We live in a world of rapid change. Human society is always evolving and has been irreversibly altered by the Age of Digital Telecommunication. With this, many long-standing stigmas have been smashed and consigned to the dustbin of history. One of them is the idea that a spa day is suited only to women.
If the winds of change are indeed blowing, they’re scented with incense and jasmine. Avoidance of such ‘feminine’ or ‘girly’ activities was once the last refuge of the ‘masculine’ male, but as an ever-increasing number of men, particularly athletes turn to Spa Treatments for their myriad health-and-recuperative benefits, men have begun to embrace the the spa and salon as much as as ice cold beer with the boys.
It’s clear that we are experiencing a real renaissance for health-and-beauty treatment in the world of Men. Saunas, steam rooms, jacuzzis and ice baths are an integral part of the modern athlete’s and weekend warrior’s recovery regimen. For athletes, rest, recuperation and muscular repair are just as important as the intensive training routines that sharpen the instruments and hone the skills to begin with.
“I use the spa every day,” says Luke Howard, a professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter, jiu jitsu and judo player from Adelaide, Australia. “Training twice or thrice a day at Bali MMA leaves some wear-and-tear on the body, so I come to (Amos) Spa in the evenings and alternate between the ice bath, the jacuzzi and the steam room. Without it, I’d have sprains, muscle tears and maybe cramps, too.
Spa Treatments not only lessen the effects of my knocks and niggles, they decrease the risk of further injury and keep me feeling fresh in the course of a tough training camp. Even a regular week leaves its mark on the body. The Spa is crucial. It helps me train harder and better, and for longer. Plus the sauna’s necessary for making weight and the food and drink are exquisite, too.”
“I go there every single day,” echoes Rocky Lee, UFC veteran, The Ultimate Fighter: China finalist and Taiwanese teammate of Howard’s at the Bali MMA gym. “You have to, otherwise you’d be carrying injuries and cramping up in the (gym) room. Train hard, fight hard. Rest and heal. You need to relax and recover. It’s vital for us.”
The myriad benefits of Spa Treatment at a Health & Wellness centre are by no means reserved for athletes, surfers (et cetera.) and those who routinely punish their bodies with exacting physical regimens. Even the white-collar office worker will experience some degree of pain or discomfort in the course of his job, be it from long hours sat at a desk, some kind of accident or a freak occurrence at home. Engaging in these treatments shouldn’t be thought of as indulgent or hedonistic – they are in fact useful, vital and valuable ways to recharge, relax and recover from the rigours of life.
Even manicures and pedicures are no longer beyond the ken of the über-masculine. Personal maintenance is part-and-parcel of Spa treatments, and the consensus seems to be that, from saunas to massage, steam rooms to ice baths, hot tubs to head rubs and anything in between, if it takes place within the confines of a Health and Wellness Spa, it’s perfectly normal and natural, regardless of sex.
Though it may conjure up the image of Caesars and Pharaohs, pampered princelings of the decadent past, Spa Treatments are not necessarily a self-indulgence. After a day at the spa, you tend to emerge rejuvenated, relaxed in body and mind, the aches and strains and pains of professional life melting away in the most calming and soothing of atmospheres. Why should this be solely the domain of the female? Pain, soreness, injury and fatigue do not discriminate between genders.
What are you waiting for, men? Ease your aches and pains today – spend the day getting pampered at AMO spa to feel the tensions melt away in the mist.
