BURN Launches BUILD a Heavy Lifting Concept With Red Light and Infrared Heat
Krissy Vann | Host, All Things Fitness and Wellness
Los Angeles-based BURN is adding a second modality. The studio, known for its sold-out classes and celebrity clientele in Studio City, has launched BUILD, a strength training concept that runs 45-minute sessions under low infrared heat and medical-grade LED and near-infrared red light. The format is now open at BURN's Studio City location, with dedicated BUILD rooms planned for additional West and East Coast locations later this year.
The concept was developed over a ten-month R&D phase by BURN founder Maria Chase and co-creator Shaya Charvet, who worked alongside a testing cohort that included professional athletes and elite trainers. The programming follows a push/pull/legs split with working weights ranging from 10 to 95 pounds, structured around tempo, volume, rest, and progressive overload. Sessions run in a semi-private format, coached but with a group energy, and are capped at roughly 35 to 40 minutes of active work within the 45-minute class.
The integration of recovery technology into the training session itself is the core positioning. Low infrared heat and LED/NIR red light therapy have been associated with reduced inflammation, accelerated recovery, and cellular regeneration. By embedding both into the workout rather than offering them as add-ons, BUILD is making the case that clients no longer need to train in one place and recover in another. Charvet described the goal as "peak performance in the optimal window" while the environment supports recovery in real time.
Chase has been direct about the business angle as well. "Stop focusing on fat loss and refocus on building muscle," she said. "It takes care of everything else." That framing speaks to a broader shift operators have watched accelerate: strength training is no longer a niche preference but increasingly the entry point for health-conscious consumers focused on longevity, metabolic health, and bone density. BUILD is positioned to capture both a growing male demographic in boutique fitness and women seeking heavier, more structured programming than most group formats currently offer.
