A Perfect Fit - American Spa
Friday, Nov 21, 2008
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A Perfect Fit
Adding fitness options to your spa doesn't have to feel like fitting a square peg into a round hole. The key? Matching the style and types of workouts to the spa vibe you've worked so hard to develop. Just follow these easy tips, and you'll have your guests singing, "Let's get physical!" in no time.


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Workout fanatics at Red Mountain Spa (St. George, UT) enjoy outdoor fitness options like mountain biking.
Outfitting your spa with an exercise element doesn't require spending millions on a 100,000-square-foot gym. You can bring it in subtly and seamlessly so that it doesn't overpower the serene environment you've got going. Why bother getting your guests to sweat at all? Making physical training and exercise available means that visitors will be getting the total package when they leave—whole in spirit and in body. Here are five easy ways to start off your "Get Fit" resolution.

1. Embrace your environment No matter what your spa's location is, its surroundings can be transformed into a one-of-a-kind outdoor gym. Perched in the mountains? Lead guests on a first-thing-in-the-morning hike or snowshoe trek. Tucked into the middle of a city? Have a bevy of bicycles on hand for guests to ride around the neighborhood. (Don't forget to map out a route for them.) Nestled amid a historical district? Grab a group and take them on a guided power walk. Whatever the environment, there is a way to use it to your advantage.


The Spa at Topnotch (Stowe, VT) offers several group classes for spa-goers looking to shape up.
"To incorporate fitness with the outdoors is such a natural choice here," says Tracey Welsh, general manager of Red Mountain Spa (St. George, UT). "We have a weekly Tai Chi class that we offer free with stay where an instructor takes you to a nearby state park at sunset." If walking is more up your spa's alley, turn it into Nordic walking. The difference is that guests use walking poles. "Adding the poles turns a simple stroll into calorie-burning cardio that also works the upper body and core," says Chad Couto, fitness director at Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa (Stowe, VT). "And it's really cost-effective because the only equipment you need to purchase are the poles."


The Guest Knows Best (or Not)
2. Host special events Throw a day-long, weekend-long, or week-long retreat centered around a specific area of fitness—think yoga, Pilates, or boot camp—and invite a trainer to come in specifically for the event. Because it's above-and-beyond your usual offerings, guests will feel like they're part of something special. And who doesn't love that? Kamalame Cay, a private resort in the Bahamas, recently organized a week-long Pilates getaway. "Guests came for seven days and did a morning yoga class and morning and evening Pilates class," says the resort's director of sales and marketing David Hew. "The reception was fantastic. There's a growing trend that people don't just want to relax on vacation, they want to take something away with them."


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A Perfect Fit
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