Words by: Laura Walsh
Art by: Luca Maclsaac

It seems staying out late and partying is out and Melbourne has entered a new era of health and wellness.

Gen Zs appear more eager to wake up at 5am, lace up their Hokas and hit their local run club to smash out 10 kms than get sloshed with their mates and fall ill with a case of the Sunday scaries the next morning.

The decline in Melbourne’s clubbing culture has been looming since COVID. Compounded with the crushing cost-of-living crisis and the increasingly unattainable property market, people just aren’t going out and partying like they used to. 

But cost isn’t the only determinative factor in Melbourne’s change of pace.

It’s believed the post-Gen X generations are genuinely more health-conscious than their predecessors.

Identifying as sober-curious and taking a break from alcohol is becoming increasingly normalised amongst young people, meditation and breathwork facilities are taking priority after a stressful day in the office over after-work drinks, and ice baths and infrared saunas are lauded as essential to one’s wellness routine.

But is this Melbourne’s latest fad or a permanent lifestyle change? Who knows how long this craze will stick around when micro-trends are switching up fashion styles faster than ever before and TikTok is slowly killing our attention spans to the point that watching an episode of ‘Love Island’ feels like pushing through a uni lecture.

So here is Esperanto’s guide to Melbourne’s best spots to indulge in the latest healthy habits (while they last)!

Run Clubs 

Whether you’re an ultra-marathon champion or you can’t catch your breath when changing train platforms, run clubs are suitable for beginners, seasoned pros and everyone in between. 

So start sharing those Strava stats at these five run clubs on offer around the city:

1. Run South Yarra (@run.southyarra)

Meet at Gilson on 171 Domain Road, South Yarra every Saturday at 6:00am to run one, two or three laps of the iconic ‘Tan’ track at the Royal Botanical Gardens. 

2. Ate Miles (@atemiles.rc)

Jog on over to Maap Lab on 33 Wellington Street, Carlton every second Wednesday at 7:00am to run two laps of Carlton Gardens. 

3. Gunn Runners (@gunn.runners)

Meet at Limerick Arms Hotel on 364 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne every Tuesday at 6:00pm for 3-5 kms around Albert Park Lake.  

Breathwork Studios

Everyone who’s ever experienced even a moment of anxiety has been reminded to take a deep breath and maybe try to get into mindfulness. 

Perhaps that advice deserves its obligatory eye roll… or maybe it’s actually worthwhile. 

Praised by everyone’s favourite bio-hack king Dr Andrew Huberman as the greatest thing you can do for yourself, deep breathing can calm even the noisiest of minds. 

Try it for yourself at these three breath work studios:

1. The Breath Haus, Richmond (@thebreathhaus_)

Experience mind-body relaxation through the powerful practice of breath work. Sample the LSD class where you’ll be guided through a meditative process to activate your parasympathetic nervous system and elicit deep relaxation. And no it’s not that kind of LSD, this one stands for Long, Slow and Deep. Although, the studio does have hallucinatory visuals…

2. Inner Studio, Collingwood (@innerstudioaus)

This wellness oasis is not only visually captivating but packed with everything you need to awaken your inner yogi. Try guided breath work to energise the body and mind and follow it up with a sauna and cold plunge.

3. The Breath Code, St Kilda (@thebreathcode_)

Offering events that specialise in ‘letting go’ and ‘healing’, The Breath Code employs conscious breathing techniques for stress relief, personal growth and improved well-being.

Pilates and Yoga Studios 

Yoga and pilates are mind-body exercises that increase strength and build muscle while also improving flexibility and posture. It’s basically an all-in-one.

Find out why people call themselves ‘pilates princesses’ at these top studios:

1. CorePlus (@coreplus_studios)

Whether you enjoy sweating your guts out during hot mat pilates, struggling for balance on a reformer machine or twisting your body into back-breaking positions in yoga, there’s something for everyone at CorePlus.

2. KX Pilates (@kxpilates)

With more than 90 studios in Melbourne, there’s bound to be a KX class around the corner from you. Rooted in the Japanese concept of ‘Kaizen’, their ethos champions the power of incremental progress to deliver transformative results.

3. Upstate Studios (@upstate_studios)

Upstate’s blindingly yellow studios offer both hot mat and reformer pilates, yoga and boxing, each designed to energise and invigorate its members.