Don’t get it twisted: Alex M. may look like a flower, but she stings like a bee. And by stings, we mean this former D1 athlete (shoutout to track and field!) knows how to make every minute count in her Strength, HIIT, and Run classes. You’ll sweat, break new personal records, laugh, and will definitely want to come back for more.
A Boston native, Alex has been involved in fitness for as long as she can remember. From a childhood spent exploring every sport under the sun to an adulthood devoted to coaching and running (yes, she’s run not one, not two, but NINE marathons!), Alex is born to move. Her mission? To ignite your inner athlete, too.
“When people think of athletes, they picture playing basketball or soccer at a high level. But in my opinion, you’re an athlete if you’re a mom and lifting your kid 100 times a day, or carrying four bags of groceries,” she says.”
But while she’s a natural, intuitive coach who’ll push you out of your comfort zone—Alex is a lot more than that. Bubbly, playful, and silly, this girl knows how to have fun. Get to know her below, and follow all her adventures at @alexandra_mack.
How did you get started in fitness?
I played every sport imaginable as a kid, and then eventually found out that I was a pretty good athlete. I was recruited to run Division 1 Track and Field where I ran short distances—I was a sprinter and a jumper. Although that was a pretty rough experience for me, I knew from those four years that fitness belonged in my life in some way.
I maintained a normal fitness routine on my own and then fell into fitness modeling post-college. It was a marrying of two worlds of being active, running, my athletic side, and then also being involved in the creative aspect. That was kind of where my fitness journey started. I moved to New York to be a full-time model. I also wanted to immerse myself in the fitness world here and was taking all different types of fitness classes. All of my friends were instructors at different gyms!
During the pandemic, I stepped heavily into the coaching world, focusing on an athletic-based methodology on another digital fitness platform. I learned so much about being a coach, and how to inject that athleticism into training, which I think is something that is missing when it comes to fitness. I truly believe that everyone is an athlete. If you’re showing up for yourself and moving your body, you’re an athlete!
Why do you love running?
Being a runner has completely changed my expectations of what I’m capable of. Never in my life did I think I would run a marathon, let alone nine. If you believe in yourself, you’ll realize you’re so much stronger than you think. Running has influenced my love for movement and contributed to my mental resilience.
What other sports did you play growing up?
I played soccer, did indoor and outdoor track, played field hockey, and was a skier. As a kid, I also played tennis and my mom used to send me to golf camp. My mom was like a killer athlete also. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree!
How would you describe your teaching style?
Athletic. My big thing is to try to push people out of their comfort zones. It’s so easy to fall into doing the same things, which is totally normal. But I believe that when you can control that discomfort in a class, discomfort outside of the gym is so much more approachable and easy to overcome. I want to push you by being motivating, energizing, inspiring, but also fun. If you’re not having fun, then it’s not going to be something you’re going to want to do!
What are your Strength, HIIT, and Run classes like?
When it comes to Strength, I come from more of an educational background. I want people to learn why we’re doing what we’re doing and always bring it back to a real-life situation. For example: we could do squats all day, but why are we doing squats? Of course, we all want nice butts and strong legs, but at the end of the day, there has to be a why to bring it back to real life. I like to remind people that doing squats will help you lift things, walk, carry your groceries, etc.
In HIIT, I’m all about the challenge. I want to get your heart rate up in a controllable way and then help you find the tools to bring it right back down. Of course, it’ll be fun—music and high energy. But don’t worry, there’s always room for modification. I don’t want to eliminate any people who don’t want to be jumping or doing anything high-impact. I always give modifications so that my classes are approachable!
Run is like my baby, obviously. I like to teach how to hold onto the uncomfortable and live in that world knowing it’s not going to last forever. At the same time, I want people to feel good about what they’re doing with me. We can go on runs and hold onto a comfortable pace, it doesn’t always need to be high-intensity. Just as important as it is to get in your hard runs, it’s equally important to get in your comfortable runs.
What type of fitness instructor are you?
I’m a mix of a few things. Because I was a D1 athlete, the coaching aspect naturally falls into place. I’m also relatable, fun, energizing, and bubbly, while still training and motivating you to show up as your best self.
What’s your fitness mantra?
“Yes, you can.” It’s so easy to fall into the mindset of, oh god, this is so hard, I can’t do this. I can’t do this for 10 more seconds, I can’t do five more reps. But if you flip it to a “yes you can,” that is so powerful.
