The sun is relentless and so are those perfect, artisanal ice cream sundaes that none of us can pass up. While summer typically brings a more active lifestyle, getting to the gym or doing your usual run isn’t always first on the list – especially with all the fun summer happenings around town. The good news? Nashville has plenty of unique ways to keep your step count sky-high without ever having to do your daily grind at the gym. Here are a few ideas:
TEAM GREEN ADVENTURES
Get plugged into Team Green Adventures’ calendar of events, and there won’t be many days that go by without the option to take part in an awesome outdoor activity. Team Green is Nashville’s Independent Radio Station, Lightning 100’s, community outdoor adventure group. They plan active-lifestyle events that focus on community service, sustainability, and adventure. Yoga in the Park, Radnor Lake hikes, river rafting, overnight backpacking trips, kayaking and mountain biking are just a sampling of the amazing things they plan.
CLASS PASS
Start looking into the wide variety of high-end studios to take classes from, and not only will you be faced with decisions and commitment, but you’ll be faced with some pretty steep prices. Until you find a class you absolutely love and can afford – it’s tricky to pick and choose from the huge variety. Thankfully, we have Class Pass, here in Nashville for those very reasons. Class Pass allows you to pay a monthly price for a set number of classes from a huge variety of studios. Then, through the app, you can look up and schedule different classes and different studios. The app will even recommend certain classes for you! That “what do I choose” dilemma is officially solved.
ROCKCLIMBING
Whether you’ve never tried your hand at rock climbing or are an old pro trying to get back into it, Nashville has a huge variety of rock climbing options. Both Climb Nashville in East and West Nashville and The Crag in Franklin (with a second, South Nashville location opening this Fall) host a variety of programs and ways to learn. For those that are into outdoor rock climbing, there are meetup groups and online information about trips in Tennessee. Google away!
RUNNING GROUPS
Every type of workout is better with an accountability partner, but what about 50? Joining a running group not only gives you accountability, but new running routes, a fun, social atmosphere and running buddies at just your pace. Many neighborhoods have their own local running clubs so you don’t have to go far to join in on the run! Some of the more popular ones are East Nasty, 12 South Runners, and SPURS (Sylvan Park Urban Runners).
BOXING CLUBS
Another great workout, and one that will also teach you some self-defense moves, is boxing/kickboxing. There are a few different boxing gyms in Nashville to choose from, including Title Boxing Club or Music City Boxing, and they each have a different set of classes, skill levels, and training routines, so do some research to find the best fit for you, especially if you’re a beginner.
HIKING
There is absolutely no shortage of beautiful hikes you can go on in Middle Tennessee, ranging from small neighborhood parks to pretty impressive adventures just east of the area. For starters, Radnor Lake, Shelby Bottoms Park, Percy Warner, Old Natchez Trace and Harpeth River State Park, are all parks in the area with great walking and hiking trails. For the more adventurous at heart, travel East for day trips to some of the southeast’s most impressive (and strenuous!) hikes. Want to be social while hiking? There are plenty of meetup groups of all shapes and sizes in the area that focus on hiking in groups.
Don’t see your favorite unique way to stay fit in Middle Tennessee on our list? Let us know! We want everyone to find their “go to’s” for an active lifestyle.
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