Even though I’ve been to a couple Orangetheory sessions and really enjoy them, I still love going on adventures. walksI am far from being a fitness expert. When I was invited to attend the event, I was a bit nervous. ALMA, Powered by Aníma, a 4-day wellness festival in the Swiss Alps held at the Six Senses Crans-MontanaThe thought of going as a novice was intimidating. I figured that most of the people in attendance would have had similar experiences. I imagined myself surrounded by people who had strict fitness regimens and were experts on healthy eating. Maybe even professional athletes. After some soul searching, however, I decided that it was time to embrace the opportunity to do something new.
Luckily, the experience was far from what I expected—each session took a holistic approach to well-being, with leaders in health, longevity, and biohacking sharing their knowledge.
Changes in wellness norms
I knew going into the retreat that my fitness level would be in the majority. I did not realize that most of the retreat participants would be women. This is a pleasant surprise for me as a queer individual, but the difference was interesting. Men do not approach well-being holistically in the same manner as women?
A few short years ago, this answer may have been yes. Men are now more aware of the importance of a holistic health approach. According to Research and Markets, the global men’s health and wellness market—factoring in physical, mental, and social well-being—could reach more than $2.5 trillion by 2029.
As everyone wants to stay healthy and fit for as long a possible, the concepts of longevity and biohacking are very appealing. Even though it wasn’t evident in the retreat attendance, men are more interested than ever in skincare, emotional wellbeing, and wellness tourism.
Courtesy ALMA
Courtesy ALMA
ALMA Retreat: Sessions at the ALMA Retreat
The ALMA program takes a holistic approach towards health and wellbeing. Although the festival included exercise, the sessions that I found most valuable were the ones on topics such as breathwork.
The itinerary also included two yoga sessions led by Lauren Battaglia. She is an expert in yoga. The retreat is a group event, so everyone follows the same agenda. However, you can skip sessions if you don’t want to. There were also The ClassTaryn Toomey, the founder of, has created a music-driven exercise that combines cardio with mindfulness. The goal is to strengthen your body, so that you can connect your mind with your heart. Each session was adaptable to any fitness level.
It was my favorite. Sanctum Sequence—it involves sensory deprivation, so the lights are turned off and guests are given noise-canceling headphones Wear. The instructor guides you with fluid and high-intensity moves while standing or sitting. I get nervous during group fitness classes. I worry about doing the exercise incorrectly, over-breathing, sweating excessively or embarrassing myself. It’s difficult to not feel self-conscious, even though I do my best to remain present. Sanctum Sequence takes care of these worries. You can’t hear or see the other participants so you concentrate on yourself.
