Pop Physique’s quaint space on a stretch of Larchmont Boulevard marks the brand’s latest studio. Located down the way from Cafe Gratitude and Lemonade, the white-painted bungalow with dark wood trim may look understated from the outside, but its interior is anything but.
Created by professional ballet dancer and Pilates instructor Jennifer Williams and her brand-developer husband Deric, Pop Physique is a modernized version of the Lotte Berk Method—a mélange of strength training, dance, barre, and Hatha yoga founded in the 1950s. The 60-minute choreographed class tones and sculpts with a warm-up of planks and push-ups, which then progress into exercises focused on the core, upper, and lower bodies. By using props including light weights, Pilates balls, ballet barre, and straps, you can expect to improve posture and thigh muscle shake (a good thing) in just one class.
The founders’ strong sense of design and a playful wink to retro-chic are evident in everything from advertising to interior design to the color of the hand weights. The Tetris-like configuration of the Larchmont studio speaks to its former function as a house. The lobby pops with black-and-white pattern floor tiles and blush-colored reception desk, a MOCA-worthy neon sign “J’Adore Barre” hanging in the chill-out area, and the mirrored L-shaped studio comfortably fits up to 20 students. Around the corner, the changing area features a wall where you can “pop your selfie.”
If you’re a fan of Pop Physique, it’s wonderful to experience this newly outfitted setting. Still a Pop virgin? Taking a class in this shiny new studio is a perfect introduction.
POP PHYSIQUE, Larchmont
527 N. Larchmont Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90004
323-665-7777
Marina Chetner is an Australian freelance writer based in Los Angeles.
Marina Chetner is a Los Angeles-based Australian freelance writer.