Recovery Isn’t a Side Hustle: Why Studios Need to Get It Right

Everyone’s talking about recovery. Ice plunges. Compression boots. Saunas. Red light therapy. Studios are scrambling to throw recovery stations in the corner like it’s the solution to all their retention issues.

I’ll be the first to say that I love the craze. Plunges have been a game-changer for me personally, and I’m eagerly awaiting the grand opening of Red Light Method in San Diego. But, and it’s a big but, I think most fitness businesses are getting it totally wrong. 

Here’s the problem: no one is teaching people what to *actually* do.

Should you sauna before your class and plunge post-Pilates? Do the boots come before you lift or after? If I jump into the sauna after my cold plunge, did I just cancel out all that suffering in the ice? (These are the exact questions I hear people asking.)

The truth? It’s a total wild west in wellness. Studios are selling a recovery vibe without prescribing the method. And when your clients are left guessing, you’re not building loyalty, you’re fueling sporadic use that won’t help clients build a habit. 

Remember, if they can’t explain their recovery experience to a friend, they won’t recommend it. Which means you just spent a lot of money on equipment that’s doing more for your Instagram feed than your retention strategy.

The Real Opportunity

Here’s the thing: recovery can be transformational. I’ve experienced it myself! It can keep your clients more engaged with your studio long-term. But only if it’s done with intention. The right opportunity isn’t in buying the latest gadget. It’s in educating your clients.

It starts with teaching them how recovery protocols support their workouts and fitness routine—prescribing when to plunge, when to use a sauna, and when boots or a Theragun make sense. And when to rest. Creating recovery programs that are as thoughtful as your classes will make a significant impact.

The truth is, recovery tools only build loyalty if you go beyond the shiny object and actually prescribe protocols with outcomes. Clients want you to tell them precisely what to do. 

For example, research shows that post-exercise sauna use for 15 minutes in a Finnish-style sauna can enhance cardiovascular fitness, reduce blood pressure, and lower cholesterol. That’s a powerful list of benefits, and yet almost no studio teaches its clients how or when to sauna to achieve them.

Imagine if your studio created a structured “Recovery Protocol” like this:

• Sauna for 15 minutes immediately after class, three times per week
• Track blood pressure and recovery with your wearable weekly
• Book a check-in with a coach after six weeks to evaluate progress.

Or even better, set up “accountability check-ins” for clients who aren’t following the plan. Not to shame them, but to help them troubleshoot: What’s getting in the way? How can we adapt the protocol to their lifestyle? 

That’s where recovery becomes more than a trend. It becomes a tool for education, empowerment, and results. That’s exactly what loyalty is built on.

*Pro Tip: Use Walla’s audiences or journeys to find the folks that aren’t following the protocol

My Hot Take

Throwing recovery into your studio without a plan is like throwing different supplements into your smoothie every day without knowing what’s in them. You might get a little boost—or you might get nothing at all.

The studios that win won’t be the ones with the fanciest cold plunge. They’ll be the ones who own the conversation, establish prescriptive protocols, and deliver results that clients can feel.