With a name like “Quads,” what bodybuilder would pass up the opportunity to visit that gym? When SallyAnne texted me Saturday morning at 7am, “We are going to Quads today," I thought she just made a typo and left out the “do” (as in going "to do" quads today). Immediately, I told Big Sean Andros that it’s time to get his nocturnal ass up; we’re leaving in 30 minutes because SallyAnne says we’re doing quads today. Without even so much as lifting his head off the pillow he corrects me: “We’re not training quads today, we’re going to Quads today - we’re training shoulders. It’s the name of the gym. It’s been voted one of the top 10 gyms and it’s supposed to be amazing.” Now I was really excited (and I was glad it wasn’t leg day).
Very unassuming from the outside, we could have easily missed the place. It was literally a small store front of one glass door and one glass window. A sign hung in the window that read: VOTED TOP 10 GYMS. We walked in and were immediately welcomed by the owner, Dave DeYoung. He wasn't 
expecting us; he was working the front desk and welcoming everyone as I'm sure he does everyday of the week. I watched him say hello and greet each member by name and didn’t let a single person leave without saying goodbye. When we told him we were with RX Muscle and we were there to check out his gym, he welcomed us once more and clearly stated The One Rule: “Just put your weights back – that’s all I ask.” He had someone show us around and sent us off with: "Have a great workout and make yourselves at home."
I was amazed at how this place just kept expanding and opening up. Every room seemed to unfold in to another and another. Housed in a 115 year old building that used to be a BMW dealership, you could still find the lifts that were built to carry the cars to the upper floors. We were like little kids at an amusement park! The raw brick interior, the industrial open ceilings, the steel hand 
railings - it was hardcore in look and feel. We found equipment of every make imaginable including pieces you can’t find anymore. It was topped off by the bodybuilding memorabilia hanging on every wall. There were chalk stands near their power lifting racks, kettle bells, 3 full sets of dumbbell racks, and probably the most important of all, as SallyAnne pointed out, the lighting in front of the mirrors makes a semi-in-shape person look contest ready! That’s where SallyAnne and I tried to hang out for our entire workout, but Sean wasn’t having it. He was more focused on a group of photos near some powerlifting equipment. Sean had done a little research before we got there and found out this was the training home of power ifting legend Ed Coan, holder of 125 world records in powerlifting. While Ed wasn’t there that day, the pictures on the wall told much of the work he did at Quads.
After a great workout, it was time for cardio. We twisted and turn ed our way through a different staircase than the one we entered on and found ourselves in the basement with a room full of cardio. While we all took our places on the treadmills, SallyAnne and I started chatting the way girls tend to do while they do cardio together. Now, usually, this is the time when we catch up on each other’s lives since the last show. At some point during our short cardio session, SallyAnne directed the conversation to Sean, who wascompletely enthralled with the guy running backwards next to him...you'll see who it was below...
After finishing our workout, we headed back upstairs weaving through the heavy bag area and back through the Nautilus, Cybex, Hammer Strength, Paramount (am I making my point?) LifeFitness, Bodymasters and Diesel machines and made our way toward the Sustainable Life Café.
As SallyAnne ordered her healthy post-workout meal, I head back to the front desk to interview Dave DeYoung. I asked Dave how he knew everyone’s name and he told me that they're all his extended family. “I used to work over a hundred hours a week, but since I’ve sold the other club, I dropped back to around 60 hours.” (Yeah, that’s right – he dropped back to 60+ hours a week!) I wonder how many members he has, and he responds: “I don’t think of it like that. I could probably make a fair guess, but the truth is all I care about is if I can pay the bills at the end of the day. The gym is making money and I can take care of my family and my extended family; that’s really all that matters.”
A group of guys passed by on their way out the door and as if by fate, Dave stopsped mid-sentence as soon as they passed us and he looked at Sean and asked, "Do you know who that is? That’s Jeff Jordan….Michael Jordan’s son. He and his mom are both members.”
Well, enough said! Apparently Sean had one childhood idol and it was Michael Jordan. His eyes lit up and Dave DeYoung saw it. He asked Sean: “Would you like to get a picture with him?” And I could read it all over his face. I signaled to SallyAnne to grab her camera and Dave had Jeff Jordan summoned back inside for a picture with Big Sean Andros. Jeff Jordan was a super nice guy who was glad to take a photo. He talked to Sean for a few minutes and then he disappeared out the single glass front door. As I wrapped up with Dave, I shared with him what a pleasure it was to be in Chicago. I felt that the people I’d met so far were very genuine. Half jokingly and half serious (I’m fairly certain), he invited us on a tour of the neighborhood and assured me we’d love living there; and I’m pretty sure he’s right.
I thought to myself: this is exactly why I love these small, family-owned gyms. It's like the bar CHEERS.... "everyone knows your name, and their always glad you came" There’s still something to be said about these rare, hardcore places. I can’t stand the gym-in-a-boxes that have taken over the fitness world. There is a certain element that gets lost in the business model of a gym-in-a-box….it’s no longer personal and welcoming. In a mere two hours that I spent at Quads, I felt like I belonged here and wished that I could return tomorrow to for another workout.
If you ever get the opportunity, make Quads one of your destinations while you’re in Chicago and stop in to say hello to Dave and his family.
Be sure to check out www.quadsgym.com for more information about this great gym.
