From beach yoga to one-on-one nutrition consulting, Peak Health cultivates a holistic approach to wellness that encompasses movement, diet and, above all, human connection.
Peak Health currently offers rooftop pilates on Thursdays, beach yoga on Saturdays, hike club on Sundays, nutrition consulting and daily 7 a.m. live online pilates classes. It also hosts paint and sips, meditations and group trips across California.
The idea for Peak Health began nagging at founder Jill Aida Horn during her undergraduate studies in neuroscience at UCLA and persisted through her master's degree in public health at USC, before it finally came to fruition in early 2025. "I really wanted to combine all the latest neuroscience research, what we know about health and wellness, the science of longevity, actual daily habits and community [into] something that's accessible and something that is sustainable for people," she said. For Horn, that means creating a low-cost wellness platform designed to bring people together.
Peak Health's hiking club moves from place to place, but its beach yoga and rooftop pilates classes are firmly rooted in Santa Monica. "Santa Monica is the perfect place because it has that combination of beach and mountains and city," Horn said. "The weather is always nice and it's a beautiful setting. You feel like you're actually connecting with nature, whether you're at the beach or in a park or on a hike."
Bringing physical activity outdoors can amplify its benefits, Horn said. Working out indoors too much can disrupt circadian rhythm and cause sleep issues, she explained. But working out in nature, "you get more than just the benefit of the pilates class, which is the strengthening and balancing effect on your body. You also get the soothing sound of the waves, the beach air, which is higher in oxygen. You get the sunlight in your eyes, the sunshine on your skin for vitamin D and the community component as well," Horn said. She aims to combine as many benefits into one activity as possible.
In a culture bursting with wellness options, it's hard to stand out. But where many programs focus mainly on one thing — movement, nutrition or sleep — Peak Health emphasizes human connection, highlighting the value of pursuing health goals alongside peers. "It's one of the most important parts of keeping people in the habit of doing something," Horn said. "There's studies on this, where the people who stick with it and where you have the most positive health behavior change that's sustainable, it's often when there's a community component in the intervention because it creates that accountability."
Social connection also benefits people beyond accountability, Horn said: It positively affects the nervous system, helps regulate dopamine and decreases stress and inflammation. Group workouts at Peak Health cap at 15 to 20 people so participants can get to know each other rather than get lost in a crowd. Each class is a healthy mix of longtime members and newcomers, according to Horn. "A lot of people who are looking for the community feel, they have an easy time connecting," she said. "There's an openness from the group to welcoming new members and striking up conversation."
Horn leads some of the pilates classes and provides nutrition consulting. She's also developing a Peak Health app to track what she considers the five pillars of health: movement, sleep, nutrition, social connection and recovery. "Having that scientific background, creating something that is based in science and to translate that science into action and make it easier for people to actually apply that in their everyday lives — that's a huge component of Peak Health," she said.
Peak Health's rooftop pilates class is at 1550 Lincoln Blvd. in Santa Monica on Thursdays at 7 p.m. Beach yoga is at Lifeguard Tower 26, 2600 Ocean Front Walk in Santa Monica, on Saturdays at 10 a.m.
Lila Victor, Special to the Daily Press