An Hour a Day Keeps the Fat Away

An hour a day keeps the fat away at in West Hollywood. This gym breaks down six workouts a week to concentrate on different parts of the body.

Barry Jay Stitch felt the need to create a fitness regimen in 1998 after attending a variety of classes to compensate for one good workout. He realized there was a need for shorter and more efficient workouts. 

“I’ve never been a gym rat. You have an hour to get in there, work hard and get it done,” said the founder of Barry's Bootcamp. Stitch has since opened up shop in Sherman Oaks, San Diego, Irvine, New York City and even Bergen, Norway. 

"You get music pumping, mood lighting and the best instructors in the world," he said. Workouts feature the most current music and dimmer lighting to create a fun party environment.

According to Stitch, 85-percent of the problem people have in achieving their fitness goals involves food. He stresses that everyone needs a plan and the commitment to follow through with it.

“I recently just lost 50 pounds with a combination of eating correctly and doing Barry’s Bootcamp,” said Sean Bello, Hancock Park resident. “Barry is my guru in many ways.”

Each class includes 25 to 30 minutes of cardio exercise on treadmills and 25 to 30 minutes of strength training using free weights and other equipment. At Barry’s Bootcamp, the goal is to “shock” the body to improve the cardiovascular system, shed pounds and build muscle, Stitch said.

Classes are seperated among all days of the week to work each part of the body arms and abs, butt and legs, chest and abs, back and shoulders and finally the full body, offered Saturdays and Sundays, to successfully complete the workout at the end of the week.

“This is the one body that we’ve got, but if you’re sitting at home and you’re sitting too much, get up for an hour a day and work out,” Stitch said. “We don’t get to exchange the body, so we’ve got to take care of the one we’ve got.”

Download the movie