Jesse James West shows deep commitment to fitness that has made him a big name in bodybuilding. His normal weight stays around 180 lbs (81.8 kg), and he keeps his body lean year-round. He stepped into a bodybuilding competition and cut his weight down to 172 lbs with about 6% body fat, which proved he knows how to transform his body for contests.
Between competitions, Jesse puts on weight up to 185 lbs but stays lean at under 13% body fat. The 23-year-old stands 5’10” and started his fitness path at 16 as a dedicated lacrosse player before he switched to making fitness content. Fans often talk about his height, especially when they compare him to other fitness influencers like Alex Eubank, who also stands 5’10”.
This piece tells the real story of Jesse James West’s body transformation from his sports background to becoming a fitness influencer. His weight changes, training approach, and natural status are backed by several negative steroid tests. His path shows what someone can achieve with the right training and nutrition, and he started sharing these insights while still in his teens.
Early Life and Athletic Background
Jesse James West’s athletic experience started well before he became a fitness celebrity. A talented lacrosse player from Sparta, New Jersey, West built his competitive spirit through years of dedicated sports training.
From lacrosse to lifting: Jesse’s sports roots
Lacrosse shaped West’s athletic foundation from age 11 until he turned 20. His senior year at Sparta High School proved remarkable with 51 goals and 31 assists. This performance earned him first team All-Group 2 selection by NJ.com. His talent caught Lehigh University’s attention, leading to a Division I lacrosse program scholarship offer.
In spite of that, West chose to transfer after one semester at Lehigh. “I wanted to focus more on school and other aspects of my life outside of lacrosse,” he said, pointing out how Division I athletics consumed all his time. He moved to Montclair State University in New Jersey and played lacrosse there with a better life-education balance.
How his YouTube journey began
West started creating content quite early. Back in seventh grade, he worked with a friend to make lacrosse videos. Their partnership grew throughout high school but ended up dissolving because NCAA Division I rules restricted lacrosse discussions.
West launched his own channel in May 2016 while still in high school. He started posting regularly in 2017, but his content struggled to attract viewers as he tried to shift from lacrosse to fitness videos. The early days proved challenging, yet he kept going and slowly added more fitness content to his lacrosse material.
Original body stats and fitness level
West’s impressive physique during high school made him look older than his years. “I was 16 years old when I first started my fitness channel… I look like I’m 20 like muscular wise,” he said about his early development. His natural athletic build and dedicated weight training helped him stand out as a teenager.
His fitness path matched his YouTube growth as he changed from “the lacrosse guy” to “the lacrosse fitness guy”. His senior year brought significant social media success with about 12,000 Instagram followers and 15,000 YouTube subscribers, setting the stage for his future as a fitness influencer.
Jesse James West Weight and Height Over Time
It’s hard to judge someone’s true height when they stand next to fitness industry giants. People have spread many myths about Jesse James West’s physical dimensions throughout his career.
Verified height and common misconceptions
Several websites wrongly list Jesse James West at 6’2″. This mistake came from a TikTok video where he joked about his height. His college lacrosse roster also shows him at 5’11”. The truth came out at a bodybuilding contest where Jesse measured his actual height at 5’9-3/4″. He rounds this up to 5’10” in everyday life. Athletic rosters often add about an inch of height and 5+ pounds to players’ stats to make them seem more intimidating.
Weight during lacrosse and early YouTube days
Jesse kept an athletic build that helped him excel in lacrosse at Montclair State University. His priorities changed after he became a full-time content creator in 2020. He started to think over his physique development instead of focusing on sport-specific conditioning.
Cutting vs bulking: how his weight changed
Jesse’s openness about his weight changes gives us a great look at his transformation journey. His competition prep brings him down to 172 pounds with roughly 6% body fat. During bulking phases, he reaches 185 pounds and manages to keep his body fat below 13%. A video of his bulking cycle showed him weighing in at “a solid 185.7” pounds.
Current average weight and body fat range
Jesse typically manages to keep around 180 pounds (81.8 kg) throughout the year. This is impressive because he stays lean consistently. Unlike many bodybuilders who yo-yo between seasons, his condition remains steady. His measurements include 16-inch arms, 24-inch legs, 15.5-inch calves, and 49.5-inch shoulders[91]. These numbers are a big deal as it means that they’re much larger than average male measurements and show his commitment to balanced physique development.
Training and Diet Behind the Transformation
Jesse James West’s impressive physique results from his methodical approach to training and nutrition. This fitness influencer developed his workout routines through experimentation and working alongside industry icons.
