While Ibiza and clubbing are known to go hand-in-hand, in more recent years, the island has extended its spare hand (so to speak) to yet another facet that makes this little rock in the Balearics so special. Ibiza and its wellness scene have become known as ‘the other side’ of Ibiza, and it’s no surprise really. Wellness is the yin to our partying yang. The famed healing energy of the island balances out all of its infamous excesses, if you’ll allow it. This all-new version of Ibiza – one where health and hedonism can go hand in hand – is one we’ve noticed resonates with Pikes clients, our island friends, and even our team.
This special rock has drawn some of the worlds leading experts in fitness, health and wellbeing, this magical island re-energises the vitality to those who call it home, and now we want to share that with you! As a matter of fact, that’s where the idea for our upcoming Rockovery Retreat all started – behind the scenes and through long, late night conversations with Franky and Dawn, a plan was hatched to finally share ALL of what this island has to offer, and the secrets to looking good, feeling fantastic, and most important long lasting longevity. After all, we want to be here for a good time… AND a long time! Over the years we have noticed many of our team members have been dipping in and out of the wellness world, be it through yoga, veganism, nutrition, therapies, plant medicine, meditation or a whole host of other alternative treatments. We realised our clients too, were seeking something a little more from their Ibiza holidays too, and so after almost a year of deep discussions, plotting and planning, we’ve finally brought together a team of elite wellness professionals – all of whom have a connection to Pikes – to design an experimental Ibiza wellness retreat with a difference.
Franky Vincentio is incredibly talented, deeply motivating and extremely knowledgeable when it comes to the worlds of fitness, mindfulness and nutrition – today, he’s a a rock solid, inspirational and motivational elite personal trainer and nutritionist who has helped put together the schedule for our first retreat. A former psychology student, professional rugby player and boxer with qualifications in personal training and nutrition, Franky has developed his very own style of workout which he’ll be incorporating into the Rockovery Retreat schedule: Franky’s Fight Club. Having been an international model and actor for over 10 years, for the first time he is bringing all the industry secrets knowledge to this retreat!
Unlike that other famous fight club however, the first rule of this one is that we SHOULD be talking about it! A boxing-inspired group workout, Franky’s Fight Club is all about full body conditioning, cognitive training, self defence and team bonding techniques. There’s no fear of going home looking like Edward Norton after a few rounds with Brad Pitt (this is Pikes after all, and we know you’re going to want to look good in the evenings), it’s more like getting inside the mind of Bruce Lee, learning a ninja-style new discipline, getting shape and most importantly, having fun along the way. Franky’s Fight club takes place at Pikes and also on the beach, proving you don’t need fancy equipment to take these newfound skills back home with you. In fact, that’s something that drives Franky – the desire to show guests what it feels like when they’re operating at their optimum and giving them the tools to take this back into their ‘real world’.
A self described geek, Dr James Brown is packing some serious gadgets in his luggage to use during his one-to-one sessions with Rockovery Retreat guests – tools that can inform guests on their metabolism and body composition, and offer evidence-based information on diets and how one should exercise for their specific constitution. To James, these methods are so much more about a healthy lifestyle than losing weight (which may end up being a happy by-product of the experience anyway) – it’s all about living a longer, healthier and happier life in general. For our Head Chef Lee Milne, Rockovery Retreat gives him a chance to work on creating a bespoke, nutritionally dense menu that is rooted in the very earth of Ibiza – our local Mediterranean produce providing the perfect flavour-filled foundation on which to build a delicious four-day dining programme that can become a catalyst for change in people’s lives. Together, James and Lee aim to help guests implement and maintain a healthy lifestyle, long after they’ve checked out of Pikes. But as our famous saying goes: You can check in, but you can never check out. And we hope that’s as true for our retreat guests, as it is for everyone who has ever stayed with us before.
One of the (many) things that makes our Rockovery Retreat so special is the fact we’ll be taking guests out into the wild nature of Ibiza, to really feel that special energy the island is known for first-hand – and on a deeper level than just going to the beach or to see a sunset (though we’re big advocates of that too). And when it comes to knowing every inch of the island and her nature, there is no one more qualified to lead than Toby Clarke – born and bred here on the island, and founder of Walking Ibiza. Though he’d spent his pre-teen years running around Ibiza having fun, it was in 2010 – after returning to his homeland from a long stint in England – when Toby felt called into the wild, quite literally. With just a single one euro coin in his pocket and his faithful dog Cosmo by his side, he set out to cover the entire coastline of the island on foot – and succeeded!
