BURN LA founder Maria Chase sat down with Melissa Magsaysay alongside longevity specialist Dr. Chris Asandra in episode 5 of the ‘Live & Well’ podcast to chat all things infrared-powered strength training and hormonal health.
BURN has become a go-to spot in Los Angeles for women seeking more than a sweat. They want hormonal balance and a pathway back to strength during times of hormonal ups and downs. And with Dr. Chris Asandra now partnering with Maria, the studio has solidified its position as part of a growing movement toward hormone-smart fitness.
The Science Behind Infrared Detoxification
BURN classes take place under medical-grade red and blue LED lights and deep infrared heat, creating an environment that feels more like a bio-optimization lab than a traditional studio. The heat is penetrating but soothing, the lights a warm glow that seems to energize rather than overwhelm. Maria explains that science was always the driving force. “Infrared heat produces 30% greater detoxification in your sweat versus regular heat,” she says. “Regular heat gives you about 3%. It’s a significant difference.”
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Why Combining Red Light and Resistance Training Works
The technology is not just for ambience. Infrared warms tissues from within, allowing muscles to work harder with less strain. LED red light supports cellular regeneration, improves blood flow and speeds recovery. The combination creates what Maria calls “a multitasker of a workout.”
“I became obsessed with this early on,” she says, “because it’s all cellular regeneration, which translates to faster recovery and better results. It just made so much sense. And talk about efficient, it’s incredibly efficient.” The classes themselves are built around resistance and muscular design, not endless cardio. “Burn 45 is more of a weight training class,” she explains. “You don’t typically see heated classes rooted in weight training. There’s hot yoga, hot Pilates… but this is different.”
The red light and heat infuse every rep with therapeutic value. And for many women, particularly those navigating midlife hormonal changes, the difference is transformative.
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The Synergy of Heat, Cortisol, and Hormonal Balance
Infrared heat and red light therapy have been used for years in sauna therapy and recovery settings, but BURN is one of the few places integrating these tools directly into strength training. And for women in perimenopause or menopause, the synergy is powerful.
According to Dr. Asandra, infrared heat reduces inflammation, lowers cortisol, and improves circulation, all of which support hormonal balance. When cortisol decreases, other hormones can function more harmoniously. Maria sees the results every day. “Our lights are medical grade. They penetrate to the connective tissue and down to the bone. It’s all cellular regeneration, the entire time you’re under them.” Clients often describe a “floaty” feeling after class.
Maria calls it a “kind of high,” though Dr. Asandra simply calls it endorphin release. Combine that with resistance training, and it becomes a really effective strategy for women struggling with the muscle loss that accompanies hormonal decline.
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Redefining Midlife Fitness: Strength and Hormonal Intelligence
What Maria and Dr. Asandra represent is a shift from endurance-based fitness to strength, recovery, and hormonal intelligence. Their combined approach is helping change the midlife experience for women.
Maria laughs when clients react to her age. “I’m going to be 50 this year and I feel better than I did at 25,” she says. “Stronger by a mile.” And that, more than anything, is the bottom line behind BURN. The belief that aging can be powerful, not diminishing. “When you bring together hormone health, strength training, infrared heat, and red light therapy,” Maria says, “you create efficiency, resilience, and results. You change your body and your life.”
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Why You Should Listen to the Full Episode
Dr. Chris Asandra and Maria unpack the quieter realities of midlife health: the muscle loss that can creep in during perimenopause, why testosterone often becomes a key lever for women who are lifting and eating protein yet still feel depleted, and how GLP-1 weight-loss drugs can accelerate muscle loss if resistance training and hormone support are not in place.
They talk about the gaps in traditional medical training around menopause, the importance of partners being part of the conversation, and the mindset shift from “slowing down” to actively building capacity after 40.
These stories, details, and candid moments can be heard in the full episode of the ‘Live & Well’ podcast, where Maria and Dr. Asandra spell out what hormone-smart fitness can really look like in everyday life.
Listen to the full conversation here on the ‘Live & Well’ Podcast
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