220 Fitness

Are you tired of going to a gym where no one knows your name? Tired of waiting for a treadmill or a piece of cardio equipment during peak hours? Are you tired of going to group fitness classes that are so jammed-pack that you're going to punch your neighbor in the eye? Well fear no more fitness junkies, 220 fitness is here to save you.

220 Fitness, located on Main Street in Santa Monica, Ca. is the brainchild of owner, Matteo Baker. Baker's experience in the fitness world is too long to mention-but I can say, the man know's how to run a gym: He's done it plenty of times and all over the world to be exact.

When you approach 220, you THINK you know exactly what you're going to get. Its large, bright windows open up to Main Street- allowing the members and passers-by to see exactly what's going on inside. As you enter through the open front doors, you feel like you've entered a time machine: circa 1983 in Boston, Massachusetts and on the set of "Cheers." Not because the facility is outdated or because it smells like stale beer and bar food, but because at 220, everyone DOES know your name.

As you walk around this charming gym, you may think "Man, this place is small." And yes, comparatively speaking to gyms like Equinox and Golds that may average 45,000 square feet, it is. But if you're looking to be a part of a community and feel valued like a family member and not just a number, than 220 is what you're looking for. Though I should mention parking- small gym means small lot. But those folks at 220 are one step ahead of you: if there's no space left, they have another lot located about a block away.

The gym has everything you need and then some-dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, various cadio machines and even a kinesis wall. If you travel around back, you'll find even more tools to fancy your functional needs. This is where you can find hanging bags, battling ropes, TRX, gym rings, superbands and even a little rubber, red dummy to punch, kick, throw and slam. And if you want to kickbox-come take a class where you do just that- by kicking and boxing a real bag.
Upstairs holds a group fitness and cycling studio where a plethora of classes are held... too many to mention and I have not taken enough of them to give you all an unbiased view on them. So wait for that one....and trust me, those reviews will be coming.

Here's the point: come to 220. Come check it out if you haven't all ready. Let Henry, the resident sales manager, take you on a quick tour of the joint. And I promise- Henry won't be inundating you with follow-up phone calls every hour to hassle you to join. If you're worried about cost: TELL THEM. As a student, I was concerned about paying the Equinox rate of $150/month and they were able to provide me a student membership of $79/month. And if you're still not convinced- sign up for a guided workout with a member of the training staff or Executive Training Director, Jason Pease, CSCS. Let Pease show you all the tricks he's got up his sleeve to get you in the best shape of your life.
I don't have to be the one to sell this place to you- 220 sells itself: Second2None.