Weekly workout split and training intensity
West dedicates six days to training with just one rest day each week. His workouts focus on heavy lifting and progressive overload principles. Unlike other influencers, he switches between different split structures:
- Upper/lower body split (earlier in his career)
- Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) with Jeff Nippard
- Body part-specific training (current preference)
His weekly schedule now targets chest and triceps (twice), back, biceps and rear delts (twice), plus shoulders and legs (twice). Each workout features 3-5 sets per exercise. Rep ranges vary from 5-8 for strength movements to 12-15 for muscle growth.
Key exercises that shaped his physique
West combines compound and isolation movements effectively. His chest development comes from heavy bench pressing, reaching 275 pounds for 7 reps. He works on shoulders through lateral raises and trains with four-time Men’s Physique Olympia champion Jeremy Buendia.
His back training emphasizes pull-ups, rows, and deadlifts—areas he worked hard to improve. After dedicated training, West can deadlift 445 pounds for five reps.
Meal plan and supplement strategy
West follows the “If It Fits Your Macros” (IIFYM) approach. He eats 5-6 meals daily with a focus on high protein sources. A typical day looks like:
- Breakfast: Eggs, oatmeal, berries
- Mid-morning: Almonds, protein shake
- Lunch: Grilled chicken, quinoa, vegetables
- Afternoon: Greek yogurt, honey
- Dinner: Salmon, sweet potatoes, vegetables
For supplements, West partners with Gorilla Mind. He uses pre-workout, creatine, BCAAs, and occasional fat burners.
How he prepares for competitions
West stepped up his game for the Summer Shredded 2023 Classic Physique competition. He hit the stage at exactly 172.02 pounds with very low body fat while keeping his muscle mass. His preparation involved:
- Strict diet adherence
- Multiple tanning sessions
- Posing practice with professional bodybuilders
- Strategic water and carbohydrate manipulation
West stayed transparent about his natural status throughout his contest prep. He openly shared the mental challenges that came with competition preparation.
Milestones and Bodybuilding Achievements
Jesse James West proved his worth in the fitness world beyond social media when he achieved his most important bodybuilding milestone in 2023.
Summer Shredded 2023 contest results
West made quite an impact at the 2023 Summer Shredded Championships in Houston, Texas. He weighed 172 pounds on show day and won first place in his Classic Physique class – his first competitive win. His success didn’t stop there. He also earned second place overall in the Men’s Physique category. These achievements were even more impressive because West competed naturally.
Body measurements and muscle growth
West’s dedication to training has helped him build an impressive physique. His measurements are a big deal as they mean that he surpasses average male statistics:
- Arms: 16 inches
- Legs: 24 inches
- Calves: 15.5 inches
- Shoulders: 49.5 inches
These numbers show how well he has developed muscle in all body parts.
Is Jesse James West natural?
Fitness communities often ask about West’s natural status. Natural bodybuilding experts believe his physique stays within achievable natural limits. His Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI) of 23.5 shows an impressive yet attainable natural physique.
Steroid test results and transparency
West has taken several documented steroid tests to address doubts about his natural status. Each test came back negative. His testosterone levels measured 800 ng/dL in one documented test, which falls within normal natural ranges. He also completed a complete urinary test for anabolics that confirmed his natural status.
Conclusion
Jesse James West’s transformation from a high school lacrosse star to a competitive bodybuilder proves his dedication and discipline. He has always been open about his methods, struggles, and achievements. His documented natural status, backed by multiple negative steroid tests, inspires fitness enthusiasts who want similar results without performance-enhancing substances.
West shows that building an impressive physique needs consistency rather than extreme measures. He smartly manages his weight between 172 pounds during cutting and 185 pounds while bulking. His ability to stay at 180 pounds year-round while remaining lean shows his commitment to sustainable fitness.
His growth as a content creator matches his bodybuilding success. Simple lacrosse videos in seventh grade grew into a fitness channel with millions of followers. His first-place win in the Classic Physique class at the 2023 Summer Shredded Championships verifies his approach and establishes his credibility in competitive bodybuilding.
The story behind West’s transformation shows that remarkable results come from basic principles applied exceptionally well. His success proves that proper training, nutrition, and consistency lead to impressive results for dedicated individuals. West continues to show that natural athletes can build outstanding physiques through smart training strategies, despite common myths about height requirements or steroid use in bodybuilding.
