Recovery Lab

Our Story

THE RECOVERY LAB STORY

When former AFL umpire Matt James developed the Recovery Lab concept, he envisaged a community of like-minded people who were not only looking to improve their athletic or work performance, but also relieve physical and mental fatigue from sport, work or everyday life.

Matt umpired over 200 AFL games in 11 years (including three grand finals), but the seeds of Recovery Lab were sown when a few years after retirement he was appointed head of women’s football at Collingwood. It was the early days of Women’s AFL and Matt’s own players worked without an effective recovery program because the tools weren’t available to them. He witnessed the consequences – more injuries and tired players.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

With experience in rigorous training and regular injury maintenance, former AFL umpire Matt James was overwhelmed by the market’s lack of effective recovery programs. After seeing the detrimental effects physical exertion has on the body and mind, Matt was committed to learning about the science of self-care. The Recovery Lab concept was born to help anyone needing restorative care. 

OUR MISSION

When you know more, you can do more. Recovery Lab was forged from the desire to educate and redefine the way we recover from the demands of everyday life and physical training.

Education, growth and development is at the heart of everything we do. Our goal is for every client to understand the physical and mental mechanics of recovery. We want them to not only feel better, but also recognise how and why their performance and wellbeing can be improved and optimised.

Recovery Lab was built for the people, by the people, growing a community of like-minded individuals who are not only looking to improve their athletic or work performance, but to also relieve physical and mental fatigue from sport, work or everyday life.

OUR VALUES

Let us help you change how you approach self-care, whether after an intense training program, a stressful work schedule, or a big day. We want to give you the tools and know-how to feel your best, so you can excel in your athletic pursuits, career, and personal life. 

VISION

To be regarded as the pre-eminent, most effective recovery and self-care studios in Australia.

PURPOSE

We aim to redefine how you recover, refresh and revitalise your body and mind after physical training programs or the demands of everyday life. We give you the tools and know-how to perform at your peak, feel better and cope better in your athletic pursuits, career and personal life.

BELIEFS

INCLUSION
COMMUNITY
LIFESTYLE
KNOWLEDGE
ENVIRONMENT

THE PEOPLE BEHIND RECOVERY LAB

Matt James

FOUNDER

Matt began umpiring in 1991 and joined the AFL umpire panel in 1999, before going on to notch 206 games in an eleven-year stint at the top. In just his third year, he umpired his first AFL Grand Final, adding the 2002 and 2004 deciders to his impressive tally.

Popular among players, Matt was also named the All-Australian Umpire in 2004. In 2010, a calf injury forced his retirement from the game, but he soon returned, this time as a technical consultant at Hawthorn.

He later became involved in the women’s game, spending two and a half years at Collingwood as operations manager for their AFLW side.

BEN SEYMOUR

PARTNER

A former professional rugby union player for Agen and Western Force, Ben is now a fitness entrepreneur, personal trainer, health advocate and endurance athlete. 

Co-owner of Revl Training in Victoria, Ben’s personal training business is inspired to help people make significant lifestyle changes to encourage new levels of fitness, health and wellbeing.  

A regular at endurance fitness events, Ben is well-versed in the benefits of an effective recovery program that compliments training regimes, work schedules and life’s challenges.