How I became the Face of Reebokone

One day I received a message from a client of mine that I trained telling me that there is a nationwide competition going on by Reebok and I think you should try out for it. I told her thanks and I'll look into it. I was in such a hustle mode trying to make ends meet that it completely slipped my mind. Until another client of mine sent me the exact link and almost verbatim telling me to try out for it. I felt at that moment, I needed to sign up.

Stopped what I was doing, sent in my requirements and months went by and I received a message from Reebok stating, "On behalf of the Reebok team, I would like to congratulate you on being chosen as a top 12 candidate." "To complete the process and move to the next phase... please read the attached letter in its entirety and complete all of the steps." I won't write out all of the steps, however, the biggest one was to record a video of myself showing the world how fitness has made me #bemorehuman

Here is the video...

From hundreds of instructors, one passionate fitness professional emerged. Meet Andy Dooley, the 2016 Face of the ReebokONE fitness instructor network. Hailing from Ventura, California, Andy is a group fitness instructor who ensures that building a strong sense of community is at the center of all he does. Discover what motivates Andy, where his fitness journey started, and what being the new Face of ReebokONE means to him.

Check out the interview

Andy on where his passion for fitness began:

It all started with my father. My dad was in the military, so my brother and I grew up watching him train and work out. He inspired us. In my family, we watched and played all kinds of sports – football, basketball, soccer, baseball. We loved being active.

When my dad was stricken with diabetes, the meaning of health and fitness changed for me. Watching him go from being very vibrant and strong to having to deal with dialysis and the complications that came with diabetes was hard. And it all came from lack of knowledge about nutrition and what he was putting into his body. From that point on, I wanted to be able to inform all the people I love – friends, family, my neighborhood – about the subject of health and fitness. It’s so important to be healthy from the inside out. It’s not just about aesthetics.

On the atmosphere, this is what he tries to achieve when he trains and coaches:

I strive to build a fitness environment that brings people together from all walks of life. It doesn’t matter what culture you’re from – the power of a fitness community is about being able to get people to live healthier lifestyles by having fun and leaning on each other. Fitness is not just an individual thing. When one person is failing, the coach and the community build that person back up. It’s a team effort.

I don’t want my clients to get to the gym and feel like they’re just coming to boot camp – that they’re going to get killed by their workout each day. Maybe I’m going to kill them with squats…but with a smile! They’re going to have fun while they work out.

On what he thinks the role of a fitness instructor should be:

As a fitness trainer, you can empower, you can lead, you can motivate, and you can inspire. It’s about more than just telling someone to do a burpee. Anyone can do that. Being able to inspire and motivate someone to live a healthier lifestyle outside of the gym – that’s the true role of a fitness instructor.

On what it felt like to find out he was named the 2016 Face of ReebokONE:

When I saw my face come up on the screen, I almost didn’t believe it. It was an awesome, surreal moment. I was blown away. Everyone started clapping – there were so many hugs and just genuine love in the room.

When I called home to tell my wife and family, my two-year-old daughter asked me: “Daddy, are you the Face of Reebok?” And I said, “Yes, Daddy’s the Face of ReebokONE.” She started screaming with excitement. That touched me. At age two, she got so happy. It resonated with her. That was very special for me.

Watch The Actual MOMENT IT HAPPENED! Click Play...

On what “Be More Human” means to him:

To be more human, to me, is being able to embrace the good times as well as the failures. No one is perfect. As a fitness coach, as an athlete, you’re going to have ups and downs. Being more human is about how you respond. Staying humble is being more human.

And finally, what we can expect to see from him next year:

As my own dreams start unfolding, I want to keep going out into the community, making a difference, and helping other people’s dreams come true. I want to do whatever I can to connect with everybody. The sky’s the limit.

Interview originally posted by: Reebok

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