F45 Adds Cold Plunge, Infrared Sauna in Recovery Play

The popular fitness franchise is diving headfirst into the surging world of wellness, introducing a new concept, Recovery by F45

F45 Training is adding cold plunge tubs, infrared saunas and percussive therapy equipment to participating studios worldwide, embracing the new wave in wellness and potentially introducing a lucrative business model for boutique fitness studios. 

Dubbed “Recovery by F45,” the new program gives F45 franchise owners the option to add infrared saunas, cold plunge tubs, and Hyperice compression/percussive therapy equipment to their studios as an add-on purchase for existing members or an a-la-carte option for drop-ins. 

“As we continue to evolve F45 into a total wellness solution, we’re thrilled to introduce recovery services in our studios,” F45 Training chief operating officer Ryan Mayes told Athletech News. “Through new offerings like infrared sauna, cold plunge and percussive therapy, we’re empowering our franchisees with new options to serve members and drive the overall value of F45 membership.”

F45 members can purchase recovery services at participating studios through class packs or as an upgrade to existing unlimited memberships. Cold plunge and sauna sessions are also available for individual purchase by drop-ins. 

US, European Studios Embrace Recovery

F45 couldn’t share many specific details on the rollout at this stage, but some studios in the United States and international markets have already added infrared saunas, cold plunges and percussive therapy equipment. More studios are expected to add the services in the coming months, F45 confirms.

F45 Kingsgate in Kirkland, Washington, has already added recovery services, and is seeing positive early returns. 

“Adding Recovery by F45 has changed the way we operate our studios,” said Courtney Gibson, the owner of F45 Kingsgate. “Our members love the all-in-one solution, especially coupling their intense workout days with time in the infrared sauna or cold plunge after. It truly enhances the F45 brand and continues to show we are fully vested in our members and their wellness journey together.”

Some F45 studios in the United Kingdom and European markets have also begun adding recovery services, including infrared saunas, cold plunges and Hyperice equipment. 

“We have had lots of our existing network enquire about adding in the recovery,” Tristan Smith, F45 and FS8 master franchise director for Europe and the U.K., told ATN. “We know that recovery is at the forefront of a lot of our members’ routines, so it’s amazing that we have a solution for them under the same roof that they workout in.”

F45’s Bold New Plan

F45’s embrace of recovery marks the brand’s latest expansion move under CEO Tom Dowd, who took over as leader of the functional fitness franchise in March 2023. 

Under Dowd, F45 has opened up sister fitness brands in Vaura Pilates and FS8, both of which aim to capitalize on the surging demand for Pilates workouts. F45 has also added recovery classes and nutrition content to its app.

The moves fall in line with Dowd’s goal of building F45 into more than just a workout brand but a one-stop shop for all things health and wellness. 

“The vision that I came in with was to be a solution headquarters for everything health and wellness,” Dowd has told ATN.

Whatever the future holds, F45’s move to add recovery services should be intriguing for the fitness industry. Big-box gyms and health clubs have begun to add saunas and cold plunges en masse amid high demand, but until now, boutique fitness brands have been less willing to add the modalities to their studios given space constraints.