The first time I drove there was in the summer of 2015 during my first San Diego visit. I couldn’t sleep all night, finally I woke up at 3:30 am and made some oatmeal from organic farm fresh eggs and oats with blueberries and drove 30 minutes to the World Gym to train there. I wanted to be the first guy there. I got there at around 6 am. The hot air hit me in the face. The music was pumping loud. There were already around to 20 guys crushing their training, sweating and all destroying the weights. No talkers, just doers. People who do work and not making any excuses.
I knew right then, I found my HOME for next five summer weeks while preparing for my upcoming contest in UK UKDFBA/WNBF International.
My best ever birthday present was a one month membership to World Gym in San Diego that summer. I never went back to the other gyms that where filled with people who went through the motions and were not serious about their training. World Gym was special. People were intense. People were fully dedicated and serious. No excuses. Hard working guys and girls right there.
I had one of the best workouts in this gym. Guys at the reception desk are Rick, Ed, Ted, Bradley, and Mike – are all amazing and humble guys. They make this place even more special.
I felt like home. I crushed every workout, destroyed it, my training was intense and I loved it. Fresh air filled the room through open space, you could see palm threes outside, sun and even smell the ocean. I remember Dave Goodin saw my picture on FB and he texted me saying that this is the best gym on the planet! And I can only say “I agree”.
I won my Pro Card that year and part of it was because of this amazing place I could share on my journey.
I return back to San Diego this year where I spent few months there training in the World Gym again. I am not competing this year but I had one of the best workouts ever. I broke all my personal records in Squat, Deadlift, Benchpress, Shoulder press. I trained in and out of the gym. Training outside was incredible – tire flips, hill sprints, skipping rope, box jumps, TRX, stair sprints, KB etc. I Couldn’t get enough of it.
I trained in England for many years and tried many different gyms – all hardcore places for serious training’s. Places like City Gym in Portsmouth, Collymore Leisure Gym in Southampton, Unique Bodies Gym in Oxford, Deans Techno Gym in Oldbury, and Temple Gym in Birmingham etc.
But World Gym in San Diego is special. And it will stay in my memories forever.
Martin Petro WNBF Pro
