LA Boxing

Great place to get a killer workout! Very overpriced though and understandably so for the location, however for $ 100 bucks a month, it would be nice to at least have a proper locker room. I had 4 different teachers and all of them were great and really worked you hard. If I had the money to afford this place, i’d keep going.

I had joined this gym last year and spent about 5 months with them.
Pros:
Good trainers with good classes. The trainers tried to give you individual attention and were always helpful!
Cons:
Management. The team there were very unhelpful.
Upon request, they permitted me to store my gym bag here, only to have it mysteriously stolen a few days later. Clothes, gloves, everything is gone!
No apologies, no compensation was offered.
They are also very overpriced. For the same price you can go to Balance Gym at The Fairmont or any other fully equipped gym in town.
They oversell the amount of calories you can burn in one session. You certainly need to do a lot of strength and cardio separately to see results.
Overall, not enough value for money.

I tried a trial class yesterday and was terribly disappointed. The facilities smell and are very dirty. My class instructor offered no guidance as to proper form or alternatives if someone was unable to do a particular exercise. Rather, he walked around and just verbally told people to «try harder.» Without proper instruction, someone could get seriously injured in this class. For example, I had no idea I wasn’t supposed to kick the 150# bag with my toes. If the nice girl next to me (not an employee of the gym) didn’t correct me, I would have broken my toes! I had to borrow boxing gloves and the insides were WET from the sweat of the previous boxers. I have yet to be able to wash the stench from those gloves off my hands! I will not be returning.

I went to LA Boxing in North Las Vegas for a full year — loved every second of it. Signed up with this LA Boxing once we moved to Alexandria. Classes were great and I had no issues until I tore my rotator cuff. The injury required surgery so I requested a refund of my unused annual membership (signed up in July; stopped going in March). It has been now been a full three months of continual e-​mails, etc., to try to get a refund. I have submitted medical documentation, etc. Every e-​mail from the company indicates I will receive a refund — no problem. It was supposed to take «up to 4 weeks» to process. After 3 months I am no closer to resolution. I still haven’t received a refund and now I am not even receiving responses to my e-​mails. Yes, it’s a great place to work out. No, customer service or assistance when there is a problem, is not good.

The instructors are great and no matter who teaches the class, I always walk away with a decent workout. The staff and instructors are friendly and helpful. They provide a broad range of classes — one in the early morning (6am), one at noon, and 5pm-​8pm. There could be more options on the weekends.
The facilities get the job done, but they are not great. There are a few weight machines, limited free weights, and a couple cardio machines. There are a decent amount of punching bags, but classes can get crowded and it can feel like a sauna in there.
That being said — every class is a great workout. I went in with the goal of dropping 10 – 15 pounds to get back down to my high school weight and was able to drop this weight in a month and a half after going to classes 3 – 4 times a week. I’ve noticed a substantial improvement in my cardio, technique, and strength, and walk away from each class looking forward to the next one (and a shower).

Good workout– Very Expensive– Doubt if its worth it
I have been a member at the G-​Town location for a year now. 6 months into the contract i wanted out. Which leads to my first problem, I was told in person to my face that I could cancel when i wanted after a certain amount of months and it would only be $ 50. I tried that, apparently the guy working the desk that day lied. And this is my fault i should have look for that in the contract. Nonetheless, i stuck it out and continued to come.
Pros:
–Great, High intensity work out. I usually leave there drenched in sweat
–I think the classes give you a good variety to your normal workout if you were bored with routine
–If you go to different instructor, you can get something different from each of them.
–They all have their own creativity
–Great cardio and strength training workouts. Reminds me of the whole muscle confusion thing
–The instructors are nice and friendly
Cons:
–Im not sure how clean this place is, because I have NEVER seen anyone cleaning
–There is carpet throughout the entire gym, and if every one is in there drenched in sweat guess where it goes?! YEA. And there are some exercises where they make you lay down, which i found to be gross
–Not a much exercise equipment, for $ 90 a month i should have a variety of gym equipment available to me
–The exercises are not personable
–I found myself going religiously when i first joined, which then lead to knee problems because they have you doing these high intense workout like squat jumps and lunge jumps and don’t take the time to show you proper form
–Only one restroom per gender, one shower. And NO locker rooms
Parking is bad and metered, so prepare to pay for parking if you are not on metro or foot
Overall the workouts were good, i feel like they pushed me to another level in fitness and i learned a lot of new techniques. However, $ 90 a month is really too expensive for this place.

