BEING a professional athlete is a lifestyle choice and requires all kinds of sacrifices in order to succeed.

It demands an around-the-clock commitment, a rigid diet plan and a regimented training schedule.

You need discipline, dedication and desire in spades.

Just ask Ross Peltier.

The new Bulls signing is acutely aware of the hard work that lies ahead if he is to make the grade at Odsal and prosper in a full-time environment.

Rohan Smith's squad will disperse after the Championship Shield final on Sunday and those contracted for the 2017 campaign do not return for pre-season training until November 9.

Yet Peltier, who has joined his home-town club on a two-year deal from Keighley Cougars, has already hit the ground running.

Since his move to Bradford was secured, Peltier has shelved all work commitments away from rugby in order to focus solely on being in tip-top condition.

Standing 6ft 4in and weighing in at 118kg, the 24-year-old Jamaica international is a giant of a man, albeit a fairly laconic one.

The training programme he has embarked on with Bulls strength and conditioning coach Gary Dempsey augurs well for the challenges that lie ahead.

Peltier said: "I've been coming in to Tong to train two or three days a week because I want to get in the best possible shape for the start of pre-season.

"That will give me the best chance of succeeding at the Bulls.

"I took the decision myself to sacrifice two months of whatever I would have earned in a job to just train and work as hard as I can.

"It's a leap of faith but hopefully it will pay off.

"I began coming in one day a week but that has increased to two or three because Rohan wants to integrate me with the boys and get a feel for the club.

"I'm working in the gym with all the lads and I'm enjoying it a lot.

"I've got some targets from Gary Dempsey and I'm well on track with them.

"With the programmes I've been doing in my own time, coupled with the work I'm doing here at the Bulls, I think I have dramatically changed already.

"I've lost a lot of weight as well, so everything is going in the right direction."

Peltier's desire to succeed at Bradford is understandable.

He grew up in the city as a Bulls supporter and has long held an ambition to play for his home-town club at first-team level.

He spent time in the Bradford scholarship as a teenager before being released and joining Huddersfield, where he enjoyed four years in the academy and full-time ranks.

Heading home to the Bulls – a club Peltier admits he would happily represent without pay and simply for the love of the club – has given him the opportunity to reignite his career in a full-time environment.

He said: "I left Huddersfield in 2012 and since then I've been part-time at Keighley.

"But I know what to expect in a full-time environment and it's just about getting up to speed.

"That's why I'm glad Rohan has brought me in when he has so it's not so much of a shock when I start pre-season."

Bulls head coach Smith, who was recommended to Peltier by assistant coach Chev Walker, has applauded the player's determination to succeed.

"Ross has been coming in and using Gary Dempsey as his personal trainer with some fitness sessions," said Smith.

"Gary is doing some great work with Ross, focusing on movement skills and getting some serious strength into his body.

"Ross has made some great progress in the last few weeks already and he is under no illusions about where he needs to be when we start on day one.

"His pre-season has already started and it won't finish before we officially start.

"Ross needs to be in good shape so he can make the most of his pre-season and force his way into our squad to play on a regular basis.

"He's a good kid and he's having a crack."

Representing Jamaica at the end of the domestic campaign should help bolster Peltier's fitness levels further.

The former Beckfoot School pupil explained: "We play Ireland on October 16 over in Dublin and then we've got Wales the week after.

"It will keep me ticking over and I always want to do my best when representing Jamaica.

"A lot of pressure rests on my shoulders because we don't have many forwards.

"Especially with me signing here, I'll be the main forward that people will look to."