Wellness is always an important factor. During this time of great uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to find safe ways to move your body, calm your mind and practice self-care safely, while maintaining social distancing and following local public health guidelines. Regular exercise is proven to lower stress levels, as are breathing exercises and other meditation practices.
Santa Monica has long held a reputation as the go-to wellness hub of Los Angeles, packing in dozens of spas, yoga studios, fitness classes and innovative self-care offerings all within 8.3 square miles. Visitors flock to the beach to join locals in their healthy way of life, running, biking or sneaking in an outdoor workout at the Original Muscle Beach along the city’s glistening coastline.
While gyms, spas and many outdoor spaces are currently closed to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Santa Monica’s wellness businesses are finding creative ways to serve up a slice of Santa Monica’s wellness scene – virtually. Until it’s safe to enjoy all that Santa Monica has to offer in person, here’s a number of local businesses that are stepping up to help you infuse some Santa Monica soul into your at-home wellness routine.
Aerobic Workouts good for fitness
No gym? No problem. Limited equipment is required for modified aerobic workouts guaranteed to get your heart racing and put your muscles to work is equally important. Thus try your hand at dancing, boxing classes, HIT workout or a customized workout with a personal trainer.
- 34° North
- Arthur Murray Santa Monica
- Basecamp Fitness
- Body Fit
- Box N Burn: Donation-based daily live classes at home
- BoxUnion
- Circuit Works
- Coreology: 15% off your subscription of on-demand virtual workouts with promo code buylocalsantamonica
- Dacinerate
- Dane Sorenson
- Exhale Spa
- Fit by Fabian
- OPEX Santa Monica: 50% off your first month of coaching
- OrangeTheory
- Prime Time Boxing
- Ritual Gym: Free online zoom HIIT workout classes, available to the public
- Santa Monica Personal Training
- Sonki Fitness: Offering free workout videos online
- SoulCycle
- Sweat 60: Live classes on YouTube daily
Power up with Pilates
Pilates is a low-impact form of exercise designed to strengthen muscles while improving posture, balance and flexibility.
- Studio Online: Therapeutic Movement and self-care program.
- Good Body Pilates
- Love For Pilates
- Mighty Pilates: MMP active members receive unlimited virtual classes
- Pilatesmith Pilates Studio: Online group and private Pilates classes – Mondays and Thursdays are free for those who are financially impacted
- Phoenix Classical Pilates
- Physical Artistry
- PurreBarre: One week of unlimited live streaming
- Spier Pilates
- SportsFit Physical Therapy: Co-pays waived for telehealth physical therapy and therapeutic Pilates sessions
- The Ballet Spot: Beach cardio ballet classes at Dorothy Green Park
- The Space
- Tribe Pilates: Free live workouts on Zoom and Facebook Live
Soothe Your Soul with a Sound Bath
Lower your stress levels and ease into relaxation with a sound bath, a form of music meditation therapy that uses specifically tuned vibrational instruments to help bring you to a state of wholeness. Also, Be Crystal Clear is live-streaming daily sound baths to help promote healing. Bonus for parents – storytime sound baths are aimed at the whole family.
Stretch it out with Yoga
Further, the range of benefits provided by yoga, from anxiety relief and stress reduction to increased flexibility and muscle tone, is much needed these days. Join in on a group yoga class to reap the physical benefits while connecting to the greater community.
- Alo Yoga: Free kid’s yoga and mindfulness videos
- Core Power Yoga: 10 new free classes per week and unlimited on-demand classes for $19.99 per month
- Lululemon
- Hot 8 Yoga
- Kundalini Yoga By The Sea
- Naam Yoga: Special health courses online
- Santa Monica Yoga
- Sweat Yoga
- The Yoga Collective
Boost Your Beauty as well as your wellness
While now may not seem like the best time to focus on beauty, research shows that infact, beauty rituals can serve as a mood booster. A number of beauty businesses have found new ways to help service their clients from a safe distance. Face Haus Santa Monica is offering virtual skincare consultations while Tranquility Skin and Body Care is offering complimentary online skin consultations with a minimum purchase and is offering free doorstep delivery within Santa Monica.
Now is also a good time to support your favorite local beauty business by purchasing a gift card to use later. Not only will you help a local business financially, you’ll also have something to look forward to when this situation passes and its safe to visit our favorite businesses as usual.
Healthy Takeout
Besides, after your virtual workout or self-care practice, why not treat yourself to a healthy, healing meal. A large number of Santa Monica restaurants are offering take-out, curbside pickup or delivery options at this time. Click here for a comprehensive list of local businesses offering these services.
