Since Laurence’s first Rabble last summer. It’s safe to say that he’s made his mark on the Rabble social scene in a ‘single minded’ yet very likeable way. As well as setting lap and pub records he is never short of an inuendo or a quirp for the ladies. His charm is more floppy haired Hugh Grant than silky smooth Brad Pitt… Laurence has brought a number of friends to Rabble, as well as promoting and sharing social updates. A committed player on and off the field, a true Rabble Rouser.
How did you hear about Rabble?
Rabble was recommended to me by my flatmate at the end of last summer who had been going along for a couple of months. After going to a couple of sessions I was quickly hooked and haven’t looked back.
What do you love about Rabble?
Rabble strikes an excellent balance between offering quality fitness activities where you do really run around a lot (it’s effectively a high-intensity interval session, albeit with more giant pink balls and fewer shuttle runs), with a great social scene – the people who come are really friendly and help to build a genuinely welcoming community
Has Rabble improved your fitness/health?
Improved is a difficult question to answer. It has certainly changed my outlook on health and what I should be doing. Previously, I was running middle/long distance races combined with gym work, focussing on reducing my PBs or somehow changing my body shape (losing fat/building muscle etc). Whilst I was fit and healthy by any reasonable measure, running 20km at the weekend and lifting weights in the gym was quite a lonely existence and I sometimes struggled to motivate myself, as well as having low self-estime when the PBs, weight and fat percentages went the wrong way. Now I’m far less concerned with all that and just want to have fun by running around with my mates, which I think is a far healthier attitude than one can gain from ‘fitness’ magazines and popular press. Having said that, my sprinting has improved dramatically and I’ve certainly built larger thigh and calf muscles from it all!
What is your favourite Rabble game and why?
There are a few favourites (Dodgeball, Capture the Flag, and Frisbee all come to mind) but I think the Hung-over Games probably takes it, especially in the open spaces of Clapham Common or Finsbury Park. You can run pretty decent distances, and the game is well structured to teamwork, meaning tactics really come into play.
What is your favourite Rabble memory?
The highlights are mainly the social outings – the Christmas Party was epic and there have been some legendary all-day drinking sessions, all completely spontaneously, facilitated by the top-quality Clapham pubs. I hope the forthcoming Rabble Tour provides some good stories…
Who would you recommend Rabble to?
It’s probably easier to answer that by who wouldn’t I recommend it to! Those who are concerned by being ‘beach body ready’ or people who are desperate to tell you how much they bench-pressed today need not apply, although ironically I’m sure Rabble would do more to achieve a ‘beach body’ than any protein shake ever will. If you’re fun, keen to meet other fun people and are happy to get stuck in, you’re our kind of person!
How would you sum up Rabble in 3 words?
Fitness by accident