Diving Into the Intimidating World of Wellness At a Festival in the Swiss Alps

Although I’ve taken a few Orangetheory classes and love going on walks, I’m far from a fitness guru. So when I was invited to ALMA, Powered by Aníma, a four-day wellness festival held in the Swiss Alps at the Six Senses Crans-Montana, the thought of attending as a first-timer was daunting. I assumed most people there would be very familiar with these types of experiences. I envisioned being surrounded by people with intense fitness regimens, experts in healthy eating, maybe even professional athletes. But after a little soul searching, I decided to lean into the opportunity to try 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.

Changing norms around wellness

Going into the retreat, I knew I would be in the minority regarding my fitness level. What I didn’t realize was that the other retreat attendees would predominantly be women. As a queer person, this is always a welcome surprise, but I found the discrepancy interesting. Do men not take a holistic approach to well-being in the same way women do?

A few years ago, that answer might have been yes. However, there has been a major uptick in men’s offerings in the wellness space, as men are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits that a holistic approach to health provides (i.e., thinking beyond the gym when it comes to taking care of yourself). 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.

Longevity and biohacking, espoused by wellness gurus like Peter Attia, M.D., and Bryan Johnson, are broadly appealing, as everyone wants to look and feel their best for as long as possible. Men are now more interested in skincare, emotional well-being, and wellness tourism than ever before, even if it didn’t necessarily show in this retreat’s attendance.

Courtesy ALMA

Courtesy ALMA

Sessions offered at the ALMA retreat

The ALMA program is designed as a holistic approach to health and wellness. Exercise is a part of the festival, but the most impactful sessions for me were those on topics I hadn’t encountered before, like breathwork.

In terms of movement, the itinerary included two yoga sessions, both led by Lauren Battaglia, an expert yoga practitioner. (Everyone at the retreat follows the same itinerary, but you’re welcome to skip a session if there’s one you’re not interested in.) There was also The Class, a music-driven movement that combines cardio and mindfulness led by founder Taryn Toomey. It’s all about strengthening your body so you can engage your mind and connect with your heart. I was nervous about keeping up, but each session was highly adaptable for any fitness level.

My favorite exercise, though, was the Sanctum Sequence—it involves sensory deprivation, so the lights are turned off and guests are given noise-canceling headphones to wear. Throughout the class, the instructor plays music and guides you through high-intensity but fluid movements while standing or sitting. I tend to get insecure during group fitness classes. I’m preoccupied with doing the move incorrectly, breathing too hard, sweating too much, or making a fool of myself. Even though I try my best to be present, it’s hard to avoid feeling self-conscious. The Sanctum Sequence eliminates these concerns. Since you can’t see or hear the other participants, you focus wholly on yourself.