I saw the mediocre reviews and hoped my experience might be otherwise. Sadly, history tends to repeat itself. I came here b/​c of the Groupon as well.
Cons:
–As one Unilocaler mentioned, only one shower but for some reason, I didn’t understood that to indicate no locker rooms. No locker rooms?! Nope. You are to stash your belongings in cubbies, which are obviously unlocked.
— There’s a new restriction that only members can go to the 6 or 7 pm classes. I heard the classes were getting too crowded. However, unless you can get to the 7 AM classes or work out as late as the 8 PM classes… you’re kind of out or luck.
–No mats of any kind so you’re doing crunches and such right on the hard, carpeted ground. It made me wonder how dirty the carpet was.
–The instructor gave good demonstrations and walked around to help adjust form or whatnot, but I think it would have been better if he had offered alternatives to certain exercises. Not everyone can do burpees for several minutes, for a variety of reasons — injury, etc — so I would have liked if he’d offered some lesser impact options instead of just expecting everyone to be able to do everything.
Pros:
–Upbeat workout music during the class
–Helpful front desk person. It had been a while since I’d wrapped my hands and I couldn’t remember how to do it, so she helped me.
Thanks to the aforementioned restriction on when Groupon holders can go… I very likely won’t be able to go to the other 4 classes I’m allowed. I wasn’t too impressed by this place so maybe it’s just as well.

Beware of the Groupon. I bought one around Christmas time for $ 26.00 for 10 classes over 3 months time. I must have missed the fine print that said you could rent gloves and hand wraps. That was my oversight, however, the cost to do this is $ 20.00. The Groupon was for my daughter to try it out to see if she liked it — so wasn’t going to purchase gloves and wraps. The «good deal» was going to cost $ 200.00 if she had to rent each time. Disappointing to say the least.

So I love the instructors and the workouts here which previous reviewers have detailed, but the detractors are pretty numerous. There are no locker rooms– just one men’s room, one women’s and then one shower. There is limited room to lift weights and a few cardio machines. Hard to see this replacing the convenience and amenities of other gyms in the area. Because it has no locker room and its location I can’t commit to full time membership but I have bought Groupon’s when they have been available. The classes can get very full at the 6 and 7pm slots. I’ve been there on 3 occassions in which people who arrived 30 minutes early couldn’t get their own bag and had to share. My major complaint is with the management. I have bought 2 of their Groupon’s — one for a ten class pass, one for a 5 class pass. They use punchcards to track your classes. If you lose it there is no way to replace it, so be very, very careful with your card. As others have noted you will be completely stonewalled if you try to ask for any type of consideration from the people at the front desk as I found out after my wallet, with punchcard in it, was stolen after I attended only 4 classes. My second Groupon was for a 5 class pass. I had a month to use it, which was totally fine. Due to a nasty winter cold, I couldn’t go to this gym for about 10 days. When I finally make it back to use my remaining classes there is a sign that says «Effective Immediately, 6 and 7PM classes are reserved for Members Only». Which means I have only 1 week to finish using 3 classes and I now can’t do half of the ones available on the schedule. I asked the woman at the front desk if I could have an extension as the only classes I planned on doing were the 6pm as the gym is near my office and I would need more than the following weekend to be able to make it. She said no extensions were available but she would let me into this particular class this once. I think its wildly unfair to apply restrictions after the purchase of a Groupon. It seems to me it would be much more effective to institute a first come-​first serve policy. If they have 30 bags, the first 30 people get a pass or ticket that reserves the bag for them. Easy. Problem solved.
If you are a member here and the set up works for you, you will probably love it. I recommend people be very wary about using their promotional deals though.

