A gym that
feels like home
Since 2020
AR+FF opened its doors at Crypton Business Park on 4 May 2025. Before that, Ben ran outdoor bootcamps around Bridgwater from 2020, starting with a wheelbarrow and a field, then hiring rooms and halls for five years as the group grew. Having our own space means we can coach properly and keep all the kit in one place.
We're a small, friendly gym. Classes are kept small so Ben can get to know you, check your technique and adjust things to suit you. Some of our members want to lose weight or get stronger, some are getting back into exercise after a long break, and some are training for events. All of that is fine.
Active recovery isn't an ice bath
The name matters to us. "Active Recovery" doesn't mean saunas or ice baths. It means being active as a way of recovering, especially when it comes to your mental health. A good session can clear your head, and turning up regularly with a group of people who know your name can make a real difference to how you feel.
What we want is simple: to help people in Bridgwater get mentally and physically stronger, in a place where they feel at home.
Ben's story
Ben to confirm he's happy for his story to go on the site, and how much detail
Ben Larson grew up in Bridgwater. He lost his dad when he was 16, and in the years that followed he struggled with his mental health and turned to drink. In his early twenties he was in and out of hospital and couldn't hold down a job.
He knew he had to make a change, so he moved to Yorkshire. That's where he started training properly, and he put his energy into the gym instead of drinking. He has now been free of alcohol for more than 18 years Rich to confirm, he said 17 and a half years in May 2025.
"If it wasn't for fitness and exercise, I would be dead, and it really did save my life."Ben, speaking to the Bridgwater Mercury
Ben came back to Bridgwater, qualified as a fitness instructor (Level 2 and Level 3 with Lifetime Training) and in 2020 started his first bootcamps with a wheelbarrow and a field. He wanted to help other people who had lost their way, or who simply wanted to get fitter.
After five years of hiring rooms and halls, he opened AR+FF in May 2025. He has since passed his Level 4 in Strength and Conditioning so he can coach children and young athletes too.
Ben is quick to thank the people who helped him get here, including his partner Emma, his family and his members, past and present.
keep moving."
