly meatheads is kinda refreshing. (ok, i only saw 2 very sweet old guys, and they weren't shirtless - there's actually a fair smattering of every age group here)
The gym is a 2 floor loft setup, and has around 15 ellipticals, 15 bikes, 10 treadmills, and freeweight-type stuff on the first floor, as well as a small room for the few classes they have there (like StripTease, owow!). There's also changing rooms, and a small locker setup towards the back. The second floor is a bunch more weight machines that I don't really bother to use.
Personally, the whole exposed brick/loft look makes it feel less gym-ish, as well as the fact that there's tvs in front of my beloved ellipticals which you can watch while working out, and tune into the audio via any am/fm radio (which i picked up at the 99 cent store, thank you!). It's not a large gym, but I've also yet to see it get super busy (I got between 7 and 9 in the mornings on weekdays, and whenever on weekends). It's never smelly like the Ocean/31st street location, but the class selection is also accordingly small. Oh, and regardless of the name, it's not open 24 hours a day: only 5am-10pm here, and only open til 5pm on Sundays.
In terms of membership rates:
Since I did the family plan with the bf, we get a discounted rate. I believe that initiation etc fees totaled $99, and our monthly is $42 for him and $31 for me, cos I'm an add-on. Also, we got the upgraded membership where we can go to any 24-hour Fitness nation wide with our membership (since we visit the East coast a good deal). The regular, one-club membership for this gym is around $32 a month, if you don't like to gym-hop.
Overall, 4 stars for friendly staff, who remember you when you manage to drag your tired ass in (or your bf drags you instead, teehee), clean machines you never hafta wait for, a simple, somewhat home-y aesthetic, and great location in downtown SM.
Now as for how long I can keep up the early morning workouts? That's a whooole other bag of beans ^.^ -
Review from Carina D.
Los Angeles, CA
9/18/2009
I LOVE THIS 24 HOUR EXPRESS!! Now normally I don't prefer express gyms as I like the option to take a shower and they usually feel cramped, but I was pleasantly surprised by this little gem.
Even though there aren't as many cardio machines as the one on ocean (the one closer to my house) and it doesn't have a juice bar or as many classes, the general vibe of the express gym on 2nd is what I love. There never seems to be a wait (or a long one) for any of the cardio machines, there are tons of ab machines (unlike the ocean location), and their weight machine area upstairs is never packed (i'm usually one of maybe 5 people up there. )
My boyfriend/gym partner makes fun of me because i love the exposed brick of the gym which gives it a NY loft feel (he's a new yorker and laughs at my decor mentions) but even he likes the get in, get out, get fit express vibe at my little exercise oasis.
I also love that they don't have massive AC blasting or fans directly blowing on you while working out so you can actually build up a sweat (unlike the OC gyms we use near my bf's place). I love that they have convenient changing rooms, centrally located lockers (even coin lockers), free 2 hour parking, bike lockups, centrally located disinfectant (so people really use it after each machine - I LOVE IT!!), and conveniently located near the promenade for post coffee/smoothies.
My only gripe is that there are no tvs on the one ellepitical side and the tv's they do have are antiquated, small, and no headphone jacks (only radio tune in or close-captioning...which now that i think about it, is probably a good thing because people are less like to meander on a machine).
The only other odd thing I find about my little fitness gem (and others have mentioned this to me too), people tend to work out at this express gym in some odd workout gear including a number of sandaled folks, occasional jean wearers, crock fanatics, and once even an overweight woman in a bathing suit.
I'm almost afraid to give my little treasure so many stars in fear that the masses will flock to my excentrically clad, get in, get out, exposed brick fitness meca.Listed in: Tried & True in LaLa Land
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Review from Angela T.
Torrance, CA
2/9/2008
When I read '24-Hour Express' I thought, what a grand idea, I have an hour to spare between meetings, and then I drove to Parking Lot 2 (free parking for 3 hours) and hiked back a couple short blocks.
It was noon and the place had just enough people in it I didn't feel eerily alone. I liked that I didn't have to wait to use their equipment (fully stocked), and the hip industrial feel of the place made me feel like even more of a champ--I was, after all, taking the time to cardio between power meetings.
The downside to express gyms is that ya can't shower there. I had to be incredibly mindful about not overexerting myself since I had places to go and people to see directly following. However, for what it is--this gym is handy, clean, empty during lunch, and visited and run by happy smiley people.Listed in: The 24 Hour Fitness Near You
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Review from Fer M.
New York, NY
6/20/2007
this is the express version of 24hour fitness- by express I mean no bathing and part time. They close at 10 on weekdays and 5 on weekends.
The equipment is top-notch, and the service is good. If you live close by and can shower at home, this is great and cheaper then other gyms.
They have a partnership with Exhale across the street so if you want to take the classes there (and shower) it's a great deal. -
Review from Anne N.
Los Angeles, CA
11/22/2010
This is a tiny tiny 24 hour fitness. But it is the cutest thing and amazingly, I have never had a problem getting a machine. This particular gym isn't filled with steroid pumped burly men, a bit more mellow. The upstairs has the workout machines which is practically empty. They have a 30 second rule but I really don't see any problem since there's usually nobody waiting anyway.
Overall this gym is tiny tiny. I spent a good 10 minutes when I first came looking for the locker room only to realize there are only 2 bathrooms and changing rooms. If you are looking for the extra amenities like a pool, sauna, or courts this isn't a good spot. Or if you are guy who likes using free weights it might be a bit of a wait. Otherwise, if you are like me and just want to hop on a treadmill and use the machines for a bit, it's perfect! Has a New York loft feel. Love it! -
Review from Bibi M.
