Getting fit

With adversity comes opportunity. That is exactly what trainers Erin Wood, Tonia Householder and Sierra DeVoe found when the place they called home to lead workouts and help transform people, both body and mind, closed a little more than month ago. The three women wasted no time looking for a new avenue and together formed Body Shop Fitness.

“We started because 163 Fitness in Prairie City decided to close down and we just realized the need for it in the communities. We got together and just said what can we do, is it possible to do something to keep it going and here we are,” Wood said.

Located at 6512 Highway F70 W., just west of Monroe, Wood knew the large building wasn’t being used for anything and began to form a plan. The large space, although in no shape to hold any workouts, could become what the women needed, with a little work.

“Erin warned us that we should come in and she had a vision,” DeVoe said. “We found this wonderful, junky, old shop so we kind of played of that. We kept calling it the shop so we said let’s call it the Body Shop, it just fit.”

Putting in the sweat equity needed to turn the space around, about a month later it was unrecognizable. Cleaned, painted and packed with gym equipment, Body Shop Fitness had taken shape.

The trio faced another hurdle while starting their business. With the globe currently in a pandemic, they had to look at new and different ways to offer services then they previously were used to.

“I think we are finding people are excited because the miss that human interaction, so we’re just finding ways to be safe about it, using CDC regulations and all of those things to help guide us along the way. So far we have felt pretty safe about it,” Householder said. “That is also why we started offering the virtual for those who aren’t comfortable yet. I think we’ve done a good job trying to find avenues for people who aren’t comfortable.”

People can find their fit at Body Shop with several different offerings Monday through Saturday. The women stayed with what they knew with fitness classes focused on cardio, strength, the core and kick boxing. They are also looking to expand outside of the wall of the shop.

“Plyometrics, we’re excited about our outdoor space, get out there and use some of that,” Householder said.

Unlike at their previous location, signing up for a class and reserving a spot is now required to keep thesizes at 20 per class. Sign up forms can be found on their Facebook page, Body Shop Fitness, each week.

“We also have personal training, those are kind of the client and the trainer get together, the same thing with small group which we try to keep under 10 people,” DeVoe said.

A lunch time open gym is also on the calendar after people requested opportunities to work out during the day since going to the office isn’t the norm for everybody right now.

“People asked for classes over the noon hour since they are working from right now. What we are offering is open gym where they can come do their own workout or we will also put a workout on the board,” Wood said.

Additional opportunities the women are looking at include reaching out to student athletes to help them prepare for their upcoming athletic seasons.

“One thing we really want to start offering is working with the athletes at the high school and middle school level. Whatever they want to gain for their sport, they can come out here and we can help them do that,” Wood said.

As they begin the new venture, the women are excited to do what they love and share it with the communities that are important to them.

“Ultimately, we’re really doing this for community. We see the need for it and people are so excited,” Householder said. “We’re excited what the new location is going to offer and we had a good base coming from Real Fitness and 163 and want to keep going.”

For more information about Body Shop Fitness visit its website at bodyshopfitnessia.com and stay up to date on its Facebook page.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com