Here’s everything worth knowing about Diamond Gym and its hardcore reputation.
Diamond Gym has become one of those gyms people want to visit just to see if it’s as intense as everyone says it is.
A lot of the attention comes from its “most dangerous gym in America” nickname, but there’s more to Diamond Gym than the name.
So, if you’ve heard people talking about it and want to know what the place is actually about, we’ve got all the info you need.
Where is Diamond Gym?
If you’ve only really heard the name and a bit about the reputation, then you might expect to find Diamond Gym in Venice Beach, the home of bodybuilding.
But it’s actually in New Jersey.
If you’re looking to visit then you can find Diamond Gym at:
732 Irvington Ave
Maplewood
New Jersey
NJ 07040
The Diamond Gym story
Diamond Gym was opened in the mid 1970s by American bodybuilder John Kemper.
It quickly established itself as a classic bodybuilding gym, built for serious lifters who wanted to train hard and be around people who took their training just as seriously.
That old-school feel is still a huge part of Diamond Gym now. The gym is based inside a converted bank and has that raw, no-frills setup people associate with hardcore bodybuilding gyms.
Inside, it’s spread over 2 floors and a few different rooms, with tons of weights, old-school machines, Flex Performance Systems equipment and 80s-style murals.
The whole place is built around hard training. Loud music, brutal sessions and that idea of leaving everything else at the door are all part of what makes it feel so different from a normal commercial gym.
Why is Diamond Gym called the most dangerous gym in America?
Diamond Gym is often talked about as being the most dangerous gym in America, not because you’re actually in real danger, but because of the hardcore approach they take to training there.
This is a gym where people turn up to go hard, push themselves to their absolute limit, and train with the kind of discipline that gets results.
That’s really where the nickname comes from. It’s less about danger in the literal sense, and more about the fact that this is a place built for serious training.
The weights are heavy, the sessions are intense, and the whole place gives off the energy of a gym where people are there to train hard, not just get a few sets in and leave.
Who has trained at Diamond Gym?
Diamond Gym has had a lot of serious names come through the doors over the years.
The gym has been linked with former Ms. Olympia Carla Dunlap, North American champion Johnnie Morant, Carmella Cureton, Guy Ducasse, Renne Johns and Derrick Whitsett.
More recently it’s become a bit of a bucket-list gym for fitness creators like Buff Bunny, Will Tennyson, and Jesse James West, who want to see the place for themselves.
Anyone who trains there though has to follow the rules, normally laid out by Diamond Gym legends Unc or Haddy, which include no water breaks, no sitting down, and no stopping during sets.
Diamond Gym opening hours
Monday to Friday – 5am to 10pm
Saturday – 6am to 6pm
Sunday – 7am to 4pm
Diamond Gym Costs
A day pass to the gym costs $35 and is a good way to test the place out and see if you can handle their way of doing things.
If you then want to sign up for a membership you have a few options.
You can get a month for $55, 3 months for $125, 6 months for $235, or a full year for $465.
The gym also has no contracts, registration fees or sign-up fees, so it’s pretty straightforward if you do decide to join.
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