Five Fitness Recovery Programs to Try around Boston
Take a much-deserved break from your regularly scheduled fitness routine with these five recovery programs.
Illustration by Jeannie Phan
If you don’t have all day, try…
CRYOTHERAPY
Think liquid nitrogen is only good for making your favorite frozen treats? Think again. At a slightly warmer temperature (-190 to -256 degrees Fahrenheit) than what is used to keep ice cream cold, cryotherapy involves immersing your body in a chamber of vaporized liquid nitrogen. Lest you start having flashbacks to last winter, consider the potential benefits: reduced inflammation, improved circulation, and a boosted metabolic rate. Try stepping into the cool white clouds at Cryomed Boston, which offers three-minute sessions in its cryosauna.
252 Newbury St., Boston, 617-247-2796, cryomedboston.com.
If you have lingering pain, try…
MASSAGE CUPPING
Michael Phelps may have made it mainstream, but this aptly named ancient technique, which involves suctioning the skin with cups to soften tight muscles and scar tissue, isn’t for the faint of heart (just check out those deep-purple “cup kisses” on the swimmer’s trim physique). But for those with chronic muscle injuries, it’s often a godsend—especially when paired with a deep-tissue massage at Be Well Boston, where you can spend time with a certified cupping therapist.
437 Boylston St., Boston, 617-505-1858, bewellboston.com.
If you need to detox, try…
A SALT CAVE
Stretch out on a lounge chair in a robe and flip-flops. Breathe the briny air. Repeat. These are the only mandates inside G20 Spa + Salon’s brand-new halotherapy cave, a precisely regulated environment meant to mimic a day by the sea. Featuring walls built with pure Himalayan salt stones, the room uses a device called a halogenerator to disperse micro-particles of salt into the air, thought to help reduce stress, relieve congested sinuses, and improve skin condition.
33 Exeter St., Boston, 617-262-2220. G2ospasalon.com
If you’re feeling tense, try…
SPORTS MASSAGE
Massages aren’t just for spa days; done right, they can improve posture, decrease muscle pain, and, yes, make you feel a whole lot more relaxed. The licensed therapists at Boston Bodyworker specialize in clinical massage, focusing on clients’ specific needs—think shoulders for baseball players and calves for runners—while priming the body for increased performance. Go ahead, treat yourself to the monthly membership program.
575 Boylston St., Boston, 617-778-7344, bostonbodyworker.com.
If you want to prevent injury, try…
WHOLE BODY STRETCHING
Who needs a chiropractor when you have the crew at Motion? Set up like a fitness studio, with stretch tables instead of yoga mats, this spot’s “stretch coaches” work on the eight points of the body that carry the most tension in half-hour sessions. The end goal? Teaching your muscles proper form, so the next time you hit the gym (or the beach volleyball court), they’ll know exactly what to do.
349 Newbury St., Boston, 617-904-7414, stretchmotion.com.
