No longer just serving “hardcore athletes,” recovery is a way to open your doors to more people in your community to relax and recharge.
Recovery has always been an essential part of a fitness routine. However, with an influx of people coming to fitness facilities for mental health reasons and to simply feel better, recovery options can also be a great revenue driver.
One recovery offering to help members relax and recharge is a HydroMassage Bed.
“HydroMassage has had a strong reputation among other health club owners across the industry, and being a trusted supplier of REX roundtable also helped with our decision making process,” said Adrian Antigua, the general manager of Gainesville Health and Fitness. “The ease of use of the beds both for the user and for our staff, however, was probably the bigger reason why we decided to use HydroMassage. It’s truly as easy as hitting the start button to enjoy the experience. This allowed for us to almost eliminate the staff time necessary on how to teach people how to use and enjoy their experiences on the hydro beds.”
Antigua said ease of use and instant feeling of relaxation made this a good option for their members. Some of the benefits include:
- Temporary relief of minor aches and pains.
- Relief in muscle soreness, stiffness and tension.
- Increased circulation in local areas where massaged.
- Reduced stress and anxiety.
- Enhancing the feeling of well-being and deep relaxation.
“Our members have thoroughly enjoyed the use of the beds,” said Antigua. “It has become a regular portion of members’ routines. We even have some members who come to use the beds and that’s it.”
Chuze Fitness has also offered HydroMassage Beds as a recovery option since the day they opened their doors in 2008.
“Even then, we saw the value and need for an option for members to destress and reward themselves for a great workout,” said Ani Oksayan, the vice president of fitness at Chuze Fitness.
Oksayan explained that post pandemic, they find themselves servicing a savvier and more holistically-minded member. They’re mindful of their physical, mental and emotional health, and they require their chosen fitness club to help them address wellness in all areas.
“Our members both reward themselves with recovery amenities after a hard workout and also occasionally come in for recovery only,” said Oksayan. “They’re acknowledging that self-care is the option they can choose for their wellness that day and that’s perfectly acceptable. Our members have loved every option of recovery we’ve moved forward with, and we are always expanding our offerings to meet their needs.”
Currently, Chuze Fitness provides HydroMassage Beds and lounge chairs, compression boots, percussive therapy, infrared and traditional saunas, steam rooms, zero gravity recliners, massage chairs, and self-myofascial release tools.
A recovery option Oksayan is interested in making more accessible is cryotherapy.
“While cryotherapy has been around for some time and has fairly recently grown in popularity, it’s not been an easily implemented option for health clubs due to tremendous cost and staffing/labor associated with the service,” said Oksayan. “Newer localized cryotherapy machines may prove to be a good option for health club operators who want to expand their recovery offerings and establish themselves as the one-stop-shop for all aspects of their members’ wellness.”
One facility that’s found success with cryotherapy is UFC GYM Corona.
“When we started with our first Recovery Corner at UFC GYM Corona over six years ago, we saw an opportunity to fundamentally change the way big box clubs were offering recovery services,” said Jeremy Longwell, the national director of recovery for UFC GYM. “The biggest opportunity was first getting members to prioritize their recovery to optimize their results. Everyone knows they are there to exercise, but they often forget results happen as the body repairs itself.”
UFC GYM started off its recovery options with cryotherapy, compression therapy, HydroMassage and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization. These options gave them the ability to customize the use to the individual.
“Cryotherapy is the coldest, most efficient form of cold therapy and has a variety of physical and mental benefits,” said Longwell. “It’s a great option for recovery as the participant generally experiences instant results. The rush of dopamine/adrenaline dramatically improves mood and decreases stress and anxiety. The increased blood flow/circulation and reduction in inflammation physically helps users feel better almost immediately. Also, those with weight loss or leaning out on their list of goals, the thermoregulation that occurs from a cryotherapy session allows for an increased metabolism and calorie burn.”
Another option to consider is red light therapy.
“Red light therapy is definitely a trending form of recovery at the moment and rightfully so,” said Longwell. “With similar benefits to cryotherapy — anti-inflammation, improved blood flow/circulation, and reduced stress and anxiety — it helps create a winning combination alongside cryotherapy, offering a contrast from the cold. In addition to the previous mentioned benefits, red light therapy’s focus is to increase cellular energy assisting in improvement of skin conditions, anti-aging, reduction of scar appearance and sunspots, as well as speeding up the recovery process of muscle tissue repair.”
Antigua agreed that red light therapy is something to watch in the industry.
“We are constantly keeping an eye on things that are gaining traction throughout the industry,” said Antigua. “The immersive wellness experience as a whole has been growing tremendously every year whether that’s through things like IV infusion, hyperbaric chambers, red light therapy, compression therapy and the list goes on. I think it’s important to watch and learn how other companies are beginning to incorporate their wellness options into their facilities. We’re also excited to watch and learn how the emerging boutiques that are entirely focused on wellness and recovery are implementing new practices.”
While recovery is nothing new, it has evolved over the years. No longer just serving the “hardcore athletes,” the offering is a way to open your doors to more people in your community.
“As more and more people are shifting their reasons for exercising from looking better to feeling better, it’s clear recovery is here to stay,” said Oksayan. “We have a responsibility as fitness professionals to encourage and champion this shift in thinking. Post-pandemic the fitness industry needs to play an even bigger role in stressing the importance of a well-rounded and balanced wellness routine for all. With the addition and normalization of wellness and recovery, the gym just may end up being a less scary place for those who are new to it, and we may get steps closer to our collective goal of simply driving people into spaces where they have the opportunity to improve their health through whatever means feel right to them.”
