FFC Park Ridge has a new Climbing Wall Coordinator!

Meet our new Climbing Wall Coordinator, Megan Kelleher. Megan Kelleher is an experienced rock climber and fitness professional with a diverse background in wellness, entrepreneurship, and yoga. She discovered her passion for top rope climbing in Northern California as a teen and has since continued climbing at gyms like FFC, where she’s been a member since 2019.

Megan is currently pursuing a Business Administration degree with a minor in Entrepreneurship at DePaul University. She also has over a decade worth of experience in the health and wellness industry, including earning her 200-hour yoga certification in 2005. She has assisted multiple yoga teacher training programs and has taught yoga periodically, which has given her a strong foundation in mindful movement, body awareness, and coaching others to achieve their physical potential.

In addition to her fitness expertise, Megan previously ran a product design studio in Chicago’s West Loop, working with companies such as Therabody (Theragun) and Factor 75 to develop innovative wellness products. This blend of business acumen and fitness knowledge positions her to create engaging, results-driven programs for FFC Park Ridge’s climbing wall.

Stay tuned for more information on climbing events coming soon!

Sound Bath and Guided Meditation

Enjoy the Healing Sound Bowl and Guided Meditation portion of class to help clear energy blocks and restore harmony and peace in the body on Sunday, January 26 from 6:00 – 7:00 PM. Feel free to bring friends and family.

This event is complimentary, make sure you book in advance in the FFC+ app.

Complimentary Workshop: How to make new habits stick in 2025.

In this one-hour hands-on workshop on Tuesday, January 7 at 6:15 PM, learn how to apply the science of behavior change to your life and your New Years Resolutions.

This workshop is led by Stephanie Campione. Stephanie has 22 years in the training and coaching industry. As a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Stephanie helps those she works with to create sustainable lasting habits. This is a complimentary workshop you will not want to miss!

Contact Stephanie at scampione@ffc.com to RSVP.

$115 Facial Peels

From January 1 – 31, enjoy a discounted $115 Facial Peel (facials at FFC Oak Park and FFC Park Ridge). The Hibiscus Flower Peel contains a complex of azelaic and mandelic acids that increases cellular turnover and cell energy while the hibiscus acid increases hydration, DNA protection and brightening properties in the skin. The DNAge A Peel is a great treatment that impacts skin at a cellular level, repairing damage and increasing collagen production for total rejuvenation.

Book your service in the FFC+ app!

Red Light Therapy and Private Infrared Sauna Now Available at FFC West Loop

Come enjoy your private Red Light Therapy or Infrared Sauna session in our spa, and receive all the anti-aging benefits along with the recovery aspects.

$25 for a 20 min session – purchase and book a session in the FFC+ app.

Sound Bath and Guided Meditation

Enjoy the Healing Sound Bowl and Guided Meditation portion of class to help clear energy blocks and restore harmony and peace in the body on December 31 from 6:00 – 7:00 PM. Feel free to bring friends and family. This event is complimentary, make sure you book in advance in the FFC+ app.

For more details, email acastillo@ffc.com.

 

December Holiday Hours 2024

We wish you all a happy, healthy holiday season! Please find our holiday hours for all FFC locations below. All members will have access to all clubs on these days. Have a great holiday!

Tuesday, December 24

  • West Loop, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, East Lakeview, Oak Park, Park Ridge, Elmhurst, South Loop, Old Town – 7 AM – 5 PM
  • Union Station: Closed

Wednesday, December 25

  • West Loop, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, East Lakeview, Oak Park, Park Ridge, Elmhurst – 7 AM – 1 PM
  • Old Town, South Loop, Union Station: Closed

Thursday, December 26

  • Regular hours resume for all locations.

Tuesday, December 31

  • West Loop, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, East Lakeview, Oak Park, Park Ridge, Elmhurst, South Loop, Old Town, Union Station: Closes at 7 PM

Wednesday, January 1

  • West Loop, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, East Lakeview, Oak Park, Park Ridge, Elmhurst: 7 AM – 5 PM
  • Old Town, South Loop, Union Station: Closed

Thursday, January 2

  • Regular club hours resume for all locations.

 

FFC East Lakeview Closed For Maintenance On 12/21

Members, this is a heads-up that FFC East Lakeview will be closed for annual maintenance on Saturday, December 21.

We appreciate your understanding. For additional questions, email Sarah at sfassett@ffc.com.

