TRAIN 411… the latest and greatest

Naughty or nice? What do you think?

This shot of me and uber hotty, Vanessa Spaeth, was an outtake from the photo shoot we had recently at Steven Levy and Bill Neil’s unbelievably fantastic home (by the way, I’m moving in next week, guys!) You can see the first of many shots that will be used in giant format on one of the windows facing La Cienega, capitalizing on our best marketing tool, that of our brilliant location.

This project was made possible by the creative minds of our dynamic duo, Janet Fitzgerald and Tracy Paaso (what DO those girls eat for breakfast?) who envisioned and produced the sexy-goth-vampiric concept. The selfless contributions from TRAINsters: our prop master, make up artist, Kokeeta, our Sally Hershberger stylist, Steven and Bill’s sharing of their home on a precious Sunday, sage advice from cycling clients in advertising, graphic design and our amazing photographer who made us all look like supermodels made this all possible on our shoe-string budget.

As a small business owner in a challenging economic climate, it is heartening to witness the collective power of our TRAIN community. I am truly blessed to have crossed paths with such a richly diverse group of the city’s crème de la crème.

I was speaking with Susan B, another frequent TRAINster (can’t you tell? She’s got one of the most slammin’ bods west of Provincetown) and we were talking about how TRAINsters really rally around each other in times of need. We went on to add that we can also synergize and have fun! (Secret: We are in the early stages of planning a TRAIN Olympics and tying it with a holiday celebration!)

The point of all this is: We can all benefit from harnessing our collective. In Japan, industrialists work with other comrade industrialists and create vast networks of manufacturing partnerships called “keiretsu.” That concept made Japan the powerhouse it became. US companies learned from it and now you see disparate companies working together and forming supply chains that run, well, everything!

So, next time you’re at the gym, say hi to that familiar face and get to know each other better. Create a bond, build on that keiretsu, enlarge our TRAIN web. Then and only after then, can you put on your devil horns, sling a boa around your neck, show off your abs and strut your stuff!

Happy fall season!
Mylene

Before and After Weight Loss Story

Matt Loman, by now, should be a familiar face to most of you. He was referred to us as by Eric Cahill, Front Desk Associate, who was off jetsetting to the Hamptons over the summer. Eric and Matt were childhood friends in Indiana and Eric thought (rightly so!) that Matt would be a great backup for him.

Matt keeps himself busy by putting in 30+ hours manning the front desk, performing in a sketch comedy group called Moon County and, ultimately, working out like a fiend.

Stage fright, peer pressure and the over-abundance of mirrors at TRAIN finally pushed Matt to the edge. He embarked on a workout program with his co-worker/trainer, Alex Agurto.

At the outset, Matt weighed in at 275 lbs and now, after 3 months of arduous sweating and lifting, weighs an impressive 234 lbs! Woohoo!

Matt feels great and has a lot more energy. People are commenting on his new physique and he feels more comfortable on stage. Says Matt, “Certain foods are not worth it anymore. There’s no magic pill. It’s diet and exercise and it just can’t be cardio.” Congratulations Matt for a success story that continues!

Say hi to Matt next time you’re here at TRAIN. He’ll either be at the Front Desk or jabbing away at the heavy bag in the courtyard.

BOO HOO the FLU!

It is global, It’s in the United States, It’s here in California, It’s here amidst all of us. Many of you have already been stricken by variants, swine or otherwise, by this icky bug.

We at TRAIN are highly cognizant of our need to be extra vigilant in our highly trafficked environment. We are taking extra measures such as extra swabbing of surfaces, equipment and mats with alcohol and virucides. We are providing a plentiful supply of hand sanitizers, posting signs of flu awareness and admonishing our staff to stay home at the first sign of illness. Let’s all wash our hands more often, take our vitamins and stay healthy.

So if you look and feel like this guy, we don’t want to see you! If you are sick, please stay home and get your much needed rest.

Cycle 411… New classes and more!

Have you checked our new group cycling schedule lately? Or are you a lemming? Or maybe you’re a creature of habit fully formed in your workout regimen maximally programmed to go to the same class at the same place at the same time? Snap out of it! (visual: Cher slaps you!) We are so lucky to have a slew of new instructors, some budding superstars lurking behind the grid of our schedule.

Our newest ever introduction is the recession-busting concept of DONATION-BASED classes. Janet Fitzgerald’s brainstorm, this idea has caught on like kudzu and has also allowed us the opportunity to farm our newest instructors and get them introduced to you all. This is an opportune time to check out the other styles, approaches, musical tastes, lighting preferences of our newest cyclers. I took Nick Pratley’s first class here a few weeks ago, and honest to God, I had an epiphany! I actually had tears of joy after class. Seriously!