Like several others, I got the LA Boxing Groupon which I started in Rockville and then moved to the Georgetown location. I’m back and forth about starting a membership after having a little comparison, only because the Gtown location is super crowded and you need to be at class 15 min early to get an after work class. Not to mention parking is rough and I don’t live close, not sure if the $ 90 will be worth it for me.
The instructors here also focus more on a fitness/​core workout than actual boxing– we usually do maybe 3 bag combos before we’re doing burpees/​crunches/​push ups vs Rockville where it’d normally be 20 min warm up and then all bag work. Catering to a different crowd I guess. But overall, I think it’s a good workout if you’re you get one of the better instructors and are willing to commit and put in the work.

I had to cancel my LA Boxing membership simply because I’m no longer close to the gym, and I’m pretty bummed about it. However, I still only have really good things to say about this gym. If you go and really commit, you will be in GREAT shape. The instructors are real and there are great opportunities to develop boxing and other martial arts skills. I highly recommend it to people who are looking for a workout that also helps you develop skill and self-​confidence. The staff and management here are also really great.

I came to this location because I had a Groupon deal but I am a member of LA boxing in NOVA. I wish this location offered earlier classes during the week besides two 6am classes. Also what I found strange was only one shower. The shower was nice and big and provided enough space.
The instructors and staff are very friendly and I can’t say anything bad about them.

Been going here for about five months, and I am a huge fan of the gym. Lots of instructors and classes to choose from, so you can establish a routine that makes you more excited to come to class. My favorite instructors are Randolph and Ivan, because they are almost exact opposites. Randolph is going to push you until you literally don’t know if you are going to be able to stand up, and he will expect you to keep up with his pace no matter what shape you are in. I go to his Monday/​Wed classes for a challenge. Ivan is more concentrated on form and keeps up morale — he gives high fives at the end of class and will tell you that you did a good job. It is almost like he is rewarding you with praise because you worked out on a Friday evening instead of drinking at happy hour.
Have to agree with reviews about this place not being the most swanky, but that is what I enjoy about it. Get to classes early so that you can get a spot in the front and warm up.
Along with dieting, I am down 25 – 30 pounds, and I know that is just the tip of the iceberg as long as I keep going regularly. Only con I will mention is that the music isn’t the best — would love more angry rock or upbeat jams to go along with the rap/​hip-​hop they currently have. Sounds silly, but music can help me make it through the hard moments in the middle of class.
tl;dr — Go here, it is great.

Had to knock one star because of some recent changes:
1) Class times: They used to have classes every hour in the evenings (so 5, 6, 7, 8 PM) until the summer, when they decided to spread out 3 classes in that four hour block. The times were much more inconvenient but I figured I would wait it out… but in the fall, they kept the times. Basically, if you work normal hours, the 6:30 PM class is going to be the most convenient– for you and everyone else. Crowded classes suck. After 6:30, the next class is 7:45 which is also inconvenient.
2) Random instructor changes: They have an online schedule that is mostly up-​to-​date, but sometimes they will switch up the instructor for a certain class with no notice– you find out once you actually get to the class that some other dude is teaching you from now on. They’ve done this several times in the past six months, but the last time they did it, they put a boxing instructor for a kickboxing class. For some people this isn’t interchangeable and it’s annoying when you’re expecting one thing and you get another.
It seems like these are more management issues than anything else, but it’s annoying and negatively affected my experience here.

