Tennessee Fitness Spa - Natural Bridge, Tennesse
A Great Low-Cost Spa Getaway for Nature Lovers
Sep 30, 2009
This is not a fluffy white robe and mud bath spa – this is a place where guests spend their days hiking the wooded trails, attending exercise classes in the pool or in the gym, and just relaxing. It’s the Tennessee Fitness Spa, located at Natural Bridge in the gentle hills of southwestern Tennessee two hours from Nashville and 20 minutes from the small town of Waynesboro. The setting is stunning, the food healthy and plentiful, and the exercise consists of both outdoor and indoor activities.
Beautiful Campus in the Woods of Tennessee
The Tennessee Fitness Spa campus includes a natural bridge formation. In fact, it is the only double-span natural bridge in the world; it was used by Native Americans over several periods of history, and Davy Crockett made his first political speech there. Close by, a walk-in cave whose temperature is a cool 58 degrees all year is open for exploration.
The campus includes a creek and pond with several pairs of resident ducks, and flowering plants everywhere. The site is both beautiful and historic, but it’s all private property; sightseers are only permitted on Sundays. One of the walks leads up to Rainbow Lake, where one of the lodges provides additional housing for the Spa.
Life at Tennessee Fitness is stress-free and as energetic or as lazy as you want to make it. Most guests stay in flower-bedecked natural wood buildings, with one, two, or four to a room with bath. Individual rooms are somewhat spartan, but two lounges provide comfortable seating with satellite TV and an Internet-connected computer for guests to use. Wireless access is available in the lower TV lounge.
Tennessee Fitness Spa Food
Meals are prepared without added salt, sugar, or artificial sweeteners, and diners never have to leave the dining room hungry. Special diets (vegetarian, diabetic, etc.) are available upon request. The menu includes salads at lunch and dinner, and plenty of fruit for snacks. One of the standard lectures offered each week explains the Tennessee Fitness philosophy on food preparation, and includes recipes used at the spa.
Tennessee Fitness Spa Activities
For fitness activities, guests choose among daily aerobics classes (including low-impact, step, and water aerobics), circuit training, floor work (body sculpting), and stretching. There are bicycles and canoes available, and games such as croquet volleyball are always possible. The weight room and pool and hot tub are open 24 hours a day.
After an orientation and assessment, guests are assigned to one of three fitness groups for the morning walk. Group walks each morning are tailored to fitness levels, with length and difficulty progressing during the week. Guests can also schedule a private session with a personal trainer to develop a custom fitness routine.
All of the activities are optional; guests can lie by the pool all day, walk alone or with a friend, or take a day off to see the local sights. The staff is motivational and dedicated to helping guests improve their fitness, but they never make anyone feel uncomfortable. The atmosphere is totally informal and the emphasis is on fun, but with a serious focus on fitness.
Even though the emphasis is on healthy eating and activities, the spa also offers a few pampering services. Massage therapists are always ready to soothe sore muscles and aid in relaxation, and the beauty shop services are available several days each week.
Finish the Week with Lectures on Health and Local History
And while all that exercise is good for the body, Tennessee Fitness doesn't neglect the mind. The fitness director and guest speakers offer lectures on such topics as nutrition, low-fat cookery, shopping savvy, and the benefits of massage. Guests can learn some local history, and weekend or evening excursions may include the Shiloh Civil War battleground, the Helen Keller Home and Museum, or shopping in Nashville.
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