Last week, MadeInPGH hosted the first of our Southside Works Out summer fitness series with SHAPE Training, and even though I consider myself a fairly active person, I was feeling that workout by Tuesday!
Muscle soreness, inflammation, and dehydration are just some of the aches and pains that come from a hard workout. Whether you’re working toward accomplishing one of your personal fitness goals and are training harder than ever, or maybe you rarely work out and want to try something different and build new habits, it’s important to prioritize recovery and listen to what your body needs.
So, if your body’s telling you that it could use some extra love right now, you’re in luck: we put together a list of local businesses that offer treatments for the outside and the inside of your body to get you feeling your best — and back down to Southside Works again next weekend!
Pittsburgh Acupuncture and Massageworks (North Side)
The spa-clinic at Pittsburgh Acupuncture and Massageworks is the ultimate center for healing your body from the inside out — or the outside in. Their services include massage therapy, spa treatments (referred to as body rituals), and acupuncture, and if the latter seems intimidating, don’t worry — they have new patient visits specifically for hearing your concerns and introducing you to the process. They even offer a class on breathing, which can really make all the difference when you want to feel and perform your best.
Ever wanted to feel like an Olympian? Try cupping therapy, which uses silicone or plastic cups that are heated on the inside to decompress your skin, which can facilitate blood flow and promote healing in your body’s cells. Hey, if gold medalist Michael Phelps swears by it, it’s probably worth a try!
Quick Drip IV (South Side)
If you’ve come across the trend of getting quick hydration via IV, you’ve likely heard that it’s an amazing hangover cure. That may be true, but it’s not just for hangovers — in fact, Quick Drip IV on East Carson Street offers an underrated way to bounce back after an extra-sweaty workout in the summer sun.
According to Quick Drip’s website, their Fitness Bag special contains hydration and nutrients that “help muscle growth and repair, metabolism, improve endurance, [and] reduce muscle aches,” which sounds like a great way to support your body’s recovery after putting it to the test. (And sure, if you put your body to the test at the club last night instead, you’ll still want to make an appointment at Quick Drip.)
Athlete Recovery Lounge (Swissvale)
Have you ever seen a pro athlete take a dip in an ice bath or use leg compression therapy and wonder what it feels like, or if you could try something like that? Of course, you can! In fact, if you want to train like an athlete, you need to recover like an athlete, and that’s exactly what the pros at Athlete Recovery Lounge can help you do.
Their affordable membership model will grant you access to services like compression therapy, hot and cold tubs, light therapy, and saunas for 90 minutes at a time — that’s a lot of recovery! Additionally, you can select add-on services like massage therapy, chiropractic services, and even cryotherapy.
Restore Hyper Wellness (Upper St. Clair)
Restore Hyper Wellness has some of the funkiest wellness and recovery services in the city, so if you’re looking to try a new way to treat your body to some R&R after a tough workout, you’ll likely find something here you’ve never tried before. From stretching and compression therapy to cryotherapy and infrared saunas — even photobiomodulation therapy, which is a treatment that uses focused light to stimulate muscle healing — their services are a luxurious way to seek relief from soreness and inflammation.
Restore’s membership programs are a great option if you’re looking for monthly, weekly, or even daily services, but you can always try a service a la carte to see if it’s right for you and your body.
Live Fresh Juicery (Homestead & North Side)
You already know that we love Live Fresh Juicery, but what you may not know is that their second location is opening on the North Side on July 31st! Soon it will be easier than ever to get your fix of fresh-pressed juices, acai bowls, smoothies, and wellness shots, which they call “potions.”
Packed with natural anti-inflammatory ingredients like ginger and turmeric alongside nutrients from cold-pressed fruits and vegetables, Live Fresh’s immunity shots are a great post-workout treat and are so refreshing! Looking for something more substantial? Try one of their legendary smoothie bowls — all of which are or can be made vegan-friendly and boast an extensive list of mix-ins for however you’d like to customize them.
Fifth Season (Online & in local grocery stores)
Looking for a way you can refuel your body with a fresh, nutritious meal and support a growing local business? Fifth Season’s mind-blowing vertical farm (led by robotics and AI!) has got you covered. The team behind Fifth Season developed their fully automated, robotic vertical farm in Braddock to create locally-grown greens and reimagine how cities can eat fresh and local using less water and soil.
Fifth Season currently offers seven unique salad kits (including two with either hummus or guac made from Sabra!) as well as salad greens that you can find in grocery stores throughout the region. Whether you’re looking for a quick-and-easy plant-based snack or a filling, protein-packed meal, it’s never a bad idea to keep some salad kits on hand! (Pro tip: try adding some of your favorite kind of protein for an extra boost after a tough workout.)
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.