Santa Monica, CA
7/18/2011
It's been a month now since I've signed up at the 24 hour fitness and the experience has been overall positive as the staff there is very courteous.
The facility itself is small and needs a better aeration system however the place has all the equipments you need to work out, break a sweat and leave the place stinky.. lol.
I have a trainer there Hank Cho who's simply amazing. I get bored easily and as a result I can't really stick to a work out plan but Hank has broken that cycle and made my work out strenuous, edgy and versatile enough to help me build strength and endurance while keeping me wanting to work more towards being fit. Hank is very efficient, knowledgeable (great nutrition advice that doesn't involve starvation) and set realistic goals with his clients...
I've had many trainers in the past but Hank is by far the best!
Simply stated, I'm not all keen on the facility itself but highly recommend Hank as a personal trainer -
Review from Brie T.
Santa Monica, CA
Updated - 7/12/2011
Now that they re-opened the other Santa Monica location, this one has calmed down and seems back to normal with the amount of guests.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/20/2011
The equipment needs an update so badly, I feel like the elliptical machines might break down every… Read more »
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Review from Heather S.
Santa Monica, CA
12/23/2008
I am NOT interested in wearing booty shorts when working out and checking my lip gloss between revolutions on the eliptical. I also canNOT stand the creepy metro dudes that oft inhabit the smelly aisles of weight machines and treadmills. Luckily, I found neither at this location.
Maybe its because it's small. Maybe it's because skeeze likes to be around skeeze but this gym is perfect for the no nonsense people who just want to workout and leave without warding off unwanted advances and too-cool-for-school employees. All the things you read about for the location on 30th are absent at this express 24 hour.
I hate to say I like the place because I don't want to seem over-inviting but it would do the gym and friendly staff no justice to lie. -
Review from Bret K.
NY
3/14/2009
Really? I can't believe this place is ranked as high as it is. Let's go through the pros first.
PROS:
And now the Cons:
1) Tiny, and I mean miniscule. Not even a band of Lilliputans could find this place spacious.
2) Dirty. Got a mop, kids? Dip it in water next time.
3) No locker rooms! What what!?!? You change in a stall, just like you would at a clothing store. And given the size of the place, I'm guessing that's what it used to be.
4) Smells like fetid butt stench, given off, no doubt, by the cheeseball 22 year old wannabe hollywood stereotypes whose bar jobs haven't afforded them the luxury of deoderant.
5) Parking bites.
I should go on, as typing this review has given me more good exercise than the 24 Hr Fitness in Santa Monica did, but I'd rather just end it quickly by saying DON'T GO THERE. -
Review from nick v.
San Diego, CA
5/28/2009
I just moved to LA on a short term lease last September and have been working out here ever since. I am not looking forward to August in two months when i have to return home to San Diego. This gym is the best !
YES it is small, but if you want to go to a big gym with TONS of people and cant get on a bench or machine, go down to Ocean Park.
NO SHOWERS, but i never shower in the gym anyways. and believe me i sweat! i usually just take my shirt off when i get back to my car.
PARKING is free before 6pm in the parking structure right next door.
APPEARANCE. the gym is VERY clean and with the brick walls and sun roofs it looks alot like a NY loft. the second story of the gym over looks the bottom and is very modern.
STAFF is amazing. cool people who dont come up to you and try to 'sell you' on training packages or anything. just laid back people.
the truth is i kinda find this like my own personal gym. even at rush hour from 5pm - 7pm. you can still get on jut about anything you want. and the best is if you go anytime before or after, the gym is all yours !
this is the perfect gym if you actually go to the gym to workout.
the only people who wouldnt like this gym are macho guys who want to hit on 100 different girls and go shower to show off their abs.
5 stars~ -
Review from Cecilie R.
Los Angeles, CA
7/9/2009
This location is an express 24 hours which is kind of like a Holiday Inn Express, its meant for people to get in and out and not like the larger of the 24 Hour Fitness chain like sport etc.
Though this location is smaller I prefer it to its bigger brother in Santa Monica off Ocean Park. The express is always very clean. Further, if you go early in the morning the space where classes are given is unoccupied so not only can I do my cardio, I can do my stretches and free weights with plenty of room to spread out and enjoy my work out. Other locations I usually had to find some corner that I could squeeze into to do these things, which never made sense, don't other people stretch?
Also the staff at the this location is very nice and always recognize me when I come in. -
Review from Leah W.
Santa Monica, CA
2/28/2009
I love my little gym.
After going to the 24 Hour on 31st, I thought I needed a tetanus shot...so my hopes weren't too high for this 24 Hour. But I went anyway and I absolutely love it! The staff is great. They're funny, friendly, and make you feel comfortable. I'm not suuuper impressed with the cardio machines (the LA Fitness in Hollywood had new EVERYTHING, so my standards are probably set a little too high), but whatever. A treadmill is a treadmill is a treadmill. Also, there are no showers.
This gym is small. Really small. But it's never crowded. The one time that I had to wait for a machine was when the 24 Hour on 31st had a plumbing issue and closed down - sending all of their members to this one.
Parking - there's a public lot not even a block away that is free for 2 hours if you go in before 6pm. The Macy's lot is just a couple of blocks away if you get there after 6, and that's free. There is a parking company that comes and charges at the Macy's lot after 8, though.
All that said...this is the cutest little gym.
