Inside BUILD: The Strength Training Studio Redefining Fitness in Studio City

On Ventura Place in Studio City, a new kind of strength training experience is taking shape—one that blends traditional heavy lifting with cutting-edge recovery technology and a multi-generational vision.

BUILD, launching May 2 inside BURN Studio City, introduces a focused, performance-driven approach to fitness, led by founder Maria Chase and co-developer Shaya Charvet.

For Chase, BUILD is both a continuation of her work and a return to her roots.

“I have always loved traditional weight training. My fitness career began in bodybuilding. First in the NPC then the IFBB,” she said. “I have always been on a mission to educate and motivate people around the benefits of lifting heavier weights.”

That long-standing philosophy found new relevance in today’s fitness landscape. “I feel like right now, people are finally focusing on the science and benefits behind heavy weightlifting rather than fitness marketing trends,” Chase adds.

BUILD grew naturally out of that shift—and from conversations closer to home.

“My business partner, David Charvet [owner of Jones Builders Group], had been encouraging me to explore the idea of a heavier weighted class," Chase said. "We started with our BURN & BUILD class in the BURN studios. From there a BUILD studio was a natural progression.”

The concept builds on the foundation Chase established with BURN45 and ISOBURN, but aims to carve out its own space.

“Our heavier weighted classes in BURN are designed to burn fat by building lean muscle, while ISO is designed to tighten and lengthen accessory muscles from the inside out,” she explains. “The goal with BUILD is to offer an experience that falls somewhere between a personal training session and a group fitness class.”

That hybrid model is central to the experience. “Delivering the personalized attention similar to a PT session combined with the highly motivational,” she said.

At the same time, maintaining engagement remains critical.

“The most effective workout is the one you enjoy and want to do consistently," Chase said. “A fifty-minute, insane, heavy lifting session in our heated, red light BUILD studio feels both fun and motivating, with the instructor working closely alongside each member.”

Inside the dedicated BUILD training room, that experience is intentionally designed. The concept combines the BURN method with a traditional heavy strength training workout, integrating low infrared heat and medical-grade LED/NIR red light to bring training and recovery into a single, performance-driven session.

Classes are structured around true hypertrophy—utilizing heavier weights, shorter reps, and adequate recovery—following a targeted push, pull, legs, and full-body weekly sequence. The result is a workout that prioritizes muscular development over cardio while still optimizing overall performance and longevity.

The environment itself plays a critical role. Sessions are conducted in temperatures ranging from 95 to 100 degrees using infrared heat that warms the body directly rather than the air, supporting flexibility, circulation, and deeper detoxification.

Combined with multi-wavelength LED/NIR red light therapy designed to stimulate cellular energy production and accelerate muscle recovery, BUILD compresses what would traditionally require multiple wellness stops into a single, highly efficient session.

For Charvet, who has co-developed BUILD at just 18, that sense of consistency and motivation was a guiding principle from the start.

“My vision going into this was to create a program that not only gets you real results to hit your goals, but also feels like a place you actually want to show up to,” he said. “We were really intentional about creating a space that keeps you motivated and makes training something you look forward to, not something you have to push yourself to do.”

Charvet will also teach some classes and his approach is grounded in traditional strength training.

“BUILD reflects my personal approach with strength training because it’s fully structured on traditional lifts that are designed to drive muscle hypertrophy, while keeping the experience consistent, challenging and fun,” Charvet said.

Efficiency is another defining feature.

“When people combine weight training and an infrared sauna into their wellness routine it can take a minimum hour and 45 minutes plus of your day,” Charvet explains. “While in BUILD, with our longevity modules, you can do a fifty minute workout that’s far more intense while increasing your cellular regeneration, reducing inflammation and sweating out far more toxins than you would in a regular gym.”

The result, he says, is a streamlined experience: “BUILD gives people the ability to perform at their highest level, while also feeling their best mentally and physically.”

That integration of performance and recovery is a throughline for both founders.

Chase was firm in carrying over the technology that has defined her previous studios.

“I have seen unparalleled results year after year with myself, our team and our members from the therapies we teach classes under,” Chase said. “There was no way I would open BUILD without the same concept integrating our cutting edge technology in recovery and longevity with our BUILD workouts.”

Her own training journey has also shaped the philosophy behind the program.

“As I started training with heavier weights in our BURN & BUILD classes, I saw real changes in my own physique, which pushed me to go further,” she said. “That journey helped shaped the philosophy behind it, building real strength in a way that supports longevity over time.”

For Charvet, that mindset is rooted in his upbringing. The son of TV personality Brooke Burke and David Charvet—who portrayed Matt Brody on Baywatch from 1992 to 1996—he grew up immersed in both fitness and entertainment.

“Growing up, I was always surrounded by fitness. My dad brought me to the gym from a very young age, and that sparked the love in trying to better yourself every day,” Charvet said. “My parents always told me that if you can take care of your body and be disciplined with yourself, then you can be disciplined in all other aspects of life.”

That legacy inevitably raises the question of whether Charvet might follow his father onto the screen, particularly with a new version of Baywatch expected on the FOX network later this year.

For now, his focus remains firmly on fitness. “I'm really focused on launching BUILD right now and excited for this next chapter in my life,” Charvet said.

Still, BUILD represents his own path forward.

“Over the last couple of years I’ve watched my dad work closely with Maria and invest himself in BURN, so stepping into this felt like a natural progression for me,” he said. “Maria and I clicked right away and we shared the same vision for BUILD from the start. This is just the beginning of my journey.”

As for what sets BUILD apart in a crowded Los Angeles fitness market, Charvet points to a combination of factors.

“What makes BUILD different is our environment, methodology, and our connection between our instructors and clients,” he said. “There’s no other studio combining heavy weights with our medical grade lights.”

For those walking through the doors for the first time, the expectations are clear.

“They can expect to see serious changes in the first 3 to 4 weeks that they start coming consistently,” Charvet said. “Mentally, you can expect to be challenged. Over time you will get comfortable being uncomfortable and that’s when you will not only grow physically but mentally.”

To mark the launch, BUILD will host a full grand opening weekend beginning May 2, with the first class kicking off at 8 a.m. The weekend will feature partner activations including Calabasas Coffee, ARRIVAL Creatine, KIT, and Promix Nutrition, alongside community programming and giveaways.

Guests can also take advantage of two weeks of complimentary classes running through May 16, offering an immersive introduction to the method.

With limited spots available, booking is open through the BURN LA app and at Build-LA.com—an invitation not just to try a new workout, but to experience a model designed to bring strength, recovery, and consistency together under one roof.

On Instagram, follow BUILD at @buildlosangeles_, Maria at @mariachase_ and Shaya at @shayacharvet.