During this time, Toby realised the potency of Ibiza’s nature; the power of connecting with oneself and discovered even more natural beauty than he had ever imagined existed on this island. The experience led him to launch Walking Ibiza, which is now the island’s premier guided walking tour company, and one with a heart. Toby has traversed the island more than any other human being in history (that we know of) and his intricate knowledge of Ibiza’s history, flowers and wild herbs gives those on his walks a much deeper insight into what this island is all about. Toby is also trained in breathwork and rebirthing, which allows him to work with those on his wellness walks to release past traumas, not linger on bad thoughts and experiences that hold them back. He has an amazing sunrise walk planned for our Rockovery Retreat guests, which will include foraging for herbs and – very importantly for Toby – no pressure to be anyone else apart from who you really are. He believes, as we do, that there definitely is a need for a retreat like this in Ibiza right now – something to appeal to those who may not want the traditional holistic yoga style retreat, but for people who love the island and want to look after themselves without forgoing a good time.
Yoga will play an important part of the Rockovery Retreat experience however – it’s the perfect balance to Franky’s Fight Club and a time-honoured way to connect with the mind, body and soul. Ksenia Goryainova was first introduced into the Pikes fold by our concierge Annabel – whose little black book is full of experts in all fields. Based on a client’s recommendation, she invited Ksenia to host a yoga session in our beautiful Rockovery geodome, however Ksenia felt called to host powerful group breathwork classes instead – and she (and her clients) were hooked ever since. The dome, the people, the sunsets, the chilled vibes – she sees the healing potential of Pikes like no other yoga teacher before her. Born in the Ukraine, she later moved to London and worked in the fast-paced world of high fashion, followed by the diamond industry. A personal trauma was the turning point that saw her give up the high flying life and start to search for her own personal truths, while exploring a more conscious way of living, from which she has never looked back.
She fell in love with Ibiza at first sight, and has made the island her permanent home – the perfect place to teach her unique blend of yoga, breathwork and meditation. Her qualifications are almost endless; from Alchemy of Breath, Vipsassana, Plant Medicine, Hatha, Tantric Hatha, Yin & Yang Yoga, Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy, Yoga Nidra, Meditation, plus powerful coaching techniques – these combined with her past life experiences also allow her delve deeply into the psyche of the Pikes clientele. While she may live the life of a wonderful healing human in Ibiza today, Ksenia also understands what it’s like to live a high pressure life and can relate on a non-judgemental one-to-one level rather than simply as an instructor. She sees her role as resident teacher at our Rockovery Retreat as a way to create transformation in the loves of others, and looks forward to supporting guests (who she calls ‘the lucky ones’) on their own personal journeys to self discovery, self healing and self love.
In the same way the island of Ibiza has been changing over the years, so too have its residents, and Cosmic Kim – our yoga teacher and crystal bowl sound healing expert – is a prime example of that. We first met Kim Booth as a young, fresh faced raver, (she’s now been coming to Ibiza, and living on and off the island for over 22 years), who worked in the dance music industry in journalism and PR. Her seasonal lifestyle in Ibiza allowed her to pursue her other, more spiritual, interests in the off-season (“I loved being able to email someone from a camel in India!” she quips) and she first gravitated towards yoga, followed by Reiki healing when she truly felt the difference such a practice could make in her own life, and allow her to feel balanced in her own life.
Yoga teacher trainings in Goa and Guatemela, courses in Shamanism, Tantra, Sound Healing, creativity and ceremonial dance have transformed our little fairy-like raver into the powerful healing woman she is today, in addition to inspiring her to found the ever-popular Cosmic Pineapple events at Pikes in the summer (2020 will be the event’s fifth year). Cosmic Kim is most looking forward to “sharing some magic for the heart and soul” with our clients on the Rockovery Retreat, through a powerful Cacao Ceremony, intention setting, plus exercises and breathing techniques that help you stay balanced and connected. Kim closes her sessions with crystal bowl meditations, where she reveals her truly awe-inspiring voice of an angel. One part tiny fairy, one part spirited raver and another part powerful healer, with such a strong connection to Pikes and our party spirit (just ask her about the time she took too much acid at Seth Troxler’s birthday party and couldn’t tell the difference between a person, the wall, music and the air), she is the perfect addition to our team.
Rockovery Retreat
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