Popsukker | Mercey Livingston
Popsukker | Mercey Livingston
New York City er ikke fremmed for travle wellness-destinationer. Det nyeste sted? Andet skib , a wellness studio that is 'an immersive sauna and ice bath experience,' per the website. I thought Othership was just another bathhouse , but I was wrong. Othership is an entire experience. Instead of a space where people roam around and use the sauna and cold plunge as they wish, I found myself in a confidence-themed class inside a shared sauna. Picture this: towel waving, aromatherapy balls, group sharing, and validating cheers in the company of kind strangers.
In other words, Othership is more of a social experience than a spa. In addition to the confidence class, it also offers other themes, from heart opener to inner power. Oh yeah, and there are sober sauna raves , too. Have I piqued your interest yet? Here's a recap of my experience.
Popsukker | Mercey Livingston
Hvordan var min oplevelse med andet skab
I det øjeblik du går ind i Othership, er det en total stemning. Tænk lav belysning, røgelse og fred. Når du kommer ind i hovedrummet - som har denne mørke, afslappende, humørfyldte og meget cool stemning - er der en streng politik uden telefon.
Upon arrival, I was guided into the changing rooms, where I put on my swimsuit and was provided with two towels. Then I met the rest of my group for class in the communal sauna, which boasts three levels of tiered, theater-style seating. I'd never been in a sauna with that many people before. We were introduced to our instructor, who guided the group through various meditations and invited people to participate in response to thoughtful prompts and reflections throughout the class. I couldn't help but feel like I was at a SoulCycle class (think: inspiring instructor, candlelit vibes — but no cycling).
At various times throughout the session, the dynamic became particularly intense: there was towel waving and some screaming. The class was unlike anything I've ever experienced. At times the group were invited to share reflections if they wished. Since this was my first time there, I felt a bit out of my element. But I could tell there was a solid group of regulars who had a sense of community within the group and with the instructor.
After the sauna meditation, we were led into the cold plunge room. In this portion of class, we were coached through 20- to 30-second intervals in the cold plunges. I personally benefited from having others plunge at the same time as me (nothing like good ol' peer pressure to keep you submerged in an icy pool) — plus, having the instructor's encouragement and cheering for others in the class didn't hurt either. After about four rounds of cold plunging, I felt like a pro.
Vi lukkede heldigvis seancen tilbage i saunaen, hvor vi blev guidet igennem endnu en omgang åndedrætsarbejde og sendt afsted med god stemning.
Min endelige dom
Overordnet set er Othership ulig noget wellness-koncept, jeg nogensinde har prøvet (og jeg har prøvet meget i mine næsten 10 år som redaktør i wellness-området). I fremtiden tror jeg, at jeg ville prøve en af de frie flow-sessioner, da den er mindre struktureret og giver dig mulighed for at flyde gennem saunaen og isbadet, som du ønsker. De instruktørledede klasser er gode til dem, der ønsker at blive guidet gennem hele rejsen. Jeg anbefaler dem især til folk, der er nye til sauna og kolde spring, eller blot ønsker at blive ledt igennem en struktureret proces. Generelt vil jeg anbefale Othership til folk, der ønsker det sociale element og ønsker at være i et rum med ligesindede, der er interesserede i wellness, sundhed og selvudvikling. Det appellerer også til dem, der faktisk nyder instruktørledede wellness-oplevelser. Men det hjælper, hvis du er åbensindet og er interesseret i at prøve ting uden for din komfortzone (for igen, disse klasser er unikke!).
Hvis du er klar til at prøve det, har Othership lokationer i New York City og Toronto. Medlemskaber in NYC start at $51 per month, with an unlimited-access membership clocking in at $333; single classes are $64, and you can also purchase class packs.
Mercey Livingston er en forfatter og redaktør med otte-plus års erfaring, der dækker fitness, sundhed og ernæring for medier og mærker, herunder Well Good, Shape og Women's Health. Hun var fitnessredaktør på Peloton og havde redaktionelle roller på Equinox, Shape og Well Good. Mercey er en NASM-certificeret personlig træner og fitness-specialist for kvinder. Hun er også certificeret holistisk sundhedscoach gennem Institute for Integrative Nutrition, med en yderligere certificering i hormonsundhed.