FFC East Lakeview will resume normal business hours on Sunday, December 22.

 

Member of the Month – Anna Soukup

Meet our Member of the Month, Anna Soukup! See the Q&A to learn more about ’s FFC Anna’s Story:

  1. What does membership at FFC mean to you? 

Having a membership means investing in a healthy lifestyle and with a community of people with similar interests.

  1. When I am at FFC you will find me…

You will find me at the pool.

  1. I work out to…

I workout to create a daily habit that I want as part of my life.  It also helps me feel like I accomplished a great deal first thing in the morning.

Oak Park December member of the month Ana Soukup

Indoor Triathlon

Come join us for the 2025 FFC Indoor Triathlon Series, powered by Grit Endurance! This is a great opportunity for athletes of all levels, from beginners to advanced. Whether you are looking to complete your first triathlon in a controlled environment or challenge yourself to improve your performance, this race is for you!

Race Dates and Locations:

  • Saturday, January 18 at 8:00 AM AND Saturday, March 8 at 8:00 AM
  • FFC Union Station (444 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL, 60606)
  • $75 per person for one race | $125 per person for both races – To register, visit the group fitness section in FFC+ app, set your club location to Union Station, then choose the date of the event from the calendar.

What’s included with your race entry:

  • Finisher’s Certificate
  • $15 off a Grit Endurance Swim Lesson
  • $15 off a FFC massage

Race structure:

  • 10-minute pool swim
  • 15-minute transition to spin bikes
  • 30-minute bike
  • 5-minute transition to treadmills
  • 20-minute run

How it will work and FAQs:

  • Waves of 4 athletes will start the race every 25-minutes, beginning at 8:00 AM. Your wave time will be first come first serve based on your registration order (i.e, the first 4 registrants start at 8:00 AM, next 4 at 8:25 AM, etc.)
  • Athletes will have access to the pool for 15 minutes prior to their wave to warm up
  • Race results will be based on total distance covered during the swim, bike and run portions based on the following weighting system:
    -Swim: 10x distance covered
    -Bike: 1x distance covered
    -Run: 3x distance covered
  • Athletes will have access to the locker rooms, showers, drinking fountains, etc., but should bring their own nutrition / hydration as needed
  • Athletes should arrive at least 20 minutes prior to their wave time to check in, get changed, and get to the pool for the swim start (you must be on time to your wave start in order to participate!)
  • The pool is 24.6 yards long, and is a maximum of 4 feet and 3 inches deep

Holiday-Themed Group Fitness Classes

Join us during December for some fun, holiday-themed Group Fitness classes! View the lineup of classes below, then reserve your space in the FFC+ app.

Elmhurst 

Thursday, December 12:

  • Festive Formula 94 – 9:45 AM with Lila

Monday, December 16:

  • Holiday Heated Vinyasa – 6:30 PM with Greg

Wednesday, December 18:

  • Ho Ho Hydro Fit – 10:15 AM with Bianca

Thursday, December 19:

  • Jingle Barre Bootcamp – 5:30 PM with Alexandra

Saturday, December 21:

  • Candy Cane Critical Mass – 9:30 AM with Cori

Monday, December 23:

  • HoliDANCE – 5:30 PM with Cori

East Lakeview 

Friday, December 13:

  • HoliDANCE – 6:00 PM with Jen, Dominick & Matt

Saturday, December 14:

  • Jingle Barre Bootcamp – 8:30 AM with Becca
  • SLAYride – 9:15 AM with Becca
  • Ho Ho Hydro Fit – 10:00 AM with Becca

Thursday, December 19:

  • Ho Ho Hydro Fit – 9:00 AM with Becca

Monday, December 23:

  • Holly Jolly Body Blast – 5:30 PM with Matt

Gold Coast

Monday, December 16:

  • Ho Ho Hydro Fit – 10:00 AM with Becca & Arthur 
  • Jingle Barre Bootcamp – 6:30 PM with Becca

Tuesday, December 17:

  • HoliDANCE – 6:30 PM with Kaley & Romeo & Spencer

Wednesday, December 18:

  • SLAYride – 5:30 PM with Andrew

Thursday, December 19:

  • SLAYRide – 6:15 PM with Darren

Sunday, December 22:

  • Yuletide Hatha Yoga – 10:30 AM with Mary

Tuesday, December 31:

