Andy is also freakishly strong and athletic, even though some would consider him a "normal-sized" guy at just 175 pounds. Case in point, he's one of the lightest men ever to complete the Beast Challenge, where you perform a pistol squat, weighted dead hang pullup, and single-arm overhead press with a beastly 48-kilogram or 106-pound kettlebell. Check out the video below to see Andy in action.
"The overhead press was the hardest part of the challenge for me," says Spear. "But I worked this specialized 6-week ladder program from strength and conditioning legend Pavel Tsatsouline and come testing day, I nailed it."
But according to Andy, he wasn't always a physical specimen. "Growing up, I was a skinny kid with big ears that stuck straight out from my head and a face full of acne," he says. "Outside of gymnastics, I didn't have much confidence in myself."
View this post on Instagram Growing up I was a skinny kid with big ears that stuck straight out from my head and face full of acne. Outside of gymnastics, I didn't have much confidence in myself. My entire life I have had a very difficult time expressing my emotions, both positive and negative. I held in all my angst, uncertainty and lack of confidence. I figured it would get better or go away at some point. I put most of my value as a person on how I looked from a very young age and thought if I 'looked normal' I would change and become a 'better person' and people would like me more. I grew my hair out to cover my ears and put on 45 lbs of muscle my first two years of college. I was pole vaulting for a D1 school and president of my fraternity.. I was still not confident in myself as a person. My identity was based on 'what I did' rather that 'who I was'. I had surgery to 'fix' my ears when I was 24 years old. Still, much of my mid 20s I was floating around, getting by with random jobs until I found training and realized I could coach, teach and motivate for a career. Thank God for that. Purpose. Sure my physical appearance had changed, and sure it probably helped in an industry largely based on aesthetics. But more importantly, I had found a purpose. Loosely defined at that point, but I knew I loved coaching and changing lives and now had an opportunity to do so through fitness. I don't share that part of my life very often, and I wish I did more. I am still working everyday not to fall back into old patterns, self doubt, lack of confidence, beating myself up over my insecurities. Work in progress. Where ever you are right now is exactly where you are supposed to be. That doesn't mean you have to stay there. We all have the power with in us to transform- physically, mentally, spiritually. We all have insecurities and imperfections. That's what makes us human. We have all gone through periods in our life that we wish would end sooner than later. Whatever you've been through in your life made you who you are today. And today you are f*cking awesome! Don't forget that. #yourefuckingawesome #perfectnever A post shared by Andy Speer (@andyspeer) on Nov 29, 2016 at 3:30pm PST
He entered college as a scrawny 140-pound pole vaulter at the University of Miami and put on 45 pounds of rock-hard muscle his first 2 years in college. "I basically just lifted weights and ate everything the cafeteria had to offer," says Spear. This transformation unleashed the beast within him and Andy has never looked back.
Today Andy Speer is one of the most prolific fitness models in the world. And he's inspiring good people like you all over the world to make a change.
Other topics covered in this episode include:
- What it was like winning the grueling Next Top Trainer contest
- Growing up a gymnast
- Pole vaulting at University of Miami
- Serving as Shaun T's protege in several best-selling Beachbody home workout DVDs
- And much more!
P.S. If you liked this episode, be sure to check out the Shaun T podcast.