A Fitness Lover's Guide To Nashville
Whether you’re a high-mileage runner, a gym aficionado, or a visitor hoping to drop in on a fitness class or two, Nashville offers no shortage of diverse opportunities to break a sweat. Read on for a breakdown of some of Nashville’s best fitness opportunities, from the best places to walk or jog outdoors to some of the most high-intensity classes in the city, and everything in between.
Fitness Classes
There are more studios offering specialized fitness classes – of every nearly variety imaginable – than could fit in one article. (Not to mention Nashville’s plethora of yoga studios.) However, a few key classes are worth highlighting for their uniqueness, effectiveness, and local popularity.
TITLE Boxing Club
Gym, Sports Center
Looking for a high-energy workout to break the monotony of the treadmill? If so, TITLE Boxing Club – a favorite amongst locals for its intense, community-focused boxing and kickboxing classes – is a can’t-miss. The gym offers a variety of different classes for every fitness level in addition to personal training services.
Barry's Bootcamp
In one hour, Barry’s Bootcamp might leave you exhausted, but it is also guaranteed to build your strength and propel you forward along your fitness journey unlike any other fitness class. The signature Barry’s Bootcamp workout consists of roughly half an hour of treadmill routines to get your heart rate up followed by half an hour of weight and resistance training to build strength. https://instagram.com/p/BJLUFZvhRDp/?taken-by=barrysbootcamp
Nashville Ballet Community Classes
Whether you’re an experienced dancer or you’ve never owned a pair of ballet slippers, the Community Division of the Nashville Ballet offers classes that promise to meet you where you are, and provide you with an excellent workout to boot. Classes range from ‘Introduction to Ballet,’ which teaches the fundamentals of ballet, to beginner, intermediate, and advanced ballet classes, as well as contemporary dance classes and even a ‘Dancefix’ high-energy dance workout class. (Bonus: for new students, the first class costs a mere five dollars.) https://instagram.com/p/BIf3ydvBEhQ/?taken-by=nashvilleballet
CRAVE Fitness Factory
Fitness Studio
CRAVE Fitness Factory stands out amongst the rest for its dedication to providing alternative fitness classes in a welcoming and supportive atmosphere. The classes are female-only and open to all women ages 12 and up, and the diversity of options virtually guarantees that you will not be bored. While the studio specializes in aerial dance and yoga classes, you can also mix up your regular strength training routine with a CRAVE BootCamp class, which incorporates elements of gymnastics in order to maximize strength-building effectiveness.
Outdoor Activities
While Nashville may not always be the most walking-friendly city, it is nonetheless full of parks and green spaces that are perfect for running, jogging, walking, and biking. Enjoy a breath of fresh air and the majestic natural scenery that Nashville has to offer while you get your heart pumping.
Centennial Park Running Trail
Park, Hiking Trail
While Centennial Park may be most well known for its full-scale replica of the ancient Greek Parthenon, it is also one of the most popular destinations in the entire city for joggers and scenic walkers alike. Centennial borders the always-busy West End Avenue, but while you wind your way around the conveniently-marked one mile loop you may just forget that you’re in the heart of the city. The path’s scenic views of the rolling green lawn of Centennial and the towering Parthenon easily offer one of the best settings for a workout that you could ask for.
Percy Warner Park
Park
Edwin and Percy Warner Parks stand out from the myriad parks and green spaces in Nashville in part for their sheer size: collectively, the two parks constitute the largest municipal green space in Tennessee, at over 3,100 total acres of land. Both parks offer ample space for nearly every outdoor activity that you could imagine, from hiking to jogging to picnicking to mountain biking; Warner Parks is even one of only two Metro parks in the city to offer a horseback riding trail. If you’re searching for a space not too far from the city (the park space is about a 20 minute drive from downtown Nashville) but that will nonetheless guarantee to make you feel as though you’ve stepped foot into a natural respite far from the daily grind of city life, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better place than Edwin and Percy Warner Parks.
Kayaking and Canoe on the Harpeth River
Whether jogging has grown tiresome or you’re looking for a way to experience a different side of Nashville while still promoting a healthy lifestyle, a kayaking or canoeing excursion on the Harpeth River is a one-of-a-kind outdoor experience in Nashville. While canoes and kayaks can be rented in many different locations throughout town, Foggy Bottom Canoe and Kayak Rental is a failsafe starting point; not only can you rent all the equipment you need from here, but Foggy Bottom also serves as a launching point for numerous different river trip paths that range from a speedy mile and a half to a winding 11 miles. You may just become so entranced by the lush green spaces bordering each side of the river and the views of downtown Nashville from afar that you’ll forget you’re squeezing in a workout, too.