  • Resolution Ride – 9:00 AM with Keith

Lincoln Park 

Tuesday, December 17:

  • Festive Formula 94 – 5:30 PM with Becca
  • SLAYride – 6:30 PM with Becca
  • Holiday Heated Vinyasa Yoga – 6:45 with Julie

Wednesday, December 18:

  • Holiday Heated Vinyasa Yoga – 10:00 AM with Sinthia 
  • Candy Cane Critical Mass – 5:30 PM with Lara
  • SLAYride – 6:15 PM with Lara

Saturday, December 21:

  • Festive Formula 94 – 8:00 AM with Lois
  • Jingle Barre Bootcamp – 10:00 AM with Jill

Old Town

Monday, December 16

  • Candy Cane Critical Mass – 5:45 PM with Dominick

Wednesday, December 18:

  • Jingle Barre Bootcamp – 5:45 PM with Charlotte

Oak Park 

Sunday, December 15:

  • HoliDANCE – 11:30 AM with Mimi & Liz

Thursday, December 19:

  • Ho Ho Hydrofit – 5:00 PM with Ashley

Saturday, December 21:

  • SLAYride – 8:30 AM with Amy

Sunday, December 22:

  • HoliDANCE – 11:00 AM with Andrea, Liz, Michelle & Kari

Tuesday, December 31

  • Resolution Ride – 9:00 AM with Craig

Park Ridge 

Thursday, December 19:

  • SLAYride – 5:15 AM with Janelle

Saturday, December 21:

  • Festive Formula 94 – 9:15 AM with Sara 

Monday, December 23:

  • Holly Jolly Body Blast – 5:30 PM with Doreen

Monday, December 30:

  • Resolution Ride – 5:30 PM with Brian

South Loop 

Tuesday, December 17:

  • HoliDANCE – 12:15 PM with Dominick & Ramon

Sunday, December 22:

  • SLAYride- 9:30 AM with Nazha
  • Holly Jolly Body Blast – 10:15 AM with Nazha

Union Station 

  • Holly Jolly Body Blast – with Lois 

West Loop 

Monday, December 16:

  • HoliDANCE – 6:45 PM with Asia & Kaley

Wednesday, December 18:

  • SLAYride – 5:30 PM with Daniela
  • Holly Jolly Body Blast – 6:30 PM with Daniela

Thursday, December 19:

  • SLAYride – 5:30PM with Brian

Monday, December 23:

  • SLAYride – 5:30 PM with Danny

 

Help Decorate FFC’s Community Tree

Let’s make our FFC Community Tree look awesome throughout the month of December! Bring in an ornament and join in on the fun as we give our community tree a holiday makeover in celebration of the festive season.

Noon Year’s Eve Celebration

Ring in the new year a little early with workouts, toasts and plenty of celebration before the clock strikes twelve on Tuesday, December 31 at 11:30 AM! We’ll count down to noon with our favorite community and make a lot of noise as we welcome 2025!

Ugly Sweater Day at FFC

Get festive with us at FFC for Ugly Sweater Day—wear your wackiest, most outrageous holiday sweater and join the fun on Wednesday, December 18!

Show off your style while staying fit with the FFC community and don’t forget to tag @ffc_chicago in the fun on Instagram!

Get Ahead of the New Year with Discounted RMR/Vo2 Max Testing

Why wait to get started on your New Year goals? Hit the ground running by completing your metabolism and Vo2 Max Tests now! Sign up for nutrition services and enjoy $40 OFF a Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) Test & Consultation and/or VO2 Max Test. Already a nutrition client? Get $20 OFF an RMR Test and/or Vo2 Max Test!

An RMR test is the Gold-standard test that measures exactly how many calories you need to consume for healthy weight loss, to maintain your weight but hit your nutrient requirements, or to properly gain weight at a steady pace without gaining excess fat.

A VO2 Max Test provides you with the most accurate heart rate zones to ensure you are working out smarter, not harder.

To purchase or book your sessions, email us at nutrition@ffc.com.

 

WTF is WTF!?

Learn the science behind this FFC group fitness class format that Members have been raving about.

 

WTF! (Work Till Failure) is Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC)’s newest group fitness class. If you’ve heard about the format and have wondered what it’s all about, you’re not alone. I mean, a name like that is sure to catch anyone’s attention! So, wtf is WTF!? Keep reading to learn how this class filled with heavyweight exercises has captivated FFC Members. And, you’ll learn why you should take it!

