Recovery, biohacking & longevity studios - a new trend in north american fitness
A GYM CONSULTANT PERSPECTIVE ON Recovery studios, biohacking gyms, detox spas and longevity clinics IN NORTH AMERICA
contrast bathing suite at Pause Studios in Los angeles
As gym and wellness consultants for hotels and real estate developers, part of our remit is to advise on new and innovative health and fitness concepts that could add value to a hotel guest or residential experience.
From short-term workout recovery to daily biohacking rituals, detox sessions, recovery therapies, future-proofing bodywork, and clinical treatments for longevity, this new breed of studios and spas are making their way fromNorth America to a health centre, hotel, office or residential building near you.
The core components of this wellness concept trend, as we see it, include infrared saunas, flotation chambers, ice baths and IV drips, combined with some element of physical fitness program but there are outliers on the edges of the movement that, for example, take a more ancestral health approach while others focus on medical wellness interventions.
Studios reviewed below:
Artha Yoga & Wellness, LA
Biohackers Fitness, Florida
Gaia NoMaya, NYC
Higher Dose, NYC
Hydra Studios, NYC
Into Me Sea, California
Mydetox, LA and Vancouver
Modern Age, NYC
Next Health, California
Pause Studios, California
Remedy Place, LA and NYC
S10 Training & Recovery, NYC
Salt + Sweat, New York State
Upgrade Labs, California
For information on our leisure space design and wellness room design services see here.
Artha Yoga & Wellness, Los Angeles - biohacking STUDIO concept
This holistic wellness studio operation based in L.A offers therapies, treatments and classes for a holistic wellness offer available on a membership basis (currently US$169 per month) providing full access to the group activities and the three main therapies: cryotherapy, infrared saunas and flotation therapy. Non-members are also welcome but pay per session.
These three arguably make up the core of any detox spa or recovery studio concept, rather than charge per visit Artha offers members the opportunity to visit as often as they like as the cumulative health benefits are said to increase with regular usage.
Those treatments follow the same biohacking-influenced concept here so expect cryofacials, T-shock therapy, contour light therapy, Endermologie therapy and of course a range of body massages.
So what’s a cryofacial when it’s at home? It works by pumping liquid nitrogen onto the face’s skin using a handheld device, this is for enhanced skin glow and pain management. T-shock therapy is another handheld device but in this case it alternates between hot and cold as anti-aging skin treatment.
Contour light therapy is similar to the LED beds except it is more of a blanket with LED lights used for eliminating fat from the body in areas that are resistant to diet and exercise, apparently. Endermologie therapy is a handheld massage device used to treat cellulite.
Group activity classes on offer include yoga, breathwork and meditation, integrating a mind-body component to the business proposition at Artha and ensuring they add even more value to the monthly membership.
Biohackers health & Fitness, Florida - recovery studio concept
Something of an outlier in that they operate in the accessible end of the market, Biohackers has just one location in Florida offering training and recovery services. Nothing glamorous here, this is Weston, FL not Miami Beach or Fort Lauderdale but don’t let that distract you.
This is a leading example of a tech-led recovery studio combined with group fitness classes. In some cases the line between the two can even blur, as with Vesper - a cooling icepack that reduces lactic acid buildup when worn during a workout, or the infrared yoga sessions that integrate heat and light therapy to stimulate mitochondria production and promote cellular repair while reducing inflammation and increasing blood circulation.
Beyond the regular biohacking therapies of cryotherapy, hyperbaric chambers, infrared beds and PEMF therapy (pulsed electromagnetic field therapy), this fitness studio concept goes further than most others to the outer extremes of the industry. You’ll find an oxygen bar and Nanovi cell repair treatments for example.
Gaia NoMaya, New York - spiritual holistic healing studio concept
Representing what is effectively a spiritual healing and recovery studio, Gaia NoMaya is all about restoring your inner energy, connecting you with ancient mother earth and our collective ancestral healing traditions to live a longer, happier life.