I’ve never been treated so rudely than by the staff at this LA Boxing in Georgetown. It is amazing how the actions of one person can completely ruin the reputation of a company. I have been a member since January but thanks to Will from LA Boxing Georgetown, I will not be renewing my membership.
I originally started in LA Boxing in the Herndon/​Tysons Area, which I really enjoyed. Great staff & instructors. But because I moved to Alexandria, I had to transfer my membership for convenience. I had no problems with the branch in Alexandria — always treated well and felt like I was treated as a fellow human-​being, which is always a good feeling. On top of this rude encountering, the online schedules were not correct (happened 2 days in a row). I made the trek all the way to Georgetown only to find out the class I wanted to take was moved 1.5hrs back. Perhaps if this location was more customer focused, they would be more successful.

WARNING: These guys cheated me out of nearly $ 1000 by lying to my face on three separate occasions and refusing to acknowledge our agreements. They have a high turnover rate for managers, so their policies are never consistent, and the owners (the only ones allowed to take decisions) refuse to speak to the members.
If you go in, there’s a new sign that says that all agreements must be in writing (oh, and they don’t have records before a certain point– how convenient!), leading me to believe that I am far from the only one to have been stolen from by LA Boxing.

I did kickboxing for years at LA Boxing in Atlanta, and was disappointed when I moved to DC in 2007 that there were no boxing gyms. Didn’t people kickbox here?! After a year of Krav Maga (which left me more scraped and bruised than anything I’ve ever done) I checked again, and saw that LA Boxing had FINALLY opened a location in DC!
Pros: As someone else said, this is the best workout you can get in an hour. The instructors are actually boxers and teach you real boxing technique, not some cheesy shadowboxing or cardioboxing deal where you pretend to hit things. Also, the wide variety of class times will help you to find one that fits your schedule.
Cons: Two restrooms and one shower make changing and using the restroom a pain in the neck. Going here before (or in the middle of) work is pretty much out of the question. The place can be humid and the carpet can seem a bit gross (why on earth don’t they have foam padded floors like the LA Boxing locations in Atlanta?! At least I can believe those are clean-​ish!) Also it is a bit annoying that there aren’t any beginner’s classes available… beginners often look lost in the big group classes and don’t get much individualized attention to learn proper technique, while advanced people in the class get bored with the same jab-​jab-​cross combinations tailored towards the newbies.

This place changed my life! I ABSOLUTELY love it! I have tried everything — yoga, Pilate’s, trainers, muy thai, aerobics classes but nothing really stuck. Not only did I LOVE this workout and it actually stuck, but it kicks my ass every time. I started going 6 months ago and, along with adjusting my diet a bit, I have lost 40 lbs. I went from a size 14 to a size 6. AMAZING! I go 3 – 4 times per week and it is just as effective as it was when I started. It has also inspired me to do other workouts on the days I don’t box — jogging, weightlifting and Pilate’s (I stuck with it this time).
Everyone there is so great and working out with a group really motivates you to work harder.
All the instructors are fantastic — they really know what they are doing and take care to make sure you have the correct technique as to not hurt yourself. They are very motivating and give you crap about not slacking off, but aren’t mean about it. They are definitely not drill instructors. My favorite instructors are Ron and Damien. Also Ryan at the front desk is SO helpful and sweet and always remembers your name when you walk in. It really feels like a small neighborhood gym where everyone knows everyone else. Since I have started I have had three of my friends sign on as well and Ryan always makes sure they are taken care of during their trial class and gives them a good price. I signed up for 3 years (they don’t offer that plan anymore) and have no doubt I will extend.
Also, the location can’t be beat! Metro accessible, within walking distance to a lot of NW DC and, if you want to drive, a good amount of street parking.
If it weren’t for LA Boxing, I would still be sitting on my fat ass eating Doritos. LOVE it!!!

