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The Healf Source
This Somatic Workout App Doesn't Track Your Steps. It Tracks Your Soul.
Sanctum's new-age workout, rooted in ancient and modern rituals, has gone digital.
Written by: the Healf Editors
Written on: April 15, 2026
We’ve never had more ways to measure, track, and hack our wellbeing, especially as it relates to our fitness and daily movement. But on a random Tuesday, in a beautiful church in South Kensington or Amsterdam’s Vondelpark Rosarium or even Café Opera in Stockholm, you’ll find people sweating and breathing and moving together — connecting over something greater than HRV and caloric burn. This new-age workout, Sanctum, is rooted in disciplines of kundalini, Zen Buddhism, qigong, somatic movement, HIIT, and quantum energy work, with each class leading you through 55 minutes of music-led, cathartic movement.
“We combined all of this wisdom and knowledge we had into Sanctum signature sequence,” says Gabriel Olszewski, CEO of Sanctum. Last year, Sanctum hosted two of these signature workouts at HX25, Europe’s first three‑day immersive wellbeing event at London’s 180 Studios, where attendees got to experience this transformative workout in realtime. There are no mirrors, no metrics, no calorie-burn focus— just ancient somatic movement paired with modern modalities to power your mind and body.
And now, the movement is expanding — right into your phone. A few weeks ago, Sanctum launched their digital platform, Sanctum Digital, to bring the power of movement into your own home and life. “Digital is really about your daily practice,” says Olszewski. “Obviously, we have meditation apps and you have fitness apps, right? Sanctum sort of blends this world together.”
The immersive somatic movement app, which will be available to Healf customers for a free one-month trial subscription and was created with the software provider that developed Headspace, already has thousands of downloads, according to Olszewski.
You can download the app from Apple or Google, using the code INNERCIRCLE at checkout to unlock your 1 month free subscription.
Connection through movement
The company — which has grown into a global organisation in just four years, with around 50 certified guides (who lead the classes) and locations in Dubai, London, Stockholm, and Amsterdam — is disrupting a market currently valued around £33.64B. Its vision is simple but powerful: restoring our sense of connection with ourselves, our bodies, our communities. In order to do that, classes are charted not by traditional fitness metrics, but by what they call your “state of being,” or “frequency arc,” which is basically your sense of emotional and energetic freedom.
The idea is radical, especially in our often overly-measured, wearable-obsessed world, where we’re tracking everything from our protein goals to sleep scores. Hit up any other workout class, and you’ll be measured in strain, the size of your weights, the number of miles you run or kilometers you bike. Not at Sanctum.
“There is another side of longevity and wellness that is maybe not about optimizing yourself, but actually focusing on what is inside of you from a perspective of energy and feelings. And I think this is what Sanctum taps into,” says Olszewski. “It's really about reconnecting with yourself, with other people, with the nature around you.”
How does the app work?
Adding a digital element is not meant to replace in-person classes, but rather “support the community between moments of coming together,” the company says. If you’ve got a chaotic schedule or are traveling, you’ll still have access to all your favourite Sanctum elements.
Through the app, you can access Sanctum’s signature sequences (experienced via video recordings), along with short activations (think: a five-minute “morning” energy activation using somatic movement, or an “evening” activation to help you wind down), meditations, and screen-free immersive walks for when you need to reset during a busy day.
“Let's say you had a stressful meeting, or you're feeling stuck, or you're feeling tired,” says Olszewski. “Walk yourself outside for 10 minutes, go to Hyde Park, and we have those immersive soundscapes that you listen to.” In fact, those mindful, walking meditations are one of the most popular formats on the app right now, per Olszewski.
All journeys are created and led by Sanctum founder Luuk Melisse, alongside a collective of experienced Sanctum Master Guides, which brings the same intention, care, and depth found in Sanctum’s physical experiences into the digital space.
In true Sanctum fashion, the app does not track any traditional data or metrics, only your “frequency arc.” Practically, this involves selecting the emotional state you want to be in during your workout, or how you feel that day. Once that’s defined, the application will choose the right experience for you — whether you’re feeling down, joyful, anxious, energetic, or somewhere in between. As the app says, “move different if you want different.” “It’s very much an authentic way of measuring your state of being. And over time, you can see how your frequency is evolving,” says Olszewski.
Right now, you can just pop in your own headphones to tune in to Sanctum Digital, the company hopes to develop their own bespoke headphones for people to use out in the world. They’re also hoping to develop future partnerships with hospitality brands to create “destination walks,” whether in Paris, New York, or Rome — curated moments of movement that guide you through some of the most beautiful places in the world.
While a digital offering may seem like it stands in opposition to Sanctum’s core focus on connection and community, it actually fits perfectly into its ethos. How? At its core, Sanctum operates on three basic, symbiotic principles — connection within, between, and beyond — and the app operates on the “within” piece. “In order to be connected with the universe and with people, you really need to be the best version of yourself,” says Olszewski. “You have to start with yourself.”
And that’s exactly what Sanctum Digital wants to do.
This article is for informational purposes only, even if and regardless of whether it features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. The views expressed in this article are the views of the expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Healf
Healf's editorial team works hard to produce science-backed, expert-vetted stories to break down trends and cut through the noise in the wellbeing ecosystem. Our team of writers and editors specialise in everything from nutrition, to exercise science, women's health, skincare, sleep, and more.
