A daily wellness protocol, built for life in the Alps.

The stretch & mobility routine

1. Leg swings, 10 each leg. Holding a wall or chair, swing each leg front-to-back, then side-to-side. Opens the hips before they're loaded into a ski stance.
2. Bodyweight squats, 10–15 reps. Feet hip-width, sit back as if into a chair. Mimics the flexed-knee ski position and warms the quads and glutes.
3. Walking lunges with a twist, 8 each side. Step forward into a lunge and rotate the torso over the front leg. Combines hip flexor length with the thoracic rotation you'll need on the piste.
4. Ankle circles & calf raises, 10 each. Ankle mobility matters more than most people expect once your foot is locked into a boot.
5. Glute bridges, 10–12 reps. Lie back, feet flat, lift the hips. Activates the glutes that hold your edge control through the morning.
6. Core brace, 20–30 seconds. A plank hold or dead bug — anything that wakes up the trunk before it has to stabilise you at speed.

Keep it dynamic, not static: this is a warm-up, not a stretch-to-failure session — move through full range rather than holding end positions, especially in the cold. Ease back on lunges or squats if you have knee concerns.

The full technique

1. Dry brush, 3–5 minutes. Use a natural-bristle brush on completely dry skin. Start at the soles of the feet and always brush in long strokes toward the heart — up the legs, up the arms, and across the torso toward the centre of the chest. Light to medium pressure; skin should be pink, not raw.
2. Cold shower, 60–90 seconds. Finish your normal shower with cold water across the whole body. Breathe slowly and steadily rather than holding your breath. Step out the moment it's done — this isn't an endurance exercise.
3. Body gua sha. Working on slightly damp skin or with a few drops of body oil, use the flat edge of the tool in upward strokes along the limbs, moving toward the nearest lymph nodes (ankles → knees → groin; wrists → elbows → armpit).
4. Face gua sha. With a lighter pressure, stroke outward and upward — chin to ear, cheek to ear, brow bone outward to the hairline — finishing with two or three strokes down the front and side of the neck toward the collarbone, where lymph drains.

Before you start: cold exposure isn't advised for anyone with uncontrolled cardiovascular conditions, Raynaud's, or during pregnancy — check with a physician if in doubt. Dry brushing should stay gentle over broken skin, rashes, or varicose veins.

The sauna, cold plunge & salt room circuit

1. Salt room, 15–20 minutes. Start here, not in the heat. Sit and breathe normally — halotherapy works passively on the airways and skin, and it's a good low-intensity way to transition from the mountain before you raise your core temperature.
2. Sauna, round one — 12–15 minutes. Moderate heat, seated or reclined. Let your core temperature rise properly rather than stepping in and out; this is what drives the vasodilation you want before the cold.
3. Cold plunge, round one — 1–3 minutes. Full immersion if you can manage it, breathing slow and steady rather than gasping. Get out once the initial shock passes — this isn't an endurance test.
4. Repeat the sauna–plunge pair, 2–3 rounds total. Each round shortens slightly as your body adapts through the session.
5. Always finish cold. End your last round in the plunge, not the sauna — finishing on cold is what locks in the anti-inflammatory, vasoconstrictive benefit; finishing hot just leaves you flushed and undoes some of the effect.

Before you start: this circuit isn't advised for anyone with uncontrolled cardiovascular conditions, during pregnancy, or after alcohol — heat and cold both raise real cardiac load. Skip the cold plunge stage if you have Raynaud's, and check with a physician first if you're managing any heart or blood pressure condition.

The ideal end-of-ski meal

1. Replenish glycogen first. A proper carbohydrate source — potatoes, pasta, risotto, or good bread — refills what a full day of skiing burns through; this isn't the meal to go low-carb.
2. Anchor it with protein, 30–40g. Fondue, raclette, a steak, or a hearty stew all work — the point is enough protein to support muscle repair overnight, not just carbohydrate.
3. Warm, not cold. A hot main course does double duty after a cold day — comfort and core-temperature recovery together. Tartiflette, a mountain stew, or a melted-cheese dish all fit if this is your one indulgent meal of the day.
4. Something bitter or acidic on the side. A dressed green salad or pickled vegetables cuts the richness and supports digestion after a heavy alpine meal.
5. Hydrate through the meal, not just after. Altitude and a physically demanding day dehydrate more than people expect — a large glass of water alongside the no-alcohol serve (or the wine, if that's the choice tonight).
6. Finish warm and mineral-rich. Lemon & ginger tea or a herbal infusion settles the meal and supports the wind-down that follows into the evening routine.

A template, not a prescription: scale portions and substitute ingredients for allergies, vegetarian or vegan preferences, or personal medical guidance — the principle (carbohydrate + protein + warmth + hydration) matters more than any single dish named here.

The spa biohacking circuit

Two stages: choose one activation step to begin, then move into the main circuit — everything in Stage Two runs together, not one after another.

Stage One — Choose One

1. Vibration plate, 5–8 minutes. Start here to wake the body up — this activates lymphatic drainage and primes circulation before you clip in.
2. Chi machine, 8–10 minutes. Lie back and let the passive swinging motion continue what the vibration plate started, with no effort required from you.

Stage Two — All Together

3. Compression boots, 15–20 minutes. Full-leg compression cycles to clear overnight fluid and stiffness — the workhorse stage of the circuit.
4. Red light panel, 10–15 minutes. Layer this alongside the compression stage or take it separately — red and near-infrared light supports cellular recovery.
5. PEMF mat, 15–20 minutes. Lie down for this one; pulsed electromagnetic fields work best when you're horizontal and settled.
6. Vagus nerve stimulator, 5–10 minutes.Optional add-on The shift point — from physical activation to nervous-system regulation.
7. Finish with a 15-minute breathwork cycle. Breathwork consolidates what the circuit has done and settles your focus before you head out to the slopes.

Before you start: available to Antarès members through the spa — check in with the wellness team on arrival to confirm circuit access and timing. PEMF and vagus nerve stimulation aren't advised for anyone with a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device; check with a physician first if this applies to you.

The ideal pre-ski breakfast

1. Protein first, 25–35g. Eggs, Greek yoghurt, or a protein shake if you're eating on the move — protein steadies energy through a physically demanding morning far better than carbohydrate alone.
2. Slow-release carbohydrate, not fast sugar. Oats, whole grain bread, or fruit rather than pastries — you want steady fuel for the first few runs, not a spike and a mid-morning crash.
3. Healthy fat in moderation. Nut butter, avocado, or a splash of good olive oil — supports satiety without sitting heavy before you're moving.
4. Hydrate before you eat. A full glass of water (or the remineralised water from your morning routine) before coffee — altitude dehydrates overnight, and coffee alone won't rehydrate you.
5. Caffeine, if you take it, with food. Bulletproof coffee or a normal coffee alongside breakfast, not on an empty stomach before a physically demanding day.
6. Eat enough. This is not the meal to under-eat — a full day of skiing burns considerably more than a normal day, and being under-fuelled by 10am shows up as fatigue and poor decision-making on the slopes.

A template, not a prescription: adjust for allergies, vegetarian or vegan preferences, or personal medical guidance — the principle (protein + slow carbohydrate + hydration + enough of it) matters more than any single dish named here.