In the world of health and wellness, 2020 is an amazing time to be alive. Around every corner, health enthusiasts can find gyms offering a wide variety of workouts, places to have vitamin infusions, get stretched out, hot and cold treatments for aches, pains, energy, and more. One could piecemeal a program with multiple places, requiring several memberships, drive time, and costs. Or they could visit a unique studio in Alamo Heights that offers the benefits of both exercise and wellness all in one – and for an incredible value.
Hotworx is recreating self-care with its unique fitness approach. For a monthly membership fee of $59, members have 24-hour access to infrared sauna studios where virtual workouts are provided on screens. While in the saunas, which can range in temperature from 120 to 130 degrees, members can participate in yoga, barre, cycling, high-intensity interval training, and more, all while burning double the calories of a typical workout.
“I was blown away how quickly I felt results. I feel ten years younger.”
“You figure you burn ten calories a minute just from sitting inside the sauna, so if you factor in the 30-minute workout, you’re actually doubling your calorie burn,” said Julia Grossman, one of the managing partners of the studio. “Unlike regular hot yoga, which works with hot air, the infrared sauna is penetrating the body at a cellular level, reducing inflammation, speeding up metabolism, and more. You’re burning calories, but also detoxing the body and so much more.”
Along with aiding in weight loss, infrared saunas provide multiple health benefits, including building collagen, reducing cellulite, decreasing fibromyalgia symptoms, lowering blood pressure, stress reduction, relief for muscle and joint pain, and more.
“There’s never been a place where you can work out and recover at the same time,” Grossman said. “You’ll see a lot of athletes who work out then seek places where they can have infrared therapies, but here you get both in one session. There’s nothing like it.”
Grossman said the body adjusts quickly to the sauna for those who are worried about exercising in the heat.
“The first time I went, I really felt the heat, but after a few visits, I became used to it, and after a week of going, my muscle and joint pains were gone,” she said. “I was blown away how quickly I felt results. I feel ten years younger.”
Grossman and her business partner, Nerea Claiborne, often hear from members that they enjoy the flexibility of the schedule at Hotworx since it’s open 24/7, and the classes are on a virtual loop.
“The world, and life in general, is very stressful these days, and Hotworx has done a beautiful job of offering people access to both wellness and health,” Grossman said. “If you look around, you’ll see lots of wellness facilities offering treatments to improve your health, but they’re often very expensive. This makes health accessible for all.”
For those who may be coming off a tough day of work or just need to reduce stress, working out is not required at the studio.
“Many come just to relax, meditate and take in the benefits of the infrared,” Grossman said. “
By Christie Cuthbert
Photography by Al Rendon
