Gyms have always felt more chaotic than curated to me – a tangle of machines, numbers, and unspoken rules I was never taught. I’ll be honest, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve walked into a gym solo. Rows of complicated machines. Everyone else somehow looks like they know exactly what they’re doing. And I have no idea where to start. Which machine does what? How much weight? How many reps? How many sets?!
Enter Fred Fitness – the first full-scale AI-powered gym in Santa Monica where the chaos is eliminated and the experience is edited into something that is approachable, intentional, and actually more effective.
Fred Fitness (housed in a bright, airy space on 4th Street) is giving Equinox, but lighter, smarter, and less intimidating. No clanging weights. No guesswork. No wandering around pretending to stretch while secretly googling how to use the equipment.
You start with a full-body scan using a next-level bioelectrical impedance device that reads everything from your hydration levels to your visceral fat percentage (don’t worry, only you see the results). It’s a comprehensive wellness audit that feels more clinical spa than doctor’s office. Friends of mine who are way more into fitness than I am say it’s one of the most impressively in-depth scans they’ve seen – and it’s free.
From there, Fred’s in-house AI (fittingly called Genius) builds a completely personalized training program based on your fitness level, goals, and even your biology. You’re assigned a “biological age” based on your strength, cardio, and flexibility (which may provide a pleasant surprise or a humbling reality check).
Once you’re set up, you walk up to any machine, scan your wristband, and it adjusts to your height, limb length, and fitness goals. Everything calibrates to you from the seat height and resistance to the reps and sets, evolving as you get stronger. It’s like having a personal trainer, without the $200 bill after each session.
The machines are gamified too, so you’re literally playing your way through your workout, chasing coins Pac-Man-style. This sounds silly, but it is weirdly effective… especially if you’re even a little bit competitive 🙋🏼♀️.
While the AI handles the heavy lifting, real human trainers are always floating around to tweak your form and answer questions. This keeps the whole experience considered and personal, never clinical or cold. It’s the ideal intersection of tech and touch, precision and connection, in a way that honestly feels like the future of fitness.
We hear a lot about AI these days and Fred is the perfect example of AI at its best: enhancing what technology excels at (precision, personalization) and leaving the human elements (coaching, connection, community) to… humans. Together, it creates a smarter, sharper experience – one that feels less like a workout, and more like a custom blueprint to reach your goals.
For someone like me, who wants to work out and build strength, but hates the chaos of traditional gyms, Fred isn’t just cool futuristic tech, it’s a complete reimagining of what fitness can be: approachable, personalized, precise, and dare I say, actually fun?
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, intimidated, or just bored at a traditional gym, Fred is worth checking out. It’s fitness, elevated – in every sense of the word.
Learn more and book your complimentary fitness assessment here.