Defining themselves as a ‘social wellness, music and arts community’ there is clearly a more Eastern influence here than the Western science-based approach of a longevity clinic but we do not wish to bias in favor of one over the other so consider this outfit to be a worthy addition to our list.
Here you’ll find a Himalayan salt cave accompanied by sound wellness therapies, an outpost of organic Colombian restaurant Palenque, the Desert Wellness Lounge art gallery with spatial audio sound system, a cold bucket for Wim Hof-like ice therapy, 3D projections of natural landscapes, yoga area, and integrative wellness therapies from reiki to crystal therapy, colour therapy and flower remedies.
Higher DOSE, New York, USA - wellness tech studio
Higher Dose is primarily a biohacking and wellness tech brand selling infrared blankets and PEMF mats, red light face masks, even full-spectrum infrared saunas close on Eur 10,000. There is also a range of accessories and supplements on offer, from detox drops to serotonin salt scrubs.
They also operate from the 11 Howard Hotel in New York where they offer 30 or 60-min infrared sauna sessions, sculpting lymphatic drainage massages while cloaked in HigherDOSE’s grounding PEMF Therapy Mats to relax the nervous system, and topical magnesium wraps.
Being a biohacking and wellness tech product brand means that HigherDOSE can become an ingredient in other biohacking and wellness studios such as Salt + Sweat (see below) or the Equinox Sports Club in Boston.
Were they to venture too far into the independent studio market they might jeopardize the appeal of other studios using their equipment so it’s a delicate balance but one they seem to be pulling off.
Hydra Studios, New York - a wellness TECH hub for office and residential buildings
There are currently four Hydra Studio locations around New York based on a strategy of integrating into office buildings or residential developments.
A private fitness suite session lasting 45-minutes gives access to a Technogym indoor cycle, a Mirror workout wall, a Hydrow rower, free weights, a Hyperice percussion therapy device, yoga mats, blocks, bands and bolsters, all for $28 per session.
Locker room access is a service in itself, including rainfall showers, steam rooms, high-end linens and bathroom amenities, ideal for workers in their office building locations assuming there are no such facilities provided by the landlord in the building itself.
Infrared sauna sessions also last 45-minutes and start at $55 per session with discounts on packs while nap and meditation rooms include a day bed, pillows, aromatherapy and an in-room HEPA air filter for enhanced indoor air quality.
Group fitness classes range from full-body HIIT to yoga, pilates, sculpt, and strength training, again suggesting they are targeting the office workers or residents in their various locations with the promise of a small group dynamic akin to a fitness studio.
Two different memberships give access to unlimited private fitness suite bookings, unlimited locker room use, unlimited nap & meditation room bookings and two infrared sauna sessions per month.
The Refresh membership include unlimited locker room access only with add-ons available for group fitness classes and other services.
Into Me Sea - eco ethical mind body wellness studio
Santa Monica’s Into Me Sea is the only studio on this entire list that seems to have considered sustainability and has a plan for a sustainable, ethical supply chain as well as community support / charity donations.
Why the mix of enhanced wellbeing for clients, concern for the planet and responsible business practices should be so rare in the fitness industry is a mystery but kudos to this team for taking a stand!
Far more than mere greenwashing, this is a purpose driven business that has an engaged environmental architect David Hertz for the green interior architecture of the studio space. The business operates using renewable solar energy and has a ethical supply chain policy as well as supporting charities related to sea life protection.
The hero shot here is the white quartz crystal soaking tub for ‘energetic healing’ supported by various other bio-hacking experiences such as full spectrum infrared saunas and Lucia No.3 light sessions (white light said to induce a hypnagogic state). Halotherapy (salt therapy) is said to cleanse our lungs from pollutants, removing toxicity from the respiratory system.
Just as Salt+Sweat know their target audience in Westchester, NY it would seem Into Me Sea in Santa Monica have identified a moneyed, spiritual traveller also open to engaging with wellness tech biohacking concepts. I
t’s that mix of ancient wisdom and modern technology that makes these wellness studios so fascinating from a business perspective.
