A workout that doubles as a recovery session? Sign us up

Tried, tested and utterly obsessed

Looking for a new spot to sweat out those weekend wines? This innovative workout trend is taking over the East Coast, and it’s easy to understand why.

As a self-proclaimed Pilates connoisseur, I’ve been fortunate enough to pulse, hold and lengthen in some of Australia’s best studios. I’m well versed in the feeling that accompanies a great workout, and also the feeling that follows a sub-par one – which is not a word I’d dare use to describe this particular class.

Introducing J.I.M (Joy In Movement), not only the pinnacle of fitness technology and thoughtful movement but also one of the best workouts I’ve ever done to date. 

The tagline plastered across the J.I.M website reads ‘Twice the results, half the time,’ and let me assure you, they aren’t over-exaggerating. Each class is conducted in an infrared sauna-like studio, elevating your sweat session like never before.

For my first session, I brought along my high-intensity-loving, triathlon-training boyfriend, which was a small miracle in itself. For two years, he has repeatedly turned down my invitations to come along to my Pilates classes with the kind of self-assured confidence only a man who has never felt a Pilates burn could have. 

Needless to say, twenty minutes into our first J.I.M class, I turned to find him lying on his mat in a pool of sweat, taking ‘just a minute’ to recover. 

And recover he did. After just one 30-minute session, we both walked out feeling more limber, and energised than we had all week. The stubborn aches and pains from his usual fitness regime of body-thrashing runs and rides were gone, and before we’d pulled back into our street, we’d already booked in for another class. 

We had no idea what we were in for. Image: Pexels

The benefits of sweating with Infrared

As someone who vehemently hates overheating and profusely sweating, I was more than a little sceptical about how much I’d enjoy 30 minutes of squats and lunges in a heated room. But the infrared workout was a totally different – and entirely more bearable – experience than the ‘hot-yoga-esque’ expectation I had conjured up in my mind. 

The J.I.M studios have been decked out to emulate any standard infrared sauna – just big enough to fit up to 20 workout mats and a range of equipment.

“Initially, it was the curiosity to use Infrared Heat as a smarter alternative for heating a room for stretch and recovery classes,” says J.I.M founder Jarad Hobbs, a personal trainer by trade. 

“After testing and experimenting with a few classes I discovered that the infrared heat didn’t increase the humidity allowing you to breathe comfortably whilst exercising which triggered the idea for Infrared workout classes like pilates or functional strength classes,” he explains.

Because outside of making any space look and feel instantly cooler, the red light glow of the infrared delivers some pretty amazing benefits, such as detoxification, skin purification, increased blood flow and improved heart health and sleep. 

“What I love most is combining infrared heat with low-impact workouts (think Pilates or Yoga) and walking out dripping of sweat and having burned similar calories to that of a high-intensity workout,” Hobbs says, echoing the brand’s guiding philosophy of training smarter, not harder.  

The benefits of infrared are endless. Image: Pexels

A closer look at the classes

From the moment you walk in, it’s clear that the studios have been designed to promote efficiency, making the most out of the modest spaces Sydney’s real estate market has to offer. 

The infrared room is lined with TV screens and timers, leading the class through a warmup, series of exercises and cooldown – all in just 30 minutes. Plus, none of the movements were anything out of the ordinary (think your stock standard lunges, pulses and downward dogs), but the infrared aspect elevated the workout to a whole new level. 

“All three of our current locations sold out their foundation membership offering which I believe speaks to the value and convenience you get with J.I.M,” Hobbs says. “Our classes are just 30 minutes so you're in and out fairly quickly plus our studios are open 365 days a year offering more than double the classes of a typical gym.”

As well as being totally automated and accessible around the clock, J.I.M offers 32 different class types on rotation throughout the week, meaning there's quite literally something to suit everyone’s experience level and workout tastes. 

And unlike other trendy Pilates or functional movement spots, J.I.M studios are designed to allow members to solely focus on their sweat session without worrying about external scrutiny (or being distracted by someone’s fluorescent activewear set). 

“The reality is not everyone is in their best shape, maybe they can’t touch their toes or keep up with the class, so a bright, white and lofty style studio with mirrors certainly isn’t helping to attract the people that need the gym the most,” explains Hobbs. 

“Our space is deliberately dark with no mirrors creating a judgement-free environment along with no physical coach allowing the members to go at their own pace or skip exercises if needed.”

With the first studios opening less than a year ago, Hobbs has already begun building the J.I.M empire, with three more openings in the coming months, and over ten additional locations already reserved. Click here to find a studio near you.

Originally published as A workout that doubles as a recovery session? Sign us up