How do you want people to feel leaving your classes?
I want people to feel inspired and challenged, like you stepped out of your comfort zone but feel better for it. Empowerment is such a huge thing, especially when it comes to strength training with women. I find that people are really scared to pick up heavy weights. So I really want to inspire women to feel stronger and get stronger.
What advice do you have for other women in their fitness journeys?
If you’re scared to get started, level up, or lift that heavy weight, it can feel very isolating. But know that you’re not alone! A lot of women struggle with the same feelings, myself included. Not every day is going to be the most motivating, the most inspiring, the most energizing. Starting low and slow is my number one thing with cardio and strength training. For example, people think that strength training always needs to look crazy intense, but it doesn’t. Everybody starts somewhere.
Favorite part about being a fitness instructor?
You, the people! I coached some women who have inspired me so much. There are moms and women who’ve had injuries or pregnancies and are just getting back into running or strength training. They deal with so much in their day-to-day, but they’re still showing up for themselves to do the work, improve themselves, and set an example for their families, partners, whoever it is. It’s amazing seeing these people continue to do those things, regardless of their situations.
Let’s talk life!
Go-to coffee order?
I’m obsessed with Blue Bottle coffee—and I’m an iced coffee drinker all year round, which, admittedly, is insane. I add oat milk and usually a little bit of sweetener.
A workout snack you love?
Usually a banana with peanut butter. And I always love cottage cheese bowls, because I love ways to inject protein into my meal. Usually, that’s cottage cheese paired with fruit or veggies.
Instant mood booster?
A good playlist with vibey or dancey music. I love music in general!
Some of your favorite genres or artists?
I’m really into EDM and dancey remixes right now—Fred again is a favorite. But I’m also a huge 90s throwback music fan.
Any hobbies we should know about?
I love to cook and be in the kitchen. I also love to read—I can get really lost in a good book. And finally, I adore hanging out with my dog Frankie.
Most memorable book you’ve read recently?
The Longest Race by Kara Goucher. She’s an Olympic athlete and an incredible long-distance runner. And she wrote this book about her story when it came to her sponsorship with Nike. That was super impactful because of my running background, so I felt called to her story. The other one is Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad. I couldn’t put it down—I read it in two days.
Favorite marathon you’ve done?
That’s a tough question. As an experience, New York City is the best. I’ve run it four times. The whole city shows up. It’s just such a beautiful experience for everyone—the runners and the spectators. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.
But I think my favorite race was Berlin. I set out with a lofty goal, wanting to break 3:30. I had just run a 3:50. My running coach warned me that it was a lot to shave off 20 minutes, but encouraged me to go for it if I wanted to. I ended up doing it. The feeling of crossing the finish line is unlike anything else in the world.
What’s next on your travel wish list?
Anywhere with a beach and the sun! I’ve also been talking about going to Italy with my boyfriend because he’s never been to Europe.
What show are you watching right now?
It’s hard to get me to sit down and fully focus on a show. So a lot of times I have something playing in the background, like really trashy TV. Married at First Sight was just so hilarious. Trashy TV is sometimes all I can handle after a long day.
Dream day off?
It would be sunny and 65-70 degrees, so I could go for a nice long run. I’d come home, cook a nice meal, hang out with my boyfriend, hang out with Frankie, and go for a walk. I love being outside. I was such a nature baby growing up in the woods. I’d also read a good book, maybe ending the day with a nice glass of wine or an Aperol Spritz.
One thing we can’t google about you?
Well, technically you can Google this, but I was an American Ninja Warrior back in the day. I had gone to a ninja-esque gym in Brooklyn and was just screwing around doing the vertical wall and the salmon ladder, and someone filmed me. I put it on my Instagram. Then, I got a DM that they’d love to have me on the show. At first, I thought it was a joke! Then they called me and told me that I was selected to be on the American tour. I was like, “Wait, what is happening right now?” It was a wild experience.
Favorite tattoo that you have?
That’s the easiest question of all these. I had a dog for 14 years. She was the absolute love of my life and I had to put her down last year. I have her tattooed on my bicep.
If you could only do one workout for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Bootcamp-style training, which is tread and strength together. I could never live without being able to access a run. It helps my mental health exponentially. Also just knowing how important strength training is, I’d want to be able to incorporate that as well.
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