“You only ever regret the workout session you didn’t do, the hardest part is leaving the house,” says Alice McAra, whose enthusiasm for keeping fit and healthy is inspiring hundreds of people to join the bootcamp sessions she runs with her brother Tom in parks across Aberdeen and Stonehaven.
Whatever the weather, the forecast is always for burpees, squats and battle ropes at Duthie Park, Westburn Park, Denman Park and Mineralwell Park where Alice and Tom put people of all ages and abilities through their paces at the Rebel PT sessions.
“We go out in all weathers,” laughs Alice.
“There’s just something super rewarding about being outdoors.
“You just feel so good once you’ve worked out for an hour then you get home, have a hot shower, have your dinner and think that was epic.”
Lifelong passion for sport
Growing up in Maryculter, sport has always been a massive part of Alice and Tom’s lives.
“I’ve always loved sport, PE was my favourite subject at school and I played girl’s football and started snowboarding at the age of 10,” says Alice.
“Tom has also always been into fitness although he was more into the gym and random sports like Australian Rules Football.”
From Australia to Aberdeen
It was back in 2012 when Tom first started Rebel PT bootcamps with Alice joining as a PT and group fitness instructor two years later after living in Australia.
“Tom started up Rebel PT the year I left to go travelling,” says Alice.
“So I lived in Melbourne for a year where I worked as a waitress.
“The first thing I did when I arrived in Melbourne was join a bootcamp because I wanted to see if there was anything I could learn that I could feedback to Tom in Aberdeen.”
Outdoor fitness and social club
Initially Tom ran bootcamps in both Westburn Park and Denman Park in Westhill before Alice returned from her travels and started a third bootcamp class at Duthie Park.
“It’s 100% my dream job,” says Alice.
“We describe Rebel as an outdoor fitness and social club.
“It’s not just about getting people super fit so they can run really fast or so they get six packs.
“It’s more about coming along, meeting new people, having ace experiences and the by-product is the getting fitter and you’re living a healthier lifestyle.
“Having a six pack is hard to maintain but it’s about having a healthy lifestyle and getting outside for your mental health is easier to do.”
Getting the endorphins flowing
From boxing and body weight exercises to running and skipping, no two bootcamp sessions are ever the same.
“We always want to keep it varied so we use things like sandbags and battle ropes and we also do boxing sometimes and we’ve got skipping ropes,” says Alice.
“Sometimes we do running sessions but the next time it’ll be all strength so we just keep it varied.
“We like to keep our members guessing about what’s to come.
“We also try and play silly games so if someone has been working all day and its all been super serious, they can switch off and have fun.”
Bootcamps in beauty spots across Aberdeen and Stonehaven
As well as using the local parks, Alice and Tom often take their fitness bootcamps on the road to local beauty spots like Balmedie Beach or Aberdeen Beach.
“I honestly think Aberdeen has so much to offer,” says Alice.
“Sometimes it gets a bad wrap for being the Granite City and being a bit grey but there’s so much on its doorstep.
“It’s one of the things that we do try to showcase with Rebel, how great Aberdeen is.”
Prams in the Park: Fitness class for new mums
Although the bootcamp classes are for everyone, there is also Prams in the Park, a specific bootcamp class designed for new mums.
“The class is very similar to the bootcamps, we just have a few more alternative exercises for any of the mums who need them,” says Alice.
“It’s very inspiring to see mums come along with their new babies – it’s an amazing network of new mums.
“It’s all about the social and the mental health benefits.
“So when we’re doing stretches we’re talking about breast feeding and weak pelvic floor muscles, we’re talking about bottle feeding, basically absolutely everything.”
Friendly and sociable
Seeing friendships blossom is one of the most rewarding parts of the job for Alice.
“To see the friendship groups form has been one of the nicest things,” says Alice.
“I love how social it is and I think it’s because it’s a group of like-minded individuals.
“Some people have met, got married and had babies after meeting at Rebel.
“It’s just lovely and we call them rebel babies.
“I actually met my partner Steve Taylor at Rebel and we’ve got a baby daughter called Evie now.”
24-hour ultra run in Aberdeenshire
And while working with a sibling might not appeal to some, for Alice she loves working with her brother.
“Working with Tom is good fun, he’s a brilliant trainer,” says Alice.
“It can be tough to run a family run business but he’s very passionate about it so we bounce our ideas off one another.”
So popular have the bootcamp classes been in Aberdeen that Alice and Tom have since expanded to Edinburgh.
And they have also launched Saltire 24, a 24-hour ultra running event at Knockburn Loch.
“We have started our own 24-hour running race in Aberdeenshire called Saltire 24,” says Alice.
“People say they could never run for 24 hours but we tell them that they can.
“They can do it in teams, in pairs or as a solo runner.
“We’re trying to show people that you can do anything.
“We try to chip away at these walls and the barrier people put up in their head which makes them think they can’t do something and show that they can.”
Wellbeing diary with Alice McAra
What are your top three tips for health and wellbeing?
1: Choose something that you enjoy and can look forward to doing. It could be open water swimming with pals, beasting a bootcamp or going for a walk. Something that doesn’t feel like a chore.
2: Consider dedicating at least 20 mins each day to switch off from your screens.
3: Quality over Quantity. You don’t need to get carried away and make huge adaptions to your life. Small and consistent changes can make a big difference.
Do you incorporate health and wellbeing into your diet?
I try not to be too restrictive and believe in everything in moderation and a balanced diet. I enjoy a glass of wine but I also try and eat five fruit and veg a day.
What are the main benefits of a bootcamp like Rebel PT?
One of the main benefits to bootcamps is the social aspect. Interaction with other adults where you can switch off and have fun. You will also meet lots of people who love spending time outdoors. It gives you this whole new network of people you can ask to go running with, go for a hike up a mountain or go on bike rides etc. We always say the healthy lifestyle is the by-product of doing things you love with cool people.
Are there any other ways you like to switch off and de-stress?
When I’m particularly stressed I like to take my cup of tea outside for 10 or so minutes – I just sit and switch off, feel the breeze, listen to the wind and basically check in with my surroundings. It helps me to feel grounded and it usually helps clear my head.
Can you recommend any wellbeing books/podcasts?
The Rich Roll and The High Performance Podcasts both feature some interesting guests from time to time. However, I’m more of a fan of listening to a Harry Potter book on Audible.
For more information about Rebel PT check out their website www.rebelpt.co.uk Facebook @RebelPT or phone 07539 895388.
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