Combining Fitness with Heart at CrossFit PTBO

CrossFit PTBO was a dream turned into reality by partners in life and business, Ruth & Dave. Since its opening in 2015 CrossFit PTBO has established itself as an industry-leading facility focusing on a wellness-based approach.

“We are a fitness facility, but not a typical one” Ruth shares. “People come here for coaching or instructional correction with our team. Many come here with health-related goals, like building bone density, rehabilitation after or before surgery, or using fitness as a way to lessen their antidepressant dosage. So we aren’t focused on just “go work out and leave”, we help people achieve their specific goals and make big life differences.

As CrossFit enthusiasts themselves, Ruth & Dave met at a CrossFit gym. Their shared passion brought them together. They were both working full-time jobs when they started CrossFit PTBO however, within a year, Dave started working full-time in the business and Ruth joined in June 2019.

“It’s funny how naive we were then. We thought “oh we want to work out, open up a gym and start a business. It’s easy!” We quickly realized it’s not easy!”

Like many business owners, they knew for their business to do really well, they had to pour their heart and soul into it. Ruth expressed that she wants CrossFit PTBO members to feel that passion in the way that they communicate and encourage each other both at the gym and in their everyday lives.

“Our gym is very community-oriented. Everyone knows each other by their first names. We are positive and supportive, and take the right approach on safety first so you can enjoy [CrossFit] for the next 20, 30, 40 years. We are truly invested in members for the long term.”

Dave and Ruth’s dedication to the community is evident through their incredibly active CrossFit PTBO community Facebook page. Here they post many valuable things to promote community such as encouraging posts, information for members, and “Bright Spot Fridays” where they celebrate the day-to-day ongoings of members and focus on positivity in these uncertain times. 

Dave and Ruth celebrate their local community in many ways, even extending to other local small businesses.

“The Peterborough & the Kawarthas community is so important in so many ways. We have to support one another. I highlight a small business every Sunday on our social media. My thinking is, if we don’t support each other, there will be no more small businesses left!”

Highlighting local businesses to promote awareness and encourage gym members to support them is not surprising for CrossFit PTBO. Since the start, Dave and Ruth wanted their business to be more than “just a gym”.  They want the community to know that they’re there to support them in their overall wellness and life goals. The actual workouts are a small part of the overarching dream that these two fitness buffs envisioned. 

When asked what she wants the community to know Ruth says “that we are not just about intense workouts. We really want to understand your goals. I talk to every person who is interested in our gym. We don’t just throw anyone into our classes. We want to find the right route for you. This is really important to us.” Their main focuses are group CrossFit classes, the CrossFit PTBO Olympic Weightlifting Club, and personal training.

She goes on “When people don’t know what we do, it’s easy for them to say “don’t do CrossFit because it’s intense and you lift heavy weights” but that is not what we are about.”

CrossFit PTBO takes a more holistic approach to the sport, focusing on individual goals and abilities. Each coach at the gym customizes workouts for each member’s level of ability and accounts for any injuries or limitations that they might have. 

“Even though we are not a physiotherapy clinic, many people come to us for personal training when they have an injury. We are able to help them develop a plan to keep them active during the injury, and continue going to the gym.”

To learn more about CrossFit PTBO visit their website: https://crossfitptbo.com/, follow them on social media, or stop by the gym at 701 The Queensway Unit 5-6 in Peterborough.