Myodetox, LA, Vancouver, Toronto - prehab and rehab studio
Myodetox offer their own particular take on the longevity promise by focusing on reducing pain during movement via a program of future-proofing ‘body maintenance.’
This equates to hands-on myofascial work, joint mobilization and corrective exercises in a science-backed approach to rehabilitation from existing injuries and prevention of future injuries.
The aim is to decrease tension, improve posture and increase range of motion via mobility work that includes an element of stabilizing strength as well.
All of the therapists at the three locations in L.A., Vancouver and Toronto are chiropractor doctors, massage therapists and/or trained physiotherapists and each new client goes through a full-body posture and movement assessment prior to any bodywork being done.
Staff have a wide tool box available to them, from dry needling to acupuncture, myofascial release, deep tissue massage and fascial stretch techniques while sport specific services on offer include road bike fitting appointments for an optimal ride position, running gait assessments and golf swing correction sessions.
MODERN AGE, NYC - ANTI AGEING LONGEVITY CLINIC
Both locations of Modern Age are currently in the Flatiron district and Upper East Side Manhattan, New York targeting a premium-luxury market segment intent on minimizing the signs of ageing in the short-term and extending their healthspan in the longer-term.
As such, this clinic offers an ‘ageing wellness assessment’ as a first point of entry that includes blood markers, BMI, brain function, subjective age and bone density.
Treatments cover skin and hair with a range of facials, botox, peels, LED light therapy and drips, as well as more general health solutions including hormone therapy, more IV drips and injections. Cognitive health is specifically addressed with neurofeedback therapy and NAD+ boosters as well as IV drips for focus and stress.
What concerns is this anti-ageing clinic address primarily? It could be anything from urinary incontinence, to sexual health, cognitive function, hormone deficiencies, hair loss and skin health.
Next Health, USA - WELLNESS TECHNOLOGY & LONGEVITY clinic
Currently with five locations between California, New York and, wait for it, the Four Seasons Hotel in Hawaii (makes sense!), Next Health do the usual biohacking facility full of wellness tech as well as if not better than most.
Expect the full spectrum of cryotherapy chambers, infrared saunas, hyperbaric oxygen chambers, IV drips… but their service offer doesn’t end there, in fact it’s just getting started.
This is a longevity focused biohacking clinic that truly means business, it might be more accurately described as a medical centre for biohackers looking to improve recovery times, sports performance, rehabilitation speed or simply to life a longer, pain-free life than nature might otherwise have in store for them.
Aging can take many forms, so Next Health aims to help with as many of them as possible with their tech-driven anti-aging treatments, from hair loss and genetic health tests, to food sensitivity tests and aesthetic treatments such as micro-needling, non-invasive laser treatments and laser hair removal.
Their NAD+ IV therapy drip is a 300mg application of a coenzyme (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) that can help to recharge cells and boost energy by targeting the mitochondria that generate approximately 90% of our energy but become damaged and fade over time as we age.
Their business model is membership based, effectively offering monthly or annual packages made up of IV drips, vitamin shots, annual baseline tests, body scans, skin scans, hormone monitoring blood work, infrared light bed sessions, infrared sauna sessions, hyperbaric chamber sessions and so on.
There are then a number of high-end biohacking treatments with $1000+ per session price tags such as Ozone Therapy aimed at bio-rejuvenation via oxygenation of the blood (via a supercharged form of oxygen) to reduce inflammation and delay the effects of aging.
Pause Wellness Studios, California, USA - holistic health & recovery studio
Pause Wellness Studios currently have three locations in California offering what they term ‘modern and holistic solutions’ aimed at boosting immunity and recovery, both physical and mental, in order to perform better at work, play, sport and life. It’s a compelling offer for the go-getting, health-conscious L.A. set.
Services range from cold plunge pools to floatation therapy tubs, infrared saunas, LED light therapy, cryotherapy, IV drips (both amino acid and vitamin versions).
