Ayrshire’s Premier Fitness Coach
Gill Sherry
It might be a wee bit too soon to be making New Year’s resolutions… or is it?
When it comes to our mental and physical health, it’s never too early to make a positive change. One man who wholeheartedly believes this, is Scott Brown.
Born and raised in Irvine, Scott joined the Armed Forces after leaving school, spending a total of nine years in the army.
“When I got out… I spent a year or two in Belfast, but I couldn’t really settle into a normal civilian life on Civvy Street. So I did a body guard course and ended up working in Close Protection for a year or so.”
Eventually, though, he reached a point where, to use this own words, ‘enough was enough’.
“I was taking too many risks, so I moved back to Ayrshire. At that time in America there were loads of big bootcamps but there was nothing like that in Scotland. So I decided I was going to set up a military style bootcamp. Not a gym bootcamp, but a proper hard-core bootcamp.”
That was in 2012, and to his amazement, 56 people attended his first session.
“A few years later, I opened my first gym in Tarbolton. I had that gym until COVID. COVID was a sad time but… I’d outgrown that gym so I handed it over to my personal trainer who was from Tarbolton… and I opened a gym three times the size in Irvine.”
Since then, his reputation as a fitness coach has continued to grow, with people coming from far and wide to take advantage of his services and tap into his ‘can do’ attitude. However, you don’t have to commit to an annual membership to benefit. Classes are also available on a casual pay-as-you go basis.
There’s no doubt Scott’s personal achievements provide inspiration for those looking to make improvements of their own. These include cycling from Dundonald to the Cairngorms in under 24 hours, kayaking solo from Ardrossan to Arran, cycling the West Highland Way in under 18 hours, and completing the London Marathon whilst carrying a 50lb backpack.
I ask which one of the many challenges was the toughest.
“I could say the 220-mile race from Portpatrick to Cockburnspath on the east coast. I took the course record in 58 hours. You would think that would be the toughest race I’ve done because it’s so long but the fact is, I’ve done races that are less than 24 hours that I’ve not prepared for or that I’ve underestimated, so I think they’re all tough in different ways.”
Tougher still was raising money for charity, but he’s so far managed to raise £135,000 for various different causes.
So what motivates him?
“I just like to constantly test myself and be better than I was before. I just want to keep improving, be the best version of myself all the time and be ready for anything. I want to be able to take anything on at any point.”
He also gets immense satisfaction from seeing other people meet their goals.
“Somebody could be training for a 10K or a marathon, or they join a weight loss accountability group. I’ve got people on all different parts of the scale. I’ve actually just had a PT this morning with a girl who has lost exactly five stone on her journey with me. That inspired me massively. I think inspiration comes from different ways.”
Scott’s passion for everything ‘fitness’ is obvious. He’s practically bursting at the seams when he tells me about the different options available to his clients.
“If people want to do something for a purpose, not just in the gym but fundraising challenges and stuff, this is the place to come and do it. You don’t get many places that cycle to the Cairngorms and things like that!”
One of the things Scott wanted to do when he first opened Scott Brown Fitness, was to change people’s perception of a gym.
“I wanted to change the way people looked at the gym, you know, bodybuilders and testosterone and stuff like that. I wanted to say, this is a safe place for you to come and be anybody you want to be. It doesn’t matter what shape or size you are, you’ll feel part of the team.”
He’s also keen to point out that if you’re passionate about the outdoors, there are plenty of open air options, including those military style bootcamps!
“Nobody comes in for the same thing. I’m a very positive person and I try and make somebody’s day better by making that hour all about them. It might be rehab or strength gain or weight loss, everybody is doing something different. Some are athletes, some are at totally the opposite end. But I don’t have an ideal client… I like working with everybody.”
Of course, success is one of the best forms of motivation. Equally, Scott likes to ensure that his clients are motivated to succeed.
“Sometimes I feel I’m more motivated for people to get wins then they are!”
I’m not surprised. His relentless enthusiasm must be hard to emulate. In fact, he’s already looking forward to his next big challenge.
“I’m doing a race in January called the Spine Race that’s 268 miles across the full length of the Pennine Way in England. That will be the biggest race that I’ve ever done. I can’t wait.”
He’s so matter-of-fact he makes it sound like a walk in the park rather than what is widely regarded as Britain’s most brutal endurance race. With climbs of 10,000 metres across the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland National Park, Hadrian’s Wall and the Cheviots, it’s described as an epic challenge that tests both physical resilience and mental fortitude. He could also encounter night-time temperatures as low as -10°C. The time limit for the race is 168 hours. And let’s not forget, there are only eight hours of daylight in January.
No prizes for guessing what’s Scott’s New Year’s resolution will be! And something tells me he’ll stop at nothing to achieve it.
When it comes to other people’s resolutions and fitness goals, Scott offers this advice: “If people really want to take their fitness seriously then they need somewhere like Scott Brown Fitness. When you sign up, you don’t just sign up and then you’re left to it, you’ve got somebody to help you all the way through. They’ll help you meet your goals and if you’re stuck, you’ve got that help.”
The success stories speak for themselves. People travel for miles to take advantage of Scott’s expertise. It’s the combination of physical and mental strength that has earned him the reputation as Ayrshire’s premier fitness coach.
For more information, visit www.scottbrownfitness.co.uk
