The New Beginnings Center Is Helping Women Find Balance

There is a soft refrain heard in doctors’ offices throughout the country. It’s a gentle nudge in the direction of longevity — particularly for people of, ahem, a certain age. “You need to start strength training.” 

Doctors — drawing on scientific research — are working to help their patients understand that strength training builds muscle mass, protects and strengthens bones, boosts metabolism, prevents chronic disease and improves balance (preventing falls and avoiding costly results).

Here in Nashville, The New Beginnings Center — the city’s only women-only gym — is furthering this mission, helping women build strength, improve physical wellbeing and find community through fitness.

New Beginnings

When Tash Weddle founded The New Beginnings Center, located on Craighead Street, she’d already identified a need: a space where women who couldn’t afford a gym membership or personal training could experience fitness, nutrition and behavior-change coaching. 

For 17 years, Tash had helped train female athletes for college sports. But after several years in the field, she felt a call to serve a greater good. Her friend and mentor, then-Habitat for Humanity CEO Chris McCarthy, suggested she help women who would love her services but couldn’t afford them. “And I thought, why not?” Tash says. “I know personally how much fitness has impacted my life and how much it can impact everyone’s life — and that it should be equally accessible for all.”

Tash created The New Beginnings Center with two programs in mind: the TNB-Fitness personalized strength training program for women, and The New Beginnings Center, a nonprofit strength training program where women who make less than $55,000 can work out for free. Through their monthly dues, women in the TNB-Fitness program help fund the fees for the women in The New Beginnings Center.

From Strength to Strength

The benefits of strength training have been rigorously studied and reported by institutions like the Mayo Clinic, the American Cancer Society, Harvard Health and more. Many of these benefits are visible. But Tash emphasizes the physical changes that can’t necessarily be seen. 

“We see 40% of the women decrease their medications for hypertension and type 2 diabetes,” she says. “We see decreased use of antidepressants. We see an improved attitude at work. And we see self-confidence and self-compassion as well — and I think the stronger character that this builds.” 

Take New Beginnings client Kendra Campbell, for example. Kendra was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 25 years ago and has seen vast changes since she started coming to The New Beginnings Center. “I’ve become stronger and more confident,” Kendra says. “This has helped me a lot with my strength and balance as well.”

Cultivating Community

Though her original goal was to help women find their physical strength, Tash says that helping women build community has been the most impactful part of The New Beginnings Center. 

“The community actually ended up being a bigger part of our success than I had anticipated,” she says, adding that several women have formed lifelong friendships through the organization. “But when you think about it, people need people. And honestly, there’s nothing more amazing than women coming together with a common goal and supporting each other.” 

Yennifer Nunez, a New Beginnings client, is deeply familiar with that feeling of community. She often steps in to translate conversations between Tash and Spanish-speaking clients so everyone can get the best experience, strengthening her connections with others at the center. “They show me that you can have a space for yourself and you can have a community that can support you,” she says. “They don’t even know you, but they’re going to support you.”

The future is bright for The New Beginnings Center. Tash has her eye on growth. “I’m starting to dream big,” she says. “It’s been 12 years in this facility, and we’re about to hit capacity soon.” While she’s still mapping out the plans, her mind is set on helping The New Beginnings Center reach as many women as possible.