The Body Lab isn’t just a gym – It is home to the most specialist equipment that has been sourced from all of the top-leading manufacturers globally. Most impressively, The Body Lab has some therapies and treatments that are the first of their kind to be offered to gym-goers in the UK. A Hyperbaric Hydroxy Airpod, Dual-Chamber Cryotherapy, Dual-Chamber Dreampod and an Infrared Sauna, are just a few to name inside this world class facility.
Location
The Body Lab is located a one-minute walk away from Kensington High Street station and you will find a very well-rounded approach towards improving your overall wellness. State-of-the-art, luxury and exclusive all come to the forefront of first impressions at this extraordinary establishment. With the doors to this new private gym opening in January 2021, you can now become an official founding member of this scientifically advanced gym.
The Body Lab Ethos
The Body Lab was born and designed to facilitate and educate members on how to become a ‘life athlete’ – creating lifestyle habits where members are constantly practicing and reviewing their physical, intellectual, emotional and social performances. Experienced personal trainers are available to help empower members and guests throughout each step of their training journey.
Not only does the equipment contribute towards achieving optimum performances, but the high-end finishing touches in the facilities do too. Dali lighting control systems are installed throughout, which create tones and levels of brightness, that mimic the natural sun rise and sun set patterns. This means that your body’s circadian rhythm will always be tuned to perfection when spending time here.
There are more exquisite elements of attention to detail to appreciate. Modbar coffee machines serve members and guests premium coffee sourced fresh from Columbia. The consistency of the 94.5-degree temperature control, avoids any disruption to the taste of your coffee. Finally, all of the toiletries in the changing rooms and toilets are made by a Turkish designer called Adem. Hazelnut oil is sourced from Adem’s family farm, which has been running for over 120 years in Turkey. The divine scents along with these bespoke products will aid towards your meditation and recovery.
My Body Lab Experience
Living in London can be very chaotic and exhausting at times. I’m told that it is important to take proactive action to offset lifestyle and environmental stressors, in order to rebalance, relax and rejuvenate… So that is exactly what I did.
On my visit to The Body Lab, I am immediately greeted with warm smiles from the welcoming team who present themselves professionally behind a sizeable reception desk, brushed in soft tones of grey. The interior design is sleek and futuristic, with the open-plan layout allowing each room to flow gently from one to the next. The members lounge is minimalistic yet cosy; the seating area draws you in with a very homely-like grey corner sofa that offers comfy cushions with good depth to sink into. Finally! Somewhere you can relax and talk without having to sit on an awkward hard chair. The walls inside are brushed cleverly with Jasmine White, so that a sense of space can be created without looking too clinical or feeling like you’re in a science lab.
With the in-depth knowledge and guidance from Nick who heads up operations and sales at The Body Lab, I was able to experience the following regenerative therapies, all focussing on enhancing my health both inside and out.
Hyperbaric Hydroxy Airpod
The first of its kind in the UK! This is a unique wellness experience that speeds up the bodies own healing process, through increased absorption of oxygen by 35-40%. This allows our body to push more oxygen out of the haemoglobin, into the bloods plasma, which is then absorbed into the tissues to help aid with recovery. As a result, the airpod supports the body to optimise detoxification, increase energy production, improve recovery and delay the onset of aging and degenerative diseases.
Now positioned lying down on my back inside the cylinder shaped airpod, it feels very advanced and pioneering. I’m given a blanket for extra comfort just before the treatment begins. As the airpod starts to build up the atmospheric pressure, within a few minutes I am now at the optimum level of 1.3, which is the equivalent to being 3.5 meters below sea level. The process is smooth and feels similar to the air pressure that you feel from being on a plane (a couple of yawns later and my ears have popped back into clear action). You can take anything inside the airpod with you, from your phone to catch up on socials or even your laptop to join a work video call! I opt for neither, as I preferred to capitalise on the relaxing process by adding in my own meditation and deep breathing.
60 minutes later of my body consuming the smooth silky purified air, I hop out feeling fresh and with a clear mind.
Whole-Body Cryotherapy Chamber
Reaching a chilling -110C, this is one of the coldest cryotherapy dual chambers in Europe. The chamber reduces the body temperature through extreme cold application, resulting in decreased inflammation, prompting the release of endorphins, boosted blood circulation and activated healing processes to optimise training and recovery efficiency.
I’m handed a vest, some shorts, thermal gloves and socks, a headband to cover my ears and some slippers. I open the door to this human fridge and walk inside with my bare arms and legs, ready to challenge my pain threshold! With my breathing regulated and under control, the three minutes are up and as I walk back out of the chamber, I feel the immediate welcome back to the warmth of room temperature. My mind feels clear and my body energetic…. Challenge complete!
Infrared sauna
Now, I transition to the infrared sauna to warm back up again. I’ve never been too fussed with using traditional saunas that you may find at spas and health clubs, because I find the intense heat uncomfortable. However, this infrared sauna is a game changer. The LED lamps positioned all over the sauna utilise various wavelengths, enabling the infrared light to penetrate 10mm deep into the body’s soft tissue, increasing circulation. Most importantly, there is no uncomfortable dry hot air.
After 30 minutes in the infrared sauna, I am glowing from all the healthy benefits of natural sunlight, without any of the dangerous effects of solar radiation.
Float Tank
Closing off my treatment experiences at The Body Lab, I’m ready to float off the final stages of my recovery process in a dual-chamber Dreampod, one of the largest of its kind in the UK. Freed from all sensation of gravity, temperature, touch, sound and sight (accounting for 90% of neuromuscular activity), you’re able to conserve and redirect vast amounts of physical and mental energy. With a staggering half-a-ton of Epson salts in the tank, this ultra-deep relaxation process can reset hormonal and metabolic balance, reduce stress, illness and injury.
My first concern was being able to float comfortably and I’m told “not to worry, you will automatically float,” which mentally reassures me for my pending snooze. I’m given some earbuds to prevent the water sliding into my ears and I hop into the tank. Bliss. I opt for the music and light turned off, so I can continue with my own meditation. At 35c I’m cosy and already drifting into sleep (20 minutes of sleep in the Dreampod is equivalent to 2 hours of regular sleep in bed). With 30 minutes slipping by, I awake to the soft tones of relaxing music and find myself now positioned side-ways in the tank. The sign of a good nap I guess!
With a clear mind and soft skin from the salts brushing and exfoliating my skin, I’m a new woman.
In a nutshell
The Body Lab is a haven for constant optimum training and recovery through a scientifically driven approach. This establishment is already four steps ahead of other gyms in the UK health and fitness sector.
To discover more, visit: thebodylablondon.com
All imagery courtesy of The Body Lab. CG images are courtesy of MESHROOM CGI.
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