Instructor Spotlight: Meet Andrew Julien

29th June

Our Anything Goes vibe means that if you like training that feels like torture, there’s always a class for you here. And usually, it’ll feature Andrew Julien. A regular across our Strength, Sweat and Cycle categories, he knows how to keep you working hard and pushing through by laughing in the face of exhaustion. When we geared up to get our classes running again, he couldn’t wait to get cracking… especially because running around after his kids all lockdown has probably been the toughest workout yet. Ready to meet the man himself?

Can you tell me more about when you started working at Gymbox and how that came about?

Wow, the beginning! I started at Gymbox back in March 2014...I had to check my Instagram for that one!

I had a friend who started as a member, he gave me a shout and said "bro, this gym is the shit!" We spoke about it and I asked if they were hiring. He had no idea so I took it upon myself to find out. As they say, "You don't ask, you don't get!"

What made you decide to turn fitness into a career?

Fitness has been my life. After leaving university, I coached basketball for about five years: under 16s, under 18s and adults. Coaching was great, but I decided to take up personal training in order to advance my coaching and help develop my players into strong players rather than just skilled ones. I fell in love with the learning and the lifestyle and it was then I decided I wanted to go full time.

During lockdown, were you able to carry on teaching virtually?

Lockdown forced us all to adapt and make changes. It also helped us to make moves we've been speaking about for some time! I got a website and a blog together and took the jump. Online, I taught three classes a week: ‘One Body’, a bodyweight class, ‘Adding Resistance’, a weight-based class, and ‘One Bell’, a hybrid class that combines the use of bodyweight and either a kettlebell or dumbbell. I’m also continuing to coach one-on-ones virtually. For Out The Box, I’ve been teaching Drill Sergeant, WOD Squad and Bodyweight Bandits, both live and on demand.

It goes without saying that lockdown was tough. What are some things you were doing to keep yourself positive?

I'm lucky to have a great network at home, a wife and two kids which keep my thoughts away from the floating nonsense and the news. We spent a lot of time entertaining each other, reading, going for walks, getting creative with toys and paper. When I did get some alone time, I would to train, write or jump online and play PlayStation.

What were you most looking forward to doing when restrictions were completely lifted?

There are two things I was really looking forward to. The first was taking my wife out to eat at a restaurant. Shoot, it’s about time somebody else cooked the food and washed the dishes. I'm tired! The second is just sitting in a coffee shop, headphones in, while I watch the world move as it should.

Now we're back in the gyms again, where can people find you teaching?

Now the doors are finally open again, I'm teaching classes and PTing for Gymbox back in central London at a Covid-safe studio, at Elephant & Castle, Holborn and Bank and over on Out The Box.

Give Andrew a follow @ajsmadness and find our blogger Kat’s Insta here.