The Protocol
Sauna, cold and hot, compression, vibration, then red light. One booking.
Recovery services in South Austin, seven ways in
Buy any one on its own. New here? Start with The Protocol and we'll walk you through all five, in order.
Everything we run
Infrared Sauna
A cedar cabin that runs cooler than a hot-rock sauna. It seats more than one.
Contrast Hydrotherapy
Three minutes cold, three hot, twice through, then one last cold dunk.
Compression Lounge
Sleeves on your legs and the quietest part of the visit.
Massage Therapy
Hands-on clinical work for the one spot that won't settle.
Red Light Therapy
A few minutes in front of the panel. Nothing to brace for.
Vibration Therapy
A few minutes on the plate to warm up before the heat.
We run seven services. Every one of them books on its own and none of them needs a membership. If you're new, the protocol is the easiest way in, because it puts the sauna, the plunges, compression, vibration and red light into one booking instead of asking you to choose.
Some of these go by more than one name. Here is each one under both, so you can find it whichever you came looking for.
What is each one?
| Service | Also called | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Protocol | Contrast therapy | Sauna, cold and hot plunge, compression, vibration, red light, in that order | The whole thing in one booking |
| Cold plunge | Contrast hydrotherapy | Cold and hot plunge, booked as one session | A reset when you're wound up or worn out |
| Infrared sauna | Direct radiant heat in a cedar cabin | Heat without the hot-rock intensity | |
| Compression lounge | Sequential compression | Sleeves that inflate in stages, in a chair | Flights, long days on your feet, the easy habit |
| Massage therapy | Clinical massage, deep tissue, sports massage | Hands-on work with a therapist | One specific stubborn complaint |
| Red light | Photobiomodulation | Sitting under a red and near-infrared panel | The lowest-effort add-on |
| Vibration | Whole-body vibration | A plate that oscillates while you stand on it | A few minutes near the end of a visit |
Which one has the most research behind it?
Massage has the strongest research for calm, the hot and cold rounds the most for soreness, and cold water for lower stress the day after. Every study, service by service, is here.
What brought you here?
Most people arrive with a problem rather than a service in mind. This is the same seven services indexed the other way round.
| What's going on | Start here |
|---|---|
| Wound up, run down or sore all over | The protocol, or massage therapy if it's one area rather than all over |
| A low back that's been sore since a lift | Massage therapy. It's hands-on work, not a tub |
| One stubborn spot that won't settle | Massage therapy, or a treatment session if it's the only thing you want |
| Just got off a long flight | The compression lounge, on its own |
| You want the heat and not the cold | The sauna. Nobody makes you plunge |
| You want the least demanding thing here | Red light, or vibration as a warm-up |
| You're lifting for size | Read the cold plunge page first. Wait two to six hours after lifting before you plunge |
| You came from Generator Athlete Lab | Here's what changed, including what happened to personal training and your old passes |
Looking for personal training, semi-private training or a class? We don't do those anymore. The rebrand page explains what changed and what's still here.
So what should you book?
- New to all of it? The protocol. One booking, all five, in the order that makes them work.
- One area that won't settle? Massage therapy, or a treatment session if massage is the only thing you want.
- Just got off a plane? The compression lounge, on its own.
- Just want one thing? Any single service is a Quick Reset. Red light and vibration are the easiest to fit in.
Once it's a habit, have a look at memberships. Come once first and see how the next week feels.
If you'd rather see the hardware than the argument, what's in the room names every piece of it.
Generator is a recovery studio, not a medical provider. Nothing here diagnoses or treats a condition, and it isn't a substitute for advice from your own clinician.
Services questions, answered
Which service has the best evidence behind it?
Massage has the strongest research for calm: lower anxiety after one session, and less anxiety and depression over a course. The hot and cold rounds have the most for soreness, cold water for lower stress the next day, and vibration training for blood pressure. Every study, service by service, is on our evidence page.
Do I need a membership?
No. Every service books as a single session, or you can buy a pass and book when it suits you.
Where should I start?
The protocol. It puts all five into one booking, in order: the sauna, the plunges, compression, vibration and red light, so you're not standing in a hallway deciding between them.
Can I book two services back to back?
Yes. Say so when you book and we'll leave the time.
Not sure where to start?
The protocol is the short answer. It covers the three services most people come for.