By Adam Steele
Hello, team! It’s Coach Adam here.
If you’ve stepped foot in a Planet Fitness recently, you might have noticed something new gleaming in the “Black Card Spa” area. It looks a bit like a futuristic escape pod from a sci-fi movie, nestled right between the massage chairs and the tanning booths.
I’m talking, of course, about the planet fitness wellness pod.
For years, I’ve preached that the workout is only half the battle. The other half? Recovery. It is the unsung hero of muscle growth and mental health. As a fitness coach, I am constantly asked if the “fancy extras” at big-box gyms are actually functional or just gimmicks designed to sell memberships.
Today, we are going deep on this specific amenity. We are going to strip away the marketing fluff and look at the utility, the experience, and the science. Is this relaxation capsule the secret weapon your recovery routine is missing? Let’s find out.
Introduction: Meet Your New Favorite Post-Workout Ritual
We all know the feeling. You’ve just crushed a 45-minute HIIT session or finished a heavy leg day. Your cortisol levels are spiked, your heart rate is up, and you are dripping with sweat. The instinct is often to rush to the locker room, shower, and sprint back to the stress of daily life.
But what if you paused?
The planet fitness wellness pod is designed to force that pause. It is an immersive, multi-sensory experience aimed at lowering stress and promoting relaxation. It isn’t a massage chair it doesn’t pummel your back. Instead, it targets your nervous system.
For beginners, this concept can be strange. You go to the gym to move, not to sit still, right? Wrong. Learning to down-regulate your nervous system immediately after training is a skill that separates the pros from the burnouts.
What Exactly is the Planet Fitness Wellness Pod? (Introducing RelaxSpace)
Technically speaking, the machine you are seeing is likely the RelaxSpace Wellness Pod. Planet Fitness has partnered with WellnessSpace Brands to bring this technology to their Black Card members.
So, what is it?
The RelaxSpace pod is a semi-enclosed booth that offers a 15-minute mental break. Once you sit inside and slide the privacy visor shut, you are cut off from the clanking weights and terrible gym pop music.
The experience combines three main elements:
- Visuals: A large screen plays nature scenes or guided meditation content.
- Audio: Immersive soundscapes (think rainforests, ocean waves, or calming narrators).
- Scent & Temperature: Fans provide a gentle breeze, often infused with a calming scent, while heated seats help relax tension.
It is a sensory deprivation tank meets a meditation app, all wrapped in a sleek, hard-shell casing.
The Perks of the Black Card: Why the Wellness Pod is a Game Changer
If you are on the fence about your membership tier, the planet fitness wellness pod is a heavy weight on the scale.
We know the Black Card perks are the selling point of the franchise. For roughly $25 a month, you get guest privileges and access to any location. But the real value lies in the “Spa.”
Traditionally, the Spa was just tanning and HydroMassage. Tanning has its own health controversies, and HydroMassage is great, but it’s purely physical. The introduction of the Wellness Pod signals a shift in the fitness industry toward mental wellness.
The Black Card perks now cover the full spectrum:
- HydroMassage: Physical tissue release.
- Total Body Enhancement: Red light and vibration for skin and circulation.
- Wellness Pod: Mental recovery and stress reduction.
For the price of a single drop in yoga class elsewhere, you get unlimited access to a private meditation booth. That is a value proposition that is hard to ignore.
How the Wellness Pod Works: A Beginner Friendly Breakdown of Features
I know new equipment can be intimidating. You don’t want to be the person standing there pressing buttons randomly while a line forms behind you.
Here is the breakdown of the planet fitness wellness pod hardware:
The Immersion Screen
A 43-inch screen sits directly in front of you. It isn’t just a TV; it’s positioned to fill your field of view. You can choose from various “travel” videos—flying over mountains, sitting by a beach, or floating through space.
The Heart Rate Monitor
Most units come equipped with hand sensors (similar to cardio machines) that track your heart rate. The goal isn’t to get it up, but to watch it go down. It adds a gamification element to your relaxation. Can you drop your BPM by 10 points before the session ends?
The Scent Infusion
This is my personal favorite feature. The pod uses subtle aromatherapy. Usually, it’s a fresh, clean scent like eucalyptus or lavender. It triggers the olfactory system to signal safety and calm to the brain.
Thermal Regulation
The seat is heated. Heat is a natural vasodilator—it opens up your blood vessels, improving circulation and helping your muscles relax after they’ve been contracted for an hour.
The Science of Gym Recovery: Red Light Therapy, Heat, and Aromatherapy
As a coach, I need to make sure you understand why you are doing this. It’s not just about “chilling out.” There is legitimate physiology at play here.
The Power of Heat and Scent
The heated seat in the planet fitness wellness pod aids in what we call “passive recovery.” By keeping the muscles warm immediately post-workout, you prevent them from stiffening up too quickly. Combined with aromatherapy, which studies show can lower cortisol (the stress hormone), you are actively shifting your body from a Sympathetic state (Fight or Flight) to a Parasympathetic state (Rest and Digest).
