How to Use the Planet Fitness HydroMassage

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Plus, how to access it and what to expect when you do

Co-authored by Bertha Isabel Crombet, PhD Reviewed by Monica Morris

Last Updated: December 23, 2024 Fact Checked

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What is the Planet Fitness HydroMassage?

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Benefits of HydroMassage

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How to Use It

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When to Use It

If you’re a regular at Planet Fitness, the term “HydroMassage” may be familiar to you. It’s possible that one of your gym buddies has recommended the HydroMassage to you, raving about how it helped them recover from an injury. Or perhaps you’ve even walked past a HydroMassage chair, unsure of what it was. So, what is it exactly? And should you try it out? If you’re wondering how the HydroMassage works and how you, too, can benefit from its heated healing powers, keep on reading.

What is HydroMassage at Planet Fitness?

The Planet Fitness HydroMassage is a massage chair that uses hydrotherapy to provide gym members with therapeutic benefits that promote relaxation and recovery.
By applying varying degrees of pressure to different targeted areas of the body for brief periods of time, members may experience relief after a workout.
Although most Planet Fitness gyms have HydroMassage areas, you need a Black Card Membership to be able to access them.

Section 1 of 4:

What is the Planet Fitness HydroMassage?

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The Planet Fitness HydroMassage is a reclining massage chair that uses a form of hydrotherapy. It employs water to apply pressure to designated areas of the body.^{[1]
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Research source} These areas include the legs, back, and shoulders. It began gaining traction in the 1960s and has since blossomed alongside developing technology.
- Members using the HydroMassage can reap all the benefits of hydrotherapy without getting wet, taking off their clothes, or giving up control of how much pressure is applied to their aching muscles.
- Earlier forms of hydrotherapy have been around for thousands of years. In Ancient Greece, soaking in a hot spring could cure any number of ailments. The Romans erected bathhouses for this same purpose, typically housing saunas and steam rooms.^{[2]
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- Today, those same techniques are being put to use at your local Planet Fitness with the aid of evolving technology. Heated water applied to problem areas can help treat various symptoms, such as pain, tension, and inflammation.

Section 2 of 4:

Benefits of HydroMassage

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There are several benefits to setting time aside for a HydroMassage. Studies have shown that massages can help reduce stress, alleviate pain, and boost the immune system.^{[3]
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Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

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- Facilitates relaxation. Relaxation as a whole is a main focus of the HydroMassage, as the accumulation of stress can affect the body from head to toe. After pushing your body to the limit, allowing it some rest is key for recovery. HydroMassage helps with soreness and muscle tightness.
- Stimulates blood circulation.^{[4]
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  Research source} By applying pressure to certain areas of the body, blood flows freely to the major organs.
- Heals current symptoms and prevents future ones. HydroMassage can help strengthen your immune system, improving yourself from the outside in.
- Improves flexibility and overall mobility. Whether you’re trying to lift weights more confidently or dealing with a chronic illness, like arthritis, HydroMassage can stimulate tissue and muscle rehabilitation, as well as reduce inflammation.
- Mitigate headaches. If painful headaches are a recurring condition for you and nothing else has helped so far, a HydroMassage may be the solution you seek.
- Promotes a good night's sleep. The pressure from the internal jets releases certain chemicals that facilitate ultimate relaxation and sleep.

Section 3 of 4:

How to Use HydroMassage

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Sign up for a Black Card membership at Planet Fitness to use HydroMassage. Although there are HydroMassages at most PF locations, you must hold a Black Card Membership to be allowed to use it. The membership costs $24.99 and comes with a few fun perks, including HydroMassage, bringing a guest, and access to any Planet Fitness gym.^{[5]
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Research source} Once you’ve secured your Black Card, all you have to do is go to the front desk of your gym and ask them to start up a HydroMassage session for you.
- They’ll provide you with the number for your hydro-station and point you toward the area.
- Once you’ve located your assigned HydroMassage lounge chair, lay back and relax. A digital touchscreen beside the chair allows you to customize your experience.
- You’ll be able to choose what specific areas of your body you’d like to target, how much pressure should be applied, and the duration of the HydroMassage.
- HydroMassages typically last less than 10 minutes. When it’s over, make sure to wipe down the chair and bask in the post-massage afterglow all the way home!

Section 4 of 4:

When to Use It

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There’s no wrong time to squeeze in a HydroMassage! Most avid gym goers use it as a post-workout cool-down, allowing their tired muscles to be kneaded into submission. This helps by promoting recovery, mobility, and soothes soreness. Some fitness enthusiasts use it as a warm up to their workout, preparing their bodies for the killer sweat sesh ahead.^{[6]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public

Go to source} Stimulating blood flow pre-workout, coupled with a stretching routine, is a great way to set yourself up for success.
- You could even go for a HydroMassage in between sets if you’re feeling like you could use an extended rest period. There’s no shame in recognizing when it’s time for a little R&R, even if it’s soon after you started a set of deadlifts.