Meet Jimmy Dang, the San Jose-based community member behind @sololevelinghomegym who's been pushing the boundaries of what's possible in a compact home gym. Over the past year, Jimmy has become one of our most innovative community members—not just for his creative hacks that our team and the community upvoted, but for his honest, real-world perspective on training at home.
Working with just 100 square feet, Jimmy has proven that elite training technology belongs in every home gym, no matter the size. His journey showcases how everyone can access and leverage features once exclusive to professional facilities.
How Has VOLTRA I Transformed Your Home Gym Workouts?
I mount my VOLTRA I to my power rack using the Quick Mount, and my favorite mode is weight training mode—quick, easy setup with tons of customization through chains and inverse chains.
One tangible win since getting the VOLTRA I eight months ago is being able to consistently workout 4-6 days a week without any interruptions in my schedule or programming. It's largely due to how effective this machine is at making my workouts more efficient.
What Makes the Biggest Difference for Small Space Training?
The key to any effective workout program is consistency. With the VOLTRA I, I can squeeze workouts into very small pockets of time without shuffling plates around or moving equipment. Being able to dial weight up and down with just a press of the screen is one of the most amazing features.
This space wouldn't work with a full weight stack, and I wouldn't be able to use my rack for everything I currently do. The VOLTRA I gives me freedom with so much leftover space despite its small footprint.
How Do You Train Quietly at Night Without Waking the Family?
With a young son, many of my workouts end up late at night. I can't have plates banging around, waking him up, and then have an angry wife coming after me.
Now I can get my workout in—belt squats, RDLs, lat pulls, accessory work—after he's gone to sleep. Before, doing this with plates, barbells, or even a weight stack would be impossible without loud noise. VOLTRA I helps me stay consistent without excuses to skip workout days.
How Has VOLTRA I Made Leg Day More Efficient?
Using the T-bar platform, I can go from belt squat to RDL to leg extensions using the isolator. Normally I'd have to move equipment around, but with VOLTRA I, I can quickly reattach where resistance comes from since it's not based on gravity. I can turn a leg extension into a leg curl and move on with my sets. That's a huge benefit over plate-loaded equipment.
What's the Most Underrated VOLTRA I Feature for Home Gyms?
The isokinetic mode. Most people comparing it to weight stacks don't talk about this enough. You set how quickly the cable can move, and it dials up resistance to slow you down. For max exertion effort where the machine adapts to you, there's no other workout that pushes intensity up as rapidly. It's probably the most intense workout I can imagine.
How Do You Use VOLTRA I Data for Program Planning?
I use it with my barbells for 5/3/1 programming, using isometric mode to test and estimate my one rep max, then plug that into my program. Working out alone without a spotter, my goal isn't to actually max out but train aggressively while staying safe. VOLTRA I really helps with that.
How Does VOLTRA I Resistance Compare to Traditional Equipment?
The most surprising thing was how significant the resistance feels. After using cable machines in gyms, I was shocked how heavy true resistance of 10, 20, 30 pounds felt for different exercises. Unlike bands and chains where you're guessing weight, you can dial very specifically what you want.
What's Your Favorite Creative VOLTRA I Setup?
My dumbbell spotter hack. It completely blew minds about what you can do with this machine. With custom resistance curves, you dock dumbbells against the VOLTRA Is, pull them off easily with rapidly dropping resistance, do your presses, then they retract back to dock when you lean forward. Name one product available right now that could do it that easily.
What Feature Would You Like to See Added?
Articulating arms that support the VOLTRA I. Right now we're hacking solutions with spotters and weight pegs. I bought tornado arms that slide and articulate to position resistance off the upright, but there's unnecessary cabling and pulleys. An official solution could mount VOLTRA I off your upright cleanly without all that extra setup.
What's Your Advice for Home Gym Owners Considering VOLTRA I?
I see people on Reddit asking questions, doing due diligence to make sure there's value. This machine will do everything and more than you expect from traditional cable machines.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. If you have a small space like mine, about 100 square feet, there's nothing you'll find that adds more value with such a small footprint.
While people focus on the price tag, I'm sure they've spent more on purchases that didn't benefit their health—vacations, cars above what they needed, luxury items. Nothing will provide as much value to your health and longevity as this machine.
You can skimp on equipment and need multiple solutions, or buy what you need once and not worry about it again. You're not investing in VOLTRA I. What ultimately you're investing in is yourself. If your health is worth it, buy it, because you won't find a more effective machine to work out with.
Jimmy continues to push creative boundaries and inspire our community with innovative solutions that prove elite training technology belongs in every home gym.
In the Setup
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VOLTRA I × 3
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Fixed Bar Mount × 2
About Community Chronicles
Community Chronicles is a collection of stories and media from the Beyond Power community, designed to highlight bold and innovative ways in which our products are used. Periodically, editors will share setups, stories, or tips to better serve our growing community.
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