Where Red Light Fits In
It is important to clarify a common point of confusion. The Wellness Pod focuses on mindfulness and heat. However, right next to it in the spa area, you will usually find the “Total Body Enhancement” booth. This is where the Red light therapy happens.
Red light therapy is scientifically proven to help with cellular regeneration and skin health. While the Wellness Pod itself is about mental visuals, the Black Card Spa ecosystem allows you to stack these modalities. A pro-level routine would be:
- 10 minutes of red light therapy (Total Body Enhancement) to jumpstart cellular recovery.
- 15 minutes in the Wellness Pod to lower cortisol and mental stress.
This combination is a powerhouse for gym recovery. You are treating the body with light and the mind with meditation.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Book and Use Your First Session
Ready to try the planet fitness wellness pod? Here is exactly how to do it, step-by-step, so you look like a pro.
Step 1: Booking the Session
Unlike the treadmills, you usually can’t just hop in.
- Go to the front desk.
- Ask to use the Wellness Pod or “RelaxSpace.”
- They will scan your Black Card key tag.
- They will set the timer (usually 15 minutes) and activate the machine remotely.
Step 2: Hygiene Etiquette
Grab the spray bottle and paper towels provided at the cleaning station. Even though you aren’t sweating in the pod, you likely sweat during your workout.
- Pro Tip: I recommend using a towel to sit on if you are particularly sweaty, out of respect for the upholstery and the next user.
Step 3: The Setup
- Sit down and slide the overhead visor down. This blocks out the gym ceiling lights and gives you privacy.
- Look at the touchscreen. Select your “Vibe.” Do you want a breathing exercise? A nature flight?
- Adjust the fan speed and volume. Don’t be afraid to turn the volume up—the gym floor can be loud, and you want to drown out the sound of dumbbells dropping.
Step 4: The 15-Minute Reset
Place your hands on the sensors if you want to track your heart rate. Otherwise, just rest them in your lap. Close your eyes or focus softly on the screen. Breathe.
What to Expect During Your 15-Minute Escape
When the session starts in the planet fitness wellness pod, the first thing you notice is the sound. It’s directional audio, meaning it feels like it’s inside your head.
For the first two minutes, your brain might fight it. You might think, “This is silly, I’m sitting in a plastic egg.” This is normal.
Around minute five, the heat kicks in. You’ll feel your lower back tension start to melt. The scent becomes noticeable but not overpowering.
By minute ten, if you have allowed yourself to focus on the breathing prompts, you will feel a physical heaviness in your limbs. This is relaxation. This is gym recovery doing its work.
When the machine turns off, the lights gently come back up. You might feel a little groggy, like you just took a power nap. Take your time standing up.
Pros and Cons: Is the RelaxSpace Experience Right for You?
As much as I enjoy it, the planet fitness wellness pod isn’t perfect. Let’s look at the breakdown.
The Pros
- Mental Health Focus: Very few gyms prioritize mental recovery. This is a huge win.
- Privacy: It is the only place in the gym where you are truly alone.
- Habit Stacking: It encourages you to take 15 minutes to cool down rather than rushing out the door.
- Included in Price: No extra fee per session for Black Card members.
The Cons
- Noise Bleed: It is not soundproof. If someone drops a 45lb plate nearby, you will hear it.
- Cleanliness Paranoia: While staff cleans them, you are sitting in a confined space where others have sat. Always wipe it down before and after.
- Availability: Some clubs only have one or two pods, meaning you might have to wait during peak hours.
The Verdict: Is the Planet Fitness Wellness Pod Worth the Black Card Upgrade?
If you are debating between the $10 classic membership and the Black Card, the planet fitness wellness pod is a compelling argument for the upgrade.
If you are a beginner who struggles with gym anxiety, this pod provides a safe haven. It allows you to decompress before you leave, ensuring you associate the gym with feeling good, not just feeling tired.
If you are an advanced lifter, you know that stress kills gains. The ability to lower your cortisol levels immediately post-training can actually improve your physical results over time.
Is it a medical-grade therapy device? No.
Is it a highly effective tool for mindfulness in a chaotic environment? Absolutely.
Conclusion: Why You Deserve a Little Extra Self-Care After Your Workout
We live in a high speed world. We rush to work, we rush to the gym, and we rush home. The planet fitness wellness pod asks you to stop rushing, even just for 15 minutes.
My advice as a coach? Try it. Next time you finish your workout, don’t run to the car. Go to the desk, book the pod, and give your mind the same attention you just gave your biceps.
Recovery is not lazy. Recovery is part of the discipline. And if that discipline involves a heated seat and a virtual flight over a rainforest, I think we can all get on board with that.
See you in the pod!
Train hard, recover harder.