Okay, So WTF is WTF!?

WTF! is a 45-minute group fitness class that uses heavy weights to tone your body, strengthen your muscles, and increase your overall confidence. When you walk into the FFC group fitness studio, grab a few sets of heavy dumbbells: 1-2 of your heaviest, and 1-2 just a bit lighter. New to WTF!? Be sure to let your instructor know so they can better coach you!

The class consists of 8 exercises and 2 full rounds. The exercises vary by class. You may find yourself doing weighted lunges, chest flies, tricep extensions, bicep curls, overhead presses, and more; one thing you’ll never be during this class is bored! Each exercise starts with 45 seconds of your heaviest dumbbell, followed immediately by 45 seconds of a slightly less heavy dumbbell. There is a 30-second break between each exercise. Once all 8 exercises are complete, round 2 begins. The goal of the first 45 seconds is to work until failure; now you know why it’s called WTF!

FFC Chicago Work Till Failure (WTF!) Group Fitness Class

How and Why was WTF! Developed?

FFC develops all group fitness classes in-house. WTF! was developed this Fall (2024) by Lois Miller, FFC Group Fitness Director. Strength training is a key ingredient in a healthy lifestyle, and has been gaining popularity in recent years as more people learn its benefits.

Between the right timing and a fantastic name idea (you can’t disagree with this great name), Lois knew that FFC Members would embrace this class when it launched! Using her decades of training and group fitness experience, Lois developed WTF!, a class where participants can strength train with the guidance of a group fitness instructor.

FFC Chicago Work Till Failure (WTF!) Group Fitness Class

Why Should I Take WTF!?

WTF! is for everyone. Whether you’ve been training with heavy weights for years, or you’ve never picked up a set of dumbbells, you’ll benefit from WTF! Strength training during the WTF! class will not only strengthen your muscles, but it will also lean your figure, improve your posture, strengthen tendons and ligaments, balance out your cortisol levels, and increase your metabolism. Did you know that during a cardio workout, your calories stop burning immediately following the workout, however during a heavy strength workout (like WTF!), your body continues to burn calories long after the workout is complete?!

An even greater benefit of WTF! than those listed above is increased confidence. When you’re able to lift heavy weights, you’re able to complete everyday tasks like climbing stairs carrying children or backpacks with greater ease. You’ll feel incredibly accomplished as you begin to notice your body getting stronger. You’ll also find pride in the ability to lift heavier weights than you ever thought possible. And, you’ll have a LOT of fun while doing so. As I said above, WTF! is anything but boring!

How Do I Sign Up?

So you’re ready to try it out! Already an FFC Member? Sign up for WTF! TODAY in the FFC+ app! If you’re new to FFC, sign up to take a tour of the Club, and ask your Membership Representative to get you registered for class! 

Let’s get stronger together with WTF!, FFC Chicago!

 

Try WTF Group Fitness Class at FFC on us!
Blog by FFC Marketing Manager Sydney Meyer & FFC Group Fitness Director Lois Miller

East Lakeview Member Appreciation Week

Staying home for the holidays? Bring your friends and family members to FFC East Lakeview for our Member Appreciation Week on Monday, December 23 to Friday, December 27! All week long, bring a guest for free and join in the FFC festivities! We’ll have cocoa, surprises for members and guests, and maybe even a Grinch sighting or two!

Questions? Contact Sarah at sfassett@ffc.com.

 

FFC Elmhurst is turning 6! Let’s celebrate!

Bring the family and join us on Thursday, December 12 from 5:30 – 7:30 PM to celebrate the six-year anniversary of FFC Elmhurst. The evening will include food, drink specials, and kids activities in the gymnasium including our bouncy house. Enjoy a complimentary guest day to share the experience with your friends. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Contact Scott at sl@ffc.com with any questions.

Santa Is Coming To Town

Have you told Santa what you want for the Holidays? Join us for pancakes and a photo with Santa Claus on Saturday, December 14 from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM in the Cafe. There will also be a fun craft to work on while you visit with friends and family around the Community Table!

Contact Jaime at jmules@ffc.com for more information.

S’Mores Kits are available at Local’84 Cafe

The outdoor plaza fire pit is your destination to make yourself a s’more this fall season between 5:30 – 7:30 PM. Stop by the cafe for a kit.