Stretching went Hollywood on Showtime’s Billions last Sunday when a mysterious blond showed up at finance tycoon Bobby Axelrod’s penthouse. We assumed she was there to provide some sort of service, but surprised to find out what it was. When U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades walks in on them and comments, “Here you are dry as a bone after a workout,”Ace replies, “No workout. Kelly just stretches me. She’s the best in the city.” Later in the episode, she would be seen stretching Rhoades.
While having a personal stretcher may be the new luxury for billionaires where once a masseuse’s hands would be, stretching — or getting stretched — has become one of the newest wellness trends to go mainstream with boutique stretching studios popping up across the country. In New York City, you’ve got Stretchd, Racked, and Lymbr — the latter with multiple bi-coastal locations. Nationwide there is Stretch Zone and StretchLab.
THE BRIGHT AND AIRY LOFT VIBE AT LYMBR IN TRIBECA
Though we spend hours a day sitting at a desk and push our bodies through grueling workouts, when it comes to stretching there doesn’t seem to be enough time – even for the few minutes at the end of a class. Amanda Freeman, owner and founder of the boutique Pilates chain SLT, opened Stretchd, observing how her students routinely ducked out of the last few stretching minutes of class.
People are making time to have someone stretch them with assisted dynamic movements designed to increase range of motion and flexibility, prevent injury and muscle soreness, and improve posture and alignment. Perhaps it is the luxury of a spa-like setting and a personal stretcher that is the appeal — not to mention the overall feeling of relaxation and well-being.
GETTING STRETCHED AT STRETCHD
While these stretching sessions don’t come cheap, they are in line with the price of other popular new recovery and wellness treatments like Cryotherapy, Infrared Saunas, and Compression Therapy – which have also seen a boom in specialized boutique studios. Stretching sessions generally range from $50 for 30 minutes to $100 for 60 minutes, with many studios offering price saving packages, as well as at home services — if you’re looking to go Hollywood too.
