A gym in a sauna? Carolina Forest is getting a new kind of workout experience
Hotworx, an infrared sauna fitness studio, will be the first gym of its kind in Horry County and South Carolina.
The new studio, which owners plan to have open by the end of April, will offer yoga, barre classes and other exercises with most of the work done within a sauna heated by infrared technology. It will be located in the Ollie’s shopping center in Carolina Forest.
Monte Porter, owner of the sauna franchise with his family, said his daughter got him interested in yoga, prompting him to learn more about fitness. As he was searching workout styles, he began looking into the benefits of working out in a warmer environment like infrared saunas.
“The studies showed remarkable results,” Porter said. “No one else has a patented sauna like this.”
After some thought, he decided to open a franchise of an infrared sauna in Myrtle Beach. He said no one else in the state is offering this kind of workout, but he expects it to catch on soon. North Carolina has four locations.
Most of the exercising will be low impact, meaning it’s a viable option for the masses. Outside the sauna there will also be places for some light lifting equipment.
Each sauna will be climate-controlled, so you can set the temperature to whatever you’re comfortable with.
“You can acclimate to the temperature and go at your own pace,” Porter said.
Porter said pre-registration has already begun. Gym membership costs $59 a month and includes 24/7 access.
