Head to the Hub: Penrith’s brand new one-stop recovery shop

Whether you’re a hard-pumping gym junkie looking to minimise injury risk or someone simply seeking a way to reduce inflammation, Penrith’s brand new Recovery Hub is ready to help. 

Though they’ve only been open a matter of weeks, the High Street business - found in the Tattersalls Centre - is already carving out a niche as the west’s one-stop shop for all your recovery needs. 

“We can help with anything, from having a pre-existing injury through to pre-hab to help prevent injuries and aid muscle recovery,” says owner Lenny Sinclair, 22.

The hub is jam-packed with some of the best equipment in the industry, offering compression therapy and hot and cold treatments, as well as an inversion table and massage equipment. 

“We’ve got compression boots for the legs and sleeves for the arms. It’s a bit like when you get your blood pressure taken, but it goes through cycles which promotes circulation,” Sinclair says. 

“We’ve also got red light therapy, which is a little bit of a novelty for people.

“It’s not something you actually feel, but it promotes good skin health and helps natural collagen production which keeps tissue healthy.”

The showpiece of the set-up is the hot-and-cold room, a dedicated space featuring a sauna and cold tanks to help accelerate recovery. While ice baths are all the rage of late, Recovery Hub’s unique equipment ensures a more consistent full-body experience. 

“We’ve got two cold plunges set at 5-7 degrees,” Lenny continues. 

“You can actually see the water moving, because it’s always being pumped and circulating so your body doesn’t heat up the water. 

“In an ice bath all the cold is at the top, but your body temperature slowly heats up the water. Ours keeps continually flowing (to maintain a constant temperature).”

As well as the tanks, the room also features a hotbox sauna that can accommodate four people, plus showers and change rooms. 

“Going from extreme cold to extreme heat is where you really get the benefits, reducing inflammation, muscle soreness and fatigue.

“We have recommended cycles of 1-2 minutes in the cold and then 5-10 hot, but there’s no exact formula.” 

Lenny isn’t just the business owner - his personal experience and qualifications have helped make this a personal passion project,, while also helping him fill a gap in the growing market. 

“I’m a competitive kickboxer. In kickboxing you’re always bruised and sore and inflamed,” he says.

“I was originally going to buy all this equipment for myself at home. Around the area there are bits and pieces - compression treatment here, sauna and cold treatment there - but nothing that was all in the one shop. 

“There are recovery places towards the city, but they’re more targeted towards an experience as opposed to treatment. Everything in here works to help and has an effect. 

“I’m also a qualified Personal Trainer so I know about health and fitness and nutrition. But I researched for a long time and found the best products. Then it was full steam ahead.” 

BENEFITS FOR EVERYONE

While some may think you need to be an elite athlete to reap the benefits on offer, Lenny insists that’s not the case. 

“We cater to everyone. Some people come in because they’re banged up, while some people just come to hang out, chat and get advice.

“You don’t have to be sore or injured - or even an athlete."

"We do a lot of pre-hab which is about prevention and negating injuries. But if you’ve got any kind of issue and you come in once a week, any inflammation will be significantly reduced, no matter what you’re doing.” 

It’s not just about physical health either, with other benefits in the short and long term. 

“It’s also good for mental health. There have been lots of studies about the effects of saunas and cold plunges. 

“It’s like a coffee in the morning. It wakes up your prefrontal cortex and releases chemicals that don’t just wake you up, they also help your mood and give you energy” 

BREAKING THROUGH

While Lenny has the experience and know-how as a fighter and PT, he’s also learned a lot about recovery the hard way; by sustaining a number of serious injuries over the years, in and out of the ring. 

“I feel like I’ve been injured my whole life,” he jokes. 

“My body is a machine, but because I push it, it breaks. I was 14 at the local skate park and rolled my ankle so far that the bone hit the concrete and shattered, the ligaments were all gone. 

“I’ve broken both wrists, done my AC joint twice (between the shoulder blade and collarbone) while snowboarding. I’ve also broken my thumb and torn ligaments while kickboxing that required surgery. I’ve even had big mountain bike crashes.” 

From personal training to personal damage, it’s clear that Lenny has a mountain of experience and knowledge - and he’s ready to pass on the benefits to the local community.  

“It’s a place for people who want to recover - from athletes all the way through to the general public. 

“You’ll leave feeling better than when you came in, even if you weren’t already sore.”

Recovery Hub can be found at Shop 7a/510 High Street Penrith, in the Tattersalls Centre on the corner of High and Station Streets. Call 0432 660 043 to book a session today or visit their website.

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