September 7, 2021 12.04 pm This story is over 31 months old

Farm fit: Pandemic career switch births unique rural gym

A good way to ‘combine’ his skills
RB Fitness runs farm-style boot camps using farming items such as tractor tyres, weighted cans and battle ropes.

Working calves now has a different meaning for Ross Booth who made a pandemic career change, swapping life on the family farm to becoming a personal trainer running classes and farm-style boot camps.

Ross, 32, grew up in Leadenham on the family’s arable farm where his dad Rod and brother Rory still work, harvesting wheat, barley and sugar beet.

After attending university in Loughborough, Ross worked for a recycling company before going back to the family farm four years ago. He said working on a farm can at times feel quite isolated and he wanted to work with more people, so RB Fitness was born in April this year.

Personal trainer Ross Booth (right) on the family farm with his brother Rory (left) and father Rod (centre).

RB Fitness runs a range of classes and packages from farm-style bootcamps to 1:1 personal training and sports performance coaching from Ross’ studio at 57 High Street in Leadenham (Monday to Saturday). After people complete the sessions they can then visit the lambs in the field next door.

For the bootcamps, Ross uses tractor tyres, weighted cans and battle ropes, and will also use hay bales within his fitness sessions.

Ross would like to a-tractor lot of new members. Classes cost £7 or £3 for members, while personal training packages range between £25 to £40. Memberships cost £26 per month with discounted packages available.

Members can join online here or by calling RB Fitness on 07951 660256, and go to the studio for an initial free consultation. All members will also receive recipe packs monthly from Ross, who is qualified in level 5 nutrition.

Ross Booth is the founder of RB Fitness in Leadenham.

Personal training using tractor tyres at RB Fitness.

Ross told The Lincolnite: “Working in farming is great, as is being outdoors, but it can feel quite isolated.

“I enjoy working with more people and wanted to make the most of the environment, which is very different to any city or town gyms. I wanted to create something more unique.

“I loved the idea of creating a community, especially after the year we’ve had and people feeling isolated. I wanted to create unity and allow people to regain their confidence. Personal training gives people the confidence and then unlocks so much more than physical benefits.

“It’s been really positive so far. It has surprised me that people are travelling from Peterborough and North Lincolnshire, it feels great and I’ve been overwhelmed with the support everyone has given me.”

One of the farm-style boot camps in action.

RB Fitness also offers personal training and circuit training.

Although Ross is fully focused on his personal training business, he still works on the family farm from time to time including on the tractors and combine harvesters.

Ross loves to keep fit in his spare time too. He played hockey at a high level in the National League for Peterborough, where he was captain for eight years, alongside coaching at Leadenham Hockey Club.

He played in his own testimonial match for his current team Lindum away against his former club Peterborough, who are two divisions higher, on Friday, September 3. Ross managed to score a hat-trick in the 5-2 win for Lindum, having only netted once for Peterborough in the last three years.