Rekoop Flex review: Sweat, freeze, and recharge at this modern recovery club in Joo Chiat

From infrared saunas to cryotherapy, here’s what makes Rekoop Flex a recovery must-try.

Watch out, Singapore: Rekoop Flex has landed in the Joo Chiat neighbourhood with wellness treatments designed to help your body and mind recover from life’s stressors. Feeling fatigued, burnt out, or just want to recalibrate? Take this as your sign to drop by this modern recovery club. I dropped by Rekoop Flex to undergo the available treatments and check off another cold plunge in my Singapore wellness side quest.

Rekoop Flex review: Details at a glance

Best for: Rekoop fans and health & wellness girlies living in the East
Pro tip: End your session with the red light therapy to relax or the oxygen therapy for a dose of energy
How much: Single sessions from $40
Opening hours: Daily, 8am to 9pm
Address: Rekoop Flex, #01-01, 108/110 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427401

Step inside the Joo Chiat recovery haven

Just around the corner from The Velvet Cut, Rekoop Flex stands out thanks to its dark exterior and minimalist sign above the entrance. But everything changes once you step in: a clean, minimalistic facade, accentuated by curves, natural lighting, and a statement wall featuring three full-length mirrors.

If you’ve been to this part of the world, you’d remember that this spot previously belonged to Soma Haus. After the multidisciplinary clinic decoupled its technology-driven services, Rekoop swooped in and took over the space, rebranding it as Rekoop Flex. How does this second outlet differ from its Robinson Road location?

Think of the two brands like Beyoncé and Solange Knowles. Rekoop is obviously the prodigal big sister – extravagant, intriguing, and thoughtfully curated – while Rekoop Flex is the younger, offbeat, fun sibling. Need a spontaneous recovery fix on a Monday afternoon? Rekoop Flex is your gal, and you don’t even need to book an appointment.

Private rooms for sweat, freeze, and chill

What I appreciated about Rekoop Flex is the individual “sweat and freeze” rooms, which means you can cycle between the sauna and cold plunge without sharing them with strangers. A boon for introverts and those who just want their own private party! Each room is fitted with a changing area, storage for your stuff and shoes, and an en-suite bathroom.

“Do you guys sweat easily?” Hyekel Nathaniel, Rekoop’s head of membership experience, community and marketing, asked my colleague and me after the quick tour of the private room. Replying in the affirmative, he requested us to spend 20 minutes in the infrared sauna before drying off and putting on the robe.

I never thought I’d be topless in an infrared sauna with my colleague, but here we are. This experience has probably transcended our relationship, from the perfunctory “what did you do over the weekend” to waxing lyrical about maturity, the next life stages, and self-improvement. It did feel oddly long in the booth – the relentless heat and sweating making me a little angsty – but we made it out unscathed, slightly delirious, and with enough fluids to fill an Ikea carafe. By the end, I felt tired, relieved, and accomplished.

Health & Wellbeing

Cold plunging for 3 months changed me

All the wellness bells and whistles

The standard practice after the sauna is the ice bath, but at Rekoop Flex, cryotherapy takes over. It’s pretty similar to the good ol’ cold plunge, except the treatment replaces water with sub-zero air: -63ºC! Hyekel handed us gloves, socks, and earmuffs to protect our extremities (ears, hands, feet) before ushering us into the booth. “You can sing or dance inside!” he cheerfully told us.

For three minutes, my colleague and I kept our cool, remarking, “It’s not as cold!” Our infrared sauna session generated enough heat for our bodies to withstand the negative temperature. We returned to our private room for another 20 minutes in the sauna and a quick dip in the cold plunge.

My colleague and I rotated the remaining wellness treatments: oxygen therapy, lymphatic drainage and compression, and red light therapy. I started with the lymphatic massage, which felt like the Michelin Man hugging my legs on and off for thirty minutes. The undulating sensation made me doze off a few times.

Next was the 20-minute red light therapy. My only knowledge of it is that it helps with hair growth; I was told my mood, skin, and cellular energy will benefit from the treatment as well. I stripped down to my skivvies, put on the sunglasses (the red lights are very bright!), and lay down, alternating between my anterior and posterior.

The oxygen therapy was similar to before, except here I could sit and tweak the light to my liking. I spent my final 30 minutes in the chamber clearing work and my ears, which kept popping as the air pressure increased.

Restored and raring to go

The Rekoop Flex day experience lasted for 2.5 hours, and by the end of it, I felt like I’d been through the wringer – in a good way. According to Hyekel, ending with oxygen therapy is like a boost of energy; I was raring to go and take on the rest of my day by then.

My favourite treatment? Unexpectedly, it’s the cryotherapy. It’s more bearable than cold plunges despite the temperature, and the thought of looking like a frozen chicken in supermarkets across Singapore amused me to no end. Another plus: you can just walk in for a session, though booking ahead is more ideal.

Soma Haus’ departure last year left a wellness-shaped void in the neighbourhood, but now that Rekoop Flex has taken over the mantle, it’s business as usual once more. If you need me, I’ll be back for my next recovery fix… robes, sub-zero air, and all.

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