What is LED light therapy you might ask? Similar to a tanning bed, it involves the client lying down in a fully horizontal position beneath LED lights tuned into specific frequencies designed to penetrate the skin allowing more oxygen in and energizing the skin cells.
Contrast therapy meanwhile involves alternating between the cold plunge pools and the infrared sauna creating a repeated exposure to first hot and then cold; this ‘contrast’ is said to aid in muscle recovery post-workout and is popular amongst performance athletes, although the scientific evidence behind it remains slim, somehow it works!
IV drip options at this wellbeing studio include iterations focused on neurological function for mental clarity, brain regeneration as well as reductions in anxiety, fatigue, and depression.
L.A based multi-disciplinary design studio Project M Plus were behind the interior architecture. This wellness interior design aesthetic here is contemporary, clean and nature-inspired with touches of biophilic design that bring the outside world in, rendering the prominent tech component within the customer journey that much friendlier.
Founded by ex-Equinox executives Jeff Ono and John Klein, the Pause team are now working with the Rep’M Group on their franchise expansion strategy.
Expect to pay around $70 for a single 60-min session of flotation therapy or infrared sauna, about half that for the same time under an LED light bed and $90 for a contrast therapy session while the IV drips range from $300-$600 for a single hit of 250mg - 500mg of the magic elixir in question depending on the treatment.
Remedy Place, LA and NY, USA - the social wellness club
Targeting the health conscious luxury lifestyle segment in Los Angeles and New York, Remedy Place takes things to the next level with its wellness studio interior design by Bells + Whistles who have created a dark, almost brutalist-inspired interior with exposed concrete slabs, a sophisticated colour pale of dark woods and dark grey walls combined with plenty of indoor plants and low level lighting to create a distinct mood.
Their first venue opened in L.A. in 2019, and they moved into the New York market in 2022 suggesting this combination of social connection with like-minded people, dare we say it ‘a wellbeing tribe’, with their distinct blend of ‘ancient practices with modern tech’ in a design-conscious space has hit a nerve, not least amongst the Kardashians, who have put their influencer power behind the brand too.
As the rest of the example of biohacking and recovery studios in this article show, Remedy Place are something of an outlier in this sense, defining their own style via a wabi-sabi interior design concept dominated by texture, tone and pattern in the materials and finishes. Everything down to the meditation cushions aligns behind one cohesive, 360-degree design vision.
This is also reflected in their service offer that veers more towards the detox and recovery end of the spectrum rather than clinical tests and anti-aging laser treatments.
That said, you’ll find a hyperbolic oxygen chamber that infuses the body with 50% more oxygen to speed up the healing process; lymphatic compression to flush out toxic build-up, vitamin IV drips and shots, infrared saunas, ice baths, cryotherapy, LED light therapy and private contrast suites with both an infrared sauna and an ice bath - surely the star of the show here from our perspective!
These are then combined with physical treatments such as chiropractic movement, acupuncture, cupping therapy, group meditation classes and (our favourite) functional mobility classes.
All access membership for the L.A. outpost comes in at $2500 per month but walk-ins area also accepted.
S10 Training and Recovery, New York, USA
S10 stands out from the biohacking studio and longevity clinic crowd by combining training and recovery, yin and yang, in one designer space.
Private spa suites ensure privacy and an extra layer of indulgence during a treatment, albeit at the expense of the community angle on offer at Remedy Place (where the ice baths are individual but a group dynamic provides motivation at the expense of a modicum of privacy).
At S10 each spa suite has a changing room, steam shower, infrared sauna, ice bath, and a magnesium bath meaning a client can rotate as many times as they want during a session.
Movement Assessments look similar to what happens at Myodetox studios with a combination of soft tissue work, active release technique, cupping therapy, Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), and individualized mobility.
Joovv Light Therapy (one of the leading brands in red and near infrared light devices) is also used for topical heating intended to relieve joint pain, relax muscle tension and increase blood circulation.