Having read the reviews of LA Boxing before heading to my complimentary class, I wasn’t overwhelmed by the smell of sweat as soon as I walked in: there’s so much funk at this place, it’s like a George Clinton concert.
This place is not a health club in the traditional sense. There is enough equipment to help you with the basics, but this is not a bodybuilding, or fitness enthusiasts’ gym… it’s a boxing gym. A ring, some basic weight equipment, and punching bags hanging from the ceiling… that’s about it.
The boxing classes are no joke: challenging, fun, and enough to drench you in sweat from head to toe. After my free class, I couldn’t wait to sign up. For what the gym has to offer, the enrollment fee of $ 199 and $ 99 a month is ridiculous (if you sign up for a year); I was able to haggle down to $ 49 enrollment fee and $ 84 a month without any resistence. Nothing too much to complain about, you’re paying for LA Boxing’s overhead, no perks on top.
I know you can buy the P90x or Insanity workouts and get the same results, but seriously… where are you workout DVD’s now? Oh, that’s right, over there by the rest of all our «I’ll get to it» stash along with the Biggest Loser, Denise Austin, Tae Bo, and all the other quick-​fix workout routines.
Being around other people is a real motivating factor; seeing other people wok hard, definitely pushes me to work harder. You will definitely get results if you come to 2 – 3 classes a week to complement a workout routine that includes weights and some cardio. I lift weights at the gym at my office three times a week, so the boxing classes have really helped me get serious results, especially in my abdominal area. As with anything else in life, you will get back what you put in: just showing up and swing your arms at the punching bags is not going to give you six-​pack and 16″ biceps.
Great workout, decent space, inconsistent instruction, but overall worth it if you put in the work. They need showers and a locker room if they want to keep loyal customers coming back. I signed up for a year, but doubt I will continue once my year is up.

Earlier today my coworker was asking if I knew anything about LA Boxing. She was interested in joining, I know absolutely nothing about working out in any capacity (unless you count stretching your stomach), but I do walk past there every day. I figured that I would be nice and pop in to grab her a brochure on my daily walk up 24^th Street. From there I found many assorted problems with this place, especially the person who was helping me.
PROBLEM ONE
Upon entering I was greeted by a worker on the phone. He was trying to cancel a membership of a very pretty blonde woman. To acknowledge my presence he winked at me. Wait, I’m going to repeat that. He WINKED at me. So not okay.
PROBLEM TWO
He gets off the phone and starts talking to the blonde woman about her cancellation. In this process he manages to call her lazy (which she, understandably, takes great offense to this saying she works out at her gym 6 days a week). Awesome, so they insult people here even if they are thin and work out consistently. Great. At this point I want to go, but I think of how I should just grab the brochure, not too difficult.
PROBLEM THREE
After he’s done cancelling blondies membership, he comes over and introduces himself, I say my name is Cadence and he seems to find it somewhat amusing. «Oh, you’re the first person I’ve never heard of with that name.» Usually I say thanks when people mention my name and its uniqueness (someone else pointed it out during lunch so trust me it’s a common occurrence), but he said it in a way that it was slightly wondering why I was so alienesque with a weird name. Ugh. Not pleased. Didn’t your parents teach you the whole if your not going to say anything nice then don’t say anything at all?
PROBLEM FOUR
I tell the guy that I am just trying to pick up a brochure for my coworker. Apparently they don’t have them, but he does hand me a class schedule. I’m about to go when he’s all, «But don’t you want a tour of the gym?» Um. No. This is for a coworker. I feel like signing up for the gym isn’t like I’m a teenager asking my parents about something embarrassing. I’m not trying to use the friend copout (i.e. «How do you know when you’re pregnant? I’M not pregnant or anything, I’m wondering for my friend, you see. I’m just really concerned about her.»)
PROBLEM FIVE
After convincing him I don’t need a tour of the gym, he hands me papers. I hold them in my right hand. Then he proceeds to raise his right hand in the air looking like he wanted a high five/​was Vulcan saluting me. I didn’t know what to do which led me to giving him a look that I feel mostly said «SERIOUSLY?!» and then I used my left hand and lightly tapped his. SO AWKWARD.
So that’s five problems for a gym I was barely in. What’s going to make me ever want to go back? I know for a fact that I don’t participate in gyms where winking, insults and high fives are the status quo, I don’t care how good the workouts are.