Ten weeks may seem like a long time. But when members of Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping commit 10 weeks to intensive fitness and nutritional training, the impact on their physical and mental well-being can be life-changing. Dramatic before and after photos on the Farrell’s website tell only part of the story. 

Molly Best, manager of the fitness studio at 212 Veteran’s Drive, East Peoria, says Farrell’s signature 10-Week Challenge incorporates everything women and men of all ages need to transform mind and body: kickboxing, strength training, endurance, and nutritional coaching.

“It combines strength aspects, cardio aspects, nutrition aspects, and the unexpected things like the friends you make and the mental strength you gain,” she says. “It’s not just about weight loss. It’s a total body transformation program.”

Cathy Caldwell and her husband, Jeff, have owned Farrell’s in East Peoria and a second location in Peoria since November 2023, but the East Peoria studio has been in a former pizza restaurant for 10 years. It is a local franchise of a company founded 20 years ago in Des Moines, Iowa.

Caldwell says people come to Farrell’s for many reasons. Someone may want to get off their blood pressure medications or they may want to be able to play with their children or grandchildren. Or they may simply want to go up and down stairs without getting winded. She says some are already fit but want to train differently, others want to lose weight and improve mobility. All benefit from the support and accountability of a group of like-minded individuals.

“The people who get the best results are the ones who come in and say, ‘I need to change,’ and then immerse themselves in the program,” Best says. “You get out of it what you put in.”

When people walk into the fitness studio for the first time and don’t see all the usual workout equipment like treadmills, step machines, and weights, they’re not sure what to expect, she says. The 10-Week Challenge begins with an assessment of weight, body measurements, and overall health. These become the benchmarks for progress toward goals.

Members are assigned a coach, who becomes their first point of contact throughout the program. Members then engage in an intensive, daily program of kickboxing and upper and lower body strength training. They also receive detailed meal plans and nutrition coaching as needed and requested by the member.

After 10 weeks, members can continue with FIT (Farrell’s Intimate Transformation), an ongoing program to maintain and continue to pursue gains in overall health and fitness.

Last year six local Farrell’s members entered the company’s annual National Challenge, which offers a $10,000 prize to those who show the greatest overall transformation over the course of 12 months. Four were among the top 10 national finalists: John Whited, Wayne Galpin, and Kaitlyn Willis, all members at Farrell’s Peoria studio, and Shea Schoon of the East Peoria studio. Galpin and Willis placed first in the men’s and women’s categories out of more than 200 competitors nationwide. Galpin lost 64 lbs. (16 percent total body fat loss) and Willis lost 78 lbs. (18.5 percent total body fat loss).

Who works out at Farrell’s? “We get all ages, all fitness levels, different types of people with different abilities,” Caldwell says. She says many members have a connection to another member who had great results. Membership fluctuates with the seasons, with higher numbers during the winter months. 

Farrell’s encourages fitness throughout the community as ambassadors for the Fon du Lac Park District’s Outdoor Fitness Course. In cooperation with the Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association and the Heart of Illinois Down Syndrome Association, Farrell’s also offers Down to Box, a boxing program for individuals with disabilities.

“It’s fun to watch them grow and change in their abilities,” Best said.

“At the end of the day, we’re really just coaching healthy lifestyles,” Caldwell says. “Where members take it from there is up to them.”

The Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping studio is open from 5 to 10:30am and 4 to 7:30pm Monday through Friday. Learn more about Farrell’s programs at https://fxbeastpeoria.com or call 309-322-7216.