As much a lifestyle as a fitness establishment, Life Time in La Jolla is part workout studio, restaurant, full-service salon and spa all at once.

“Life Time is the ultimate social and athletic destination offering the best multi-boutique programming and premier amenities,” said Mahlon Thomas, membership concierge, about the luxurious country club-like setting of Life Time at 1055 Wall St. “It is a one-stop shop for everything health and fitness related.”

A Minnesota-based Life Time is a corporation with 170-plus locations nationwide. Since opening its doors nearly 30 years ago, Life Time has evolved into something completely unique. Members and guests can lift on the workout floor, flex in a class, work with a trainer, eat a meal, enjoy the full-service spa, or just relax in a variety of comfortable, casual social settings.

Life Time offers individualized fitness instruction with trainers but really sparkles in its offering of small-group classes in compartmentalized settings. The La Jolla facility has instruction in yoga, cycling, Zumba, and barre. The experience includes executive locker rooms furnished with complimentary toiletries and towel service. There are dry saunas and eucalyptus steam rooms to pamper members and guests.

“Group experience is one of our biggest pillars,” pointed out Thomas adding, “We also have Pilates classes. You name it, we definitely have it here.”

Thomas added seeing is believing at Life Time, before conducting a tour of the two-level facility. The first stop was the café offering healthy meals and vitamin supplements along with free wifi and seating for students and business professionals working on laptops.

The next stop was the fitness floor where hour-based, small-group training classes are held. Thomas introduced Michael Moore, a small-group training coach.

Moore said his section of Life Time covers three different bases: strength and cardiovascular-based training, along with instruction on sprinting and balance. “It is like personal training in a group setting,” Moore said. “You have the benefit of a coach to teach you proper mechanics, pushing you and holding you accountable, just making sure you are getting the most out of the experience. It is one of the best aspects of our club, allowing members of all ages and all different levels to come in here and have a nice structured workout with a coach there to keep it nice and fun.”

On the bottom level of Life Time are several different standard types of workout equipment along with plenty of TVs for an entertaining as well as an athletic experience.

The upstairs level features a full-service spa and several separate rooms where yoga, cycling, barre, and other small-group classes are taught in comfortable, well-lit, and extremely sanitary settings.

“We try to kill many birds with one stone around here,” said Thomas noting one of the biggest advantages of Life Time is that you “never have to wait for a machine.” He added Life Time caters to “everyone from 14 to 80 years old.”

Thomas added there are members of all sorts using the facility, including those with injuries they sustained that they want to work through and clear up. “We have lots of high school students getting involved with some type of sporting program and they want a strength-training program,” he said adding, “You have well-advanced folks who have been in the gym 15 years but want to step to the next level. So we have well-educated, nationally certified trainers who are going to push that threshold for them.

“We are trying to really provide a unique experience,” concluded Thomas noting Life Time “really focuses on finding activities that everyone can do. It is a place to get a nice meal to eat or hang out in the spa to get a massage or a pedicure. It is very much more than just a typical gym. If anybody is looking to live an active, happy healthy life – this is what we are here to do.”

LIFE TIME’S FEATURES

· Spacious fitness areas with industry-leading equipment.

· Small Group Training – GTX, UltraFit, Alpha.

· Executive locker rooms – Dry saunas, eucalyptus steam rooms, toiletries, personal showers, and complimentary locker/towel service.

· Studio group fitness programs include 70-plus signature classes each week.

· Heated and non-heated Yoga, HIIT, Cycle, Zumba, Kettlebell, Core, and LifeBarre.

· Four total studios – 1 Yoga, 1 Group Fitness, 1 Barre, 1 Cycle.

· LifeSpa – full-service salon and spa.

· LifeCafé.