Flotation tanks provide an immersive recovery experience with Epsom salt infused water, sound deprivation and a private room with shower. Primarily though, it’s about switching off and enjoying the anti-gravity aspect of floating in water as a stress relief treatment.
Fitness training here is all about private or semi-private training in small groups as a way to guarantee success. It’s a diverse group of coaches led by S10’s founder Stephen Cheuk but all take regular body fat index tests with the aim of a sub 10% result for all members.
Coming around the corner are a labwork offer, for assessing a client’s skin prior to treatment, and a ‘recovery bar’ with protein shakes and shots of specialty coffee.
Salt+Sweat wellness studio concept
infrared sauna
This Westchester, New York wellness tech salon may not have the design credentials of a Remedy Place nor the biohacking geekiness of Upgrade Labs but it knows its market and delivers what looks to be a superior product.
A business can be defined as much by what it does ‘not’ try to do as what it does and Salt+Sweat made the strategic decision to zero in on infrared light saunas, infrared body wraps and red light therapies for ‘beautiful, healthy and glowing skin’.
These are then matched by a range of wellness tech driven body treatments such as the Ballancer Pro lymphatic drainage body suit, Cryo Skin toning and slimming sessions, Emsculpt electromagnetic ‘workouts’ and high radio frequency anti-cellulite solutions.
What stands out here is the short-term, aesthetic results orientation of their proposition, no doubt informed by one of the founder’s background in beauty salons, suggesting she understands the purchase drivers for this particular audience. This is less about living to 150 than feeling and looking good today.
Throw in some pain relief, a collagen boost and skin purification benefits along with that infrared sauna experience and what’s not to like?
infrared light bed at upgrade labs
Upgrade Labs for mental physical performance & recovery
Founded by the now legendary Silicon Valley entrepreneur Dave Asprey of Bulletproof coffee and a myriad other biohacking consumer products, these Labs zero in on performance and recovery with a tech-heavy approach.
In terms of their competitive set, there is clearly more financial weight behind this brand than Biohackers Health & Fitness but they share similarly data-driven approach and an open-minded attitude to testing out the latest tech.
the big squeeze treatment at upgrade labs
Next Health are arguably in a similar bracket in terms of target audience, although Upgrade Labs do not get into medical treatments, they stick firmly to their lane.
Four locations across North America are currently in operation with one site at a luxury hotel in Beverly Hills, suggesting the local celebrity culture is inherently fertile ground for such health concepts.
A full body red light bed is said to decrease inflammation, increase collagen production and stimulate the growth of new blood vessels while the Big Squeez is a full body, 360-degree lymphatic detox massage suit designed to remove excess water from the body, expelling toxins, and boosting the immune sy nstem.
Cryotherapy sessions are said to increase deep and REM sleep while boosting metabolism and overall immune health, especially when part of a complete biohacking regime.
Clearly there is an element of faith required in deciding to test out such treatments but the science looks promising and, for those already experimenting with modest biohacking techniques such as morning sun exposure, fasting, cold showers or keto diets it will likely be a seamless transition to experimenting with at least some of these new treatments. That’s certainly our position anyway!
Where things get a little more wacky is the performance training division where equipment line-up includes an A.I. enhanced indoor cycle promising the benefits of ‘a 40-minute jog in 40-seconds of effort’ and the ‘cheat machine’ - a motorized resistance strength machine driven by a software that aims to cut workout times to minutes per week rather than hours.
For us, this rather misses the point of exercise but no doubt there are clients prepared to pay for a quick solution! We’d focus on the vibration plates by PowerPlate that encourage lymphatic movement via rapid muscular contractions as an extra efficient warm-up or cool down.
Other wellness studios on our radar:
The Covery, https://thecovery.com/
Restore Hyperwellness, https://www.restore.com/
contact us to discuss how biofit can help you integrate these wellness concepts into your hotel, resort, or real estate development
Further Reading:
Technogym: big on wellness, but falling behind on sustainability