Another donation-based class is the new ZEN Cycle offered by Jesse Brune and the Reverend Jennifer Hadley. This is church on wheels people! Jesse and the rev will take you on a mind-body-spirit transformational ride. What’s not to love with this two-fer?! Work your body-open your heart-align your mind. I’ve already got my seat reserved for their inaugural class this Thursday at 730pm. Will I see you there?

These classes are also a great way to get your non-cycling (AKA not-yet-as-enlightened) friends of yours to give it a whirl. Suggested minimum donation is $10.00.

Other classes of note to check out are:

Fiona’s 30/30: this is Fiona’s expression of a full body workout with 30 minutes of riding followed by 30 minutes of toning. Wednesdays at 8am.

Nicole’s CYCLE/YOGA: Here Nicole unites yin and yang for another hour of exhilarating riding followed by calming and centering yoga poses. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10am. Nicole is also our FEATURED TRAINER on our website. Read her bio and gasp at her amazing yoga shots.

Irina’s Late Night Dance CYCLE: Feel like you’re doing your Bianca and Halston thing without the obnoxious scene and second hand smoke! Irina straight out plays the most rockin’ dance and hip hop tunes every Monday and Wednesday at 730pm.

Other schedule changes:

Nick Pratley moved to 1030am on Saturdays. Hard Core Cycler alert! Now you can double cycle after Janet’s 915am!

Brett Hyman is taking over Irina’s 1045am on Sundays for her happening blend of classic rock and dance tunes. Geo is known to jump up from her bike and break out her samba steps. This class is beloved by the Sunday brunch and farmers market set! Come join the party.

Other instructor news of note:

* Tevia has officially and legally changed her name to Tevia Celli-Recht. Congratulations to you, Emily and baby!

* Janet is hosting a one-day version of her Master Teacher Training Workshop on Saturday, November 14th. Click HERE for more details.

* Mo’ Janet! That Janet is some busy bee. Check out her glowing article on The Yenta Report (brilliant!) Click HERE to read.

* Get out the vote! Nick Pratley is #3 out of LA’s top 100 cycling instructors in MyFoxLA’s hot list. Click HERE to vote! And vote often! Voting ends November 6th, so do it NOW!

Stay tuned as we migrate to an online sign-up system for our classes. The transition team consists of Tevia, Janet, Tracy Paaso, Jay Cox, me, Bailey Huff and Shelley Phillips. We are looking for a soft launch in December 2009.

Urban Boot Camp – How Strong is Your Core?

Join he-man trainer, Jey Lawrence, for some plyo-strength bootcamp style training here at TRAIN.

For only $20 per session, Jey will work you and get you in tip-top shape.

Sessions are: Mon, Wed and Fri at 630-730am and 645-745pm and Saturdays at 8-915am.

Sign up in person at TRAIN or online HERE.

Power Plate Special

Its Holiday Season!

The new Power Plate Vibration Training Program was recently introduced to Train West Hollywood. In this unique program, you will train specifically on the Power Plate with a certified instructor.

The Power Plate has proven to enhance muscular endurance, boost blood circulation, improve flexibility, decrease cellulite, and decrease body fat with very low impact or stress on joints.

Sessions/Classes available. Holiday Special – 12-session $240.

To get started with the Power Plate Training Program, call TRAIN at 310-657-4140 and ask for class times. You can learn more about Power Plate on the Power Plate page.

We also have new 3 New Power Plate Trainers and More Classes!!!! Taryn Olsen, Eric Cahill and Alex Agurto are all new certified instructors in the schedule. Your 1st Session is Free!

Blood, Sweat and Abs

Have you seen the sleek, sexy, straight-haired skeleton cycling on La Cienega?

She is none other than our very own supermodel cycler, Tracy Paaso. This stunning large scale photo was another genius marketing idea of Janet Fitzgerald Productions. Shot in the jaw-dropping house of one of our fave cyclers, Steven Levy and Bill Neil, Janet and Tracy oversaw a photo shoot showcasing the hawt, hawt, hawt cyclers we have in traditional seasonal goth gear. Other photos with teasing messages will be staged soon.

So keep your eyes peeled as you drive down La Cienega. The making-of video, Blood, Sweat and Abs (believe me, there is a LOT of all that!) is showcased on our website. Can you say S-E-X-Y?!

Behind the Scenes of Blood, Sweat & Abs