Recovery at One Playground

In the pursuit of fitness goals, it’s easy to focus solely on the intensity of your workouts. We push harder, lift heavier, and run faster, all in the name of progress. But what if the key to unlocking your true potential isn’t found in another set or an extra mile, but in the moments you take to slow down? Recovery is finally getting the attention it deserves, and for good reason. Making it a consistent part of your routine helps reduce muscle soreness, prevent injury, and improve your overall performance.

 

That’s why we have integrated a wide range of recovery at One Playground, including a dedicated recovery space at the Urban Oasis. From heat therapy to mindful movement, we make it simple to give your body the care it needs to thrive.

 

Saunas for Recovery

One of the most accessible ways to kickstart your recovery is through heat therapy. A post-workout sauna session can help soothe tired muscles and shift your mind into a state of relaxation. We offer different sauna experiences to suit your needs.

 

At our Haymarket, Merrylands, and North Sydney locations, you’ll find traditional saunas conveniently located within both the male and female changing rooms. These are open to all members, with no bookings required. This makes it incredibly easy to add a few minutes of recovery to your routine; just head into the sauna right after your training session.

 

Our dedicated recovery facility, the Urban Oasis, also features both a traditional sauna and an infrared sauna, giving you more ways to unwind.

 

For members seeking a private sauna experience at other locations, our Marrickville club also offers bookable infrared saunas, allowing you to enjoy your session in solitude.

 

Traditional vs. Infrared Sauna Explained

While both types of saunas help you work up a sweat, they do so in different ways.

 

• Traditional saunas use a heater to warm the air around you, often with steam created by pouring water over hot rocks. This high ambient temperature raises your body temperature, inducing a deep sweat that helps improve circulation and release tension. Discover more about traditional saunas here.

 

• Infrared saunas use infrared light to heat your body directly from the inside out, rather than heating the air. This allows for a much lower ambient temperature, providing a gentler warmth that penetrates deeper into your muscles. Many people find this experience more comfortable and can enjoy longer sessions. Learn more about that here.

 

Whichever you choose, you are taking a valuable step toward better recovery.

 

 

Contrast Therapy Suites

For those looking for a more exclusive and comprehensive recovery experience, we offer private contrast therapy recovery suites at Merrylands. These spaces are designed to give you a personal sanctuary where you can fully reset your body and mind.

 

Each suite includes an infrared sauna, an ice bath, and a private shower. We provide the towels, and you can even connect your phone to Bluetooth speakers to create your own immersive atmosphere. You can purchase a single session or a pack for regular use, and you’re welcome to bring a friend to share the experience.

 

These suites are perfect for practising contrast therapy. This involves alternating between periods of heat (in the sauna) and cold (in the ice bath). This rapid change in temperature causes your blood vessels to constrict and dilate, which can help:

 

• Reduce muscle soreness and inflammation
• Flush out metabolic waste
• Improve circulation and blood flow
• Speed up your body’s natural recovery process

 

Contrast therapy is a powerful tool used by athletes to bounce back faster from intense training. Learn more about how to do contrast therapy and why it works here.

 

 

Move to Recover: Specialised Classes

Sometimes, the best way to recover isn’t to stop moving entirely, but to move with intention. Active recovery, which involves low-intensity movement, can be more beneficial than complete rest. It keeps blood flowing to your muscles, helping to clear out lactic acid and reduce stiffness without adding more stress to your body.

 

We make it easy to incorporate active recovery into your week with a variety of dedicated classes. You can attend Yoga, Meditation, Breathwork, and Pilates classes across all our locations, each designed to help you move, unwind, and reconnect. Discover some of our featured classes that will support your recovery below.

 

Ritual

A 60-minute wellness escape where strength meets serenity. This dynamic fusion of yoga flow, mat Pilates, active stretch and guided meditation leaves you energised, lengthened and deeply relaxed. Flow through powerful movements, unlock tension with soothing stretches and finish with a transformative meditation to restore your mind and body. It’s not just a class – it’s your new ritual for balance, strength and inner calm.

 

Breathwork ‘Dynamic Release’

Revitalise your body and mind with our Breathwork classes. Start your day with Dynamic Release, a 45-minute energising session focused on powerful breathwork techniques to awaken your energy, release tension, and elevate your mood. Perfect for all levels, it fosters a deep connection with your breath, body, and spirit.

 

Meditation Soundscape

Meditation Soundscape is a deeply immersive guided meditation experience that uses soothing soundscapes to guide you into a state of deep relaxation and mindfulness. With calming music, ambient sounds, and the healing vibrations of sound bowls, this class helps quiet the mind, reduce stress, and promote inner peace. Perfect for those looking to escape the noise and reconnect with their breath, Soundscape will leave you feeling centred, rejuvenated, and profoundly relaxed.

 

 

Infrared Pilates

Mat Pilates is a transformative Pilates class that is both empowering and visually captivating. Specially programmed routines are designed to push your body and expand your mindset to achieve your best, all done under infrared panels. The class works through a dynamic warm-up, an engaging upper body sequence using hand weights, high rep booty burners and low impact cardio designed to increase your cardiovascular endurance without placing stress on the body.

 

Restore Yoga and Sound

A rejuvenating class designed to harmonise the body and calm the mind. This session combines gentle, restorative Yoga poses with the soothing vibrations of sound bowls throughout. Participants will experience deep relaxation as they stretch, breathe, and listen to calming instruments, promoting stress relief and emotional balance. Perfect for all levels, this class invites you to unwind, reconnect, and restore your inner peace through movement and sensory experiences.

 

Yoga Empower

This is a gentle, eclectic style of Hatha yoga promoting balance and harmony physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Yoga postures (asanas) and breath work (pranayama) are integrated to stretch, strengthen, open and release through the entire body.

 

Invest in Your Longevity

Recovery isn’t a luxury; it’s a fundamental part of a smart and sustainable fitness journey. The effort you put into caring for your body after a workout is just as important as the effort you put in during it.

 

By taking these small moments to slow down, whether it’s 15 minutes in a sauna, a deliberate cycle of hot and cold therapy, or a mindful movement class, you are making a direct investment in your future progress. A well-recovered body is a stronger, more resilient body, ready to take on the next challenge. Listen to what your body needs, explore the options available to you, and discover how a consistent recovery practice can help you go further than you ever thought possible.