American padel clubs are embracing wellness amenities, signaling a new phase in the sport’s growth.
WORDS
Ben Nichols
ILLUSTRATIONS
Anneka Lange
Did you hear the one about the Ammortal Chamber?
No?
Neither had I — until a trip to Cresskill, New Jersey, back in late January, when I visited the playfully named Padel United Sports Club. Since my second pilgrimage to this beautiful slice of New Jersey suburbia, it wasn’t the padel or the dusty burnt-orange aesthetic that stuck with me. It was an unexpected moment that still rings in my ears: my introduction — via a guided tour from Padel United co-founder Jon Krieger — to the aptly named Ammortal Chamber.
Now, being shown the full suite of Padel United’s facility by Krieger — who also founded Spring House, New Jersey suburbia’s answer to Soho House — was impressive. The club features an impossibly inviting, perfectly lit turquoise lap pool, a cold plunge (now a standard feature of modern wellness clubs), the largest sauna I’ve ever stepped into, and then yes — the Ammortal Chamber: a red-light tech-bed that promises to leave most users in a state of calm but “caffeinated-like” energy. Go figure.
Well, I did — I tried it. And let’s just say I came off it feeling… zen. Or maybe it was the placebo effect? I’ll never know. Either way, the Ammortal Chamber is a machine that promises greatness through just one 30-minute experience.
But this article isn’t really about the Ammortal Chamber. It’s about what it signifies — something stirring in padel’s embryonic U.S. journey: the sport’s unexpected relationship with wellness.
So what’s happening stateside that makes padel and wellness such a natural fit?
It’s the convergence of two forces: a post-pandemic shift toward healthier living — eating better, moving more, and reconnecting — and the rise of a sport that combines accessibility, social interaction, and fun. When a sport is easy to try, you’re confident enough to play again. And when you enjoy it, you repeat. Over and over.
As Benji Markoff, co-founder of Padel United Sports Club, puts it:
“Padel, in so many ways, is the embodiment of the post-pandemic era. It’s social interaction, it’s camaraderie, it’s slightly crazy, and it’s like nothing we’ve seen––it’s a modern sport, a sport that’s found its time. And a lot of that comes down to the ancillary wellness offering that sits alongside the on-court padel and makes the experience completely unique.”
“Once a would-be club owner experiences a padel-wellness facility done right, they catch the bug — and try to outdo the other club owners.”
So where are we seeing wellness embedded into padel clubs?
Everywhere. And once a would-be club owner experiences a padel-wellness facility done right, they catch the bug — and try to outdo the other club owners. Take Reserve SoLé Mia, which opened this year in a newly gentrified northern Miami neighborhood. Yes, they’ve got the cold plunges, saunas, and steam rooms. But they went further: incorporating Miami’s premier wellness lifestyle brand, Pura Vida, within the same four walls. If there are better bedfellows than Reserve and Pura Vida, I haven’t met them.
The Padel Uniteds and Reserves of the world aren’t alone.
Conquer Padel, launching soon in Tempe, Arizona, plans to install cold plunges (essential in the desert), infrared saunas, red-light therapy, ping-pong tables, and more.
Then there’s Padel Haus, whose upcoming locations in Nashville and beyond will feature massage tables, co-working spaces, and the enviable Juice Haus bar — the ultimate symbol of padel’s wellness love affair.
And the best part?
Padel wellness is quickly becoming a game of keeping up with the Joneses. It’s only going to get better. And who’s not game for that? ✸
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ben Nichols
Ben is a global sports communications and international relations expert, known for leading media efforts during the Russian Doping Scandal while at WADA and holding senior roles with the ATP/WTA Dubai Tennis Championships, F1’s Lotus Renault GP, and the Commonwealth Games Federation. As Founder & CEO of Padel 22, he champions the growth of padel in emerging markets, coining the term “New Padel World.” Ben also founded Cage 91 Co, Club Águilas, Property+Padel, and the Anglo American Padel Cup, establishing himself as one of the sport’s most influential figures.
