Every lifter’s dream is to build a personalised home gym, right?
Well, American bodybuilding icon Jesse James West has given his subscribers an inside track on how he created his very own playground.
The vlog started by taking us back to April, the beginning of the mammoth process, when all he had was an empty basement and a plan.
The New Jersey star visited two industry heavyweights, Fusion and Matrix, trialling pieces of their equipment to see if it was up to scratch for his little slice of lifting heaven.
“I’m like a kid in a candy store,” Jesse admitted while squatting, pressing and stepping his way through the range of contraptions on offer.
Initially torn between both companies, later in the video he received a call which made his decision a whole lot easier.
“I just got off the phone with Fusion and unfortunately they told me it’s going to take over six months to get this gym equipment and then start the gym build,” he said.
“Although that might be the standard, Matrix told me that they can do the entire gym, start to finish, in two to three months. So, to me the decision is very clear.
“While Fusion’s equipment is absolutely fantastic, I’m going to be going with Matrix.”
With the equipment sorted, the next task was to paint the walls, rip up the carpets and replace the flooring with a more sturdy, rubber alternative.
And then the equipment started to pour in, with everything from dumbbells, Smith Machines and Multi-Purpose Trainers being hauled in over the course of a gruelling seven-hour operation.
The 23-year-old even installed his own half rack and deadlift platform, which he drubbed the ‘greatest combination since peanut butter and jelly.’
Of course, no gym would be complete without a name, and Jesse affectionately named his setup ‘Dubs Gym’.
After a full tour, he finished by sending a touching message to his fans.
“Ladies and gentlemen, that’s the home gym,” he added.
“But it’s more than a home gym. It’s crazy to look back and think that I was training in my parents’ home gym and now I own a home with a literal commercial-grade gym inside the basement.
“I could not be here without your support, I could not have these luxuries without you guys. If this doesn’t motivate you to chase your dreams, push boundaries and become the best possible version of yourself, then I don’t know what can.”
Next, check out this post: The Rising Star of Fitness: Who is Jesse James West?
