14 Aug This Gladiator Teaches, and Learns, Lessons in Life Every Day

Brandi Rafield Ross is a certified personal trainer, entrepreneur and newlywed. At just 30 years old, she is deeply embedded in living her personal mission every day.

“I knew my purpose at 18,” she says. “My personal mission is to inspire and help others truly believe that they are loved, worthy and capable of achieving anything!”

She became a certified personal trainer that year, and she has been following that calling for 12 years . Brandi feels her reach and impact have grown exponentially in the last four years — since she became a partner with Camp Gladiator. A nation-wide, outdoor fitness camp open to all ages and fitness levels and focused on making exercise fun, Camp Gladiator sessions are results-oriented and yet include childhood games like dodgeball, Hot Potato and even Duck, Duck, Goose.

“In the first eight years of my career, I know that I impacted thousands of lives, largely through individual and small-group training and coaching sessions. Now, through Camp Gladiator, I can coach and train groups of people; I can touch 20-50 lives in a single hour!”

Camp Gladiator is a community-oriented experience, where campers gather not only for group workouts but also for picnics, parties and more. Those events provide opportunities for Brandi to work with campers’ friends and family as well as coworkers.

Brandi is thrilled to watch the ripple effect of her personal brand of positivity, determination and hard work.  “I’ve been blessed to launch Camp Gladiator in new cities, finding trainers and building community. We’ve adding 63 locations and 15 trainers in Brandon — all in just four years. That’s so many lives touched!”

She’s also the first to admit this type of growth — and her hands-on, passionate coaching style —  are very demanding in terms of her time and personal energy. One of her most important life lessons has been that she must take steps to protect her own energy and health. She’s worked the last year especially at finding time for herself and her family amidst the high-energy training sessions and business development tasks.

“I’m an entrepreneur; there’s really no such thing as balance. I’m always pouring myself into my clients and the business; I’m always ON as a trainer. So I learned to take time to pour back into myself with more solo pursuits: I run and listen to audiobooks as well as paddle boarding and practicing hot yoga. And I made a commitment last year to making more time for family.”

Another life lesson was that she doesn’t have to do it all or be perfect all of the time. She has partnered with meal prep services to maintain her clean style of eating while gaining time for other pursuits. “Your life should be 70 percent eating clean and working out and 30 percent really living your life,” she says. “Have that cocktail! Enjoy that special meal with friends and family!”

Brandi has also discovered the power of social media for indirect coaching. “I focus on sharing the positive messages, inspiring images and uplifting quotes that someone out there needs to see today.” And the ripple effect spreads.

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