NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jelly Roll’s health transformation has inspired millions, but staying committed to fitness while traveling from city to city requires more than determination—it takes the right support system.
To help make wellness more accessible on the road, the award-winning artist’s team partnered with Fit Truk to create a fully customized mobile gym and recovery center unlike anything built before. Designed specifically for the demands of touring, the 53-foot trailer features strength and cardio equipment, boxing space, recovery amenities including contrast therapy, and even a dedicated smoothie and nutrition bar—all just steps away from the stage.
For Fit Truk Co-Founder, Josh Guffey said the project represented far more than building a gym. It showcased a new vision for mobile fitness, proving that health and performance don’t have to take a backseat to a demanding schedule. In this exclusive Q&A with Nashville Fit Magazine, Guffey shares with NFM Publisher, Terry Barga, how the groundbreaking project came together, the challenges of bringing the concept to life, and why he believes this is just the beginning for the future of mobile wellness.
The tour manager initially submitted a contact form through our website inquiring about leasing a Fit Truk for several months to support a musician’s tour. At the time, he did not disclose his identity or the artist he represented. We scheduled a call, and approximately 30 minutes into the conversation he revealed who he was working for. During the discussion, we reviewed several options and quickly determined that a custom trailer would be a better fit than a Fit Truk. The tour required additional privacy, enhanced climate control, expanded cardio equipment offerings, and dedicated recovery amenities such as contrast therapy. Based on those requirements, I proposed designing and building a custom trailer solution tailored to their needs, and he agreed to explore that option further with his team.
From the beginning, the vision extended far beyond creating a mobile gym. Our goal was to design something entirely unique, a fully integrated rolling wellness center that could support every aspect of health, performance, and recovery while on tour.
We envisioned a space where Jelly and his team could strength train, perform cardio workouts, and box, while also having access to dedicated recovery and wellness amenities. This included contrast therapy, recovery tools and equipment, and a designated area for post-workout nutrition and hydration.
Throughout the design process, we worked closely with Jelly’s tour manager and training staff to ensure every detail aligned with their needs. Together, we evaluated equipment selections, accessories, recovery solutions, and nutrition requirements to create a comprehensive wellness environment that would seamlessly support the demands of life on the road.
A mobile gym was the ideal solution for Jelly Roll and his team because it eliminated many of the challenges that come with maintaining a consistent fitness and wellness routine while touring. With the tour moving to a different city almost every day, there simply isn’t enough time to research gyms, coordinate transportation, navigate unfamiliar facilities, and fit workouts into an already demanding schedule.
By bringing the gym directly to the venue, hotel, or backstage area, the team had immediate access to training, recovery, and wellness resources without disrupting their daily responsibilities. The convenience factor alone significantly increased the likelihood that workouts and recovery sessions would remain a consistent part of their routine throughout the tour. Equally important, the facility was designed to serve the entire touring team—not just Jelly. Schedules on tour are constantly changing, and each person has different demands on their time. Having a dedicated mobile wellness center available on-site allowed team members to train, recover, and recharge whenever their schedules permitted. Whether someone had 20 minutes for a quick workout, needed recovery between performances, or wanted to focus on nutrition and hydration, the facility was
always available and accessible.
Ultimately, the mobile gym provided consistency in an environment that is anything but consistent. It ensured that regardless of the city, venue, or schedule, Jelly and his team always had access to the same high-quality fitness, recovery, and wellness experience every day on the road.
Interestingly, Jelly Roll was not heavily involved in the day-to-day planning and design of the build. In fact, one of the most unique aspects of the project was that much of it was a surprise. He knew a mobile gym was being created for the tour, but he didn’t know the full scope of what we were building or all of the features that would ultimately be included. Rather than working directly with Jelly throughout the process, we collaborated closely with the team of professionals supporting his health and wellness journey. His trainers, nutritionists, massage therapists, tour manager, and management team all played an important role in helping us understand his needs, preferences, and goals.
Their collective input allowed us to design a facility that supported every aspect of his wellness routine—from strength and conditioning to recovery, nutrition, and overall performance on the road. Because these individuals work with Jelly every day, they were able to provide valuable insight into what would have the greatest impact on his long-term success. The goal wasn’t simply to create a gym; it was to build an environment that would remove barriers and make healthy choices as accessible as possible.
By surrounding Jelly with the tools, resources, and support systems he needed while touring, the build became another piece of the infrastructure helping him continue the remarkable health and wellness journey he has been committed to over the past several years.
From concept to completion, the entire project took approximately seven weeks— which is insane. The process began with sourcing a trailer that could accommodate all of the spaces and features required for the vision which was not easy. There aren’t many trailers available that are 53’ long with a 30’ slide out. Once we identified the right trailer, it had to be transported to Kansas City, where our team completely gutted the interior and essentially started from scratch.
At the same time, we were managing dozens of moving pieces behind the scenes. We worked closely with equipment manufacturers, sauna and cold plunge providers, recovery technology companies, audio and entertainment partners, and other vendors to ensure every component arrived at our shop exactly when it was needed. With such a compressed schedule, timing was critical—any delay from a supplier could have impacted the entire project. What makes the timeline even more remarkable is that we weren’t simply renovating a trailer; we were designing and building a fully customized mobile wellness center that integrated training, recovery, nutrition, entertainment, and relaxation into one cohesive environment which had never been done.
Looking back, it’s still hard to believe everything came together in that timeframe, but everyone involved understood the importance of the project and worked tirelessly to make it happen.
The two biggest challenges were space and power.
From a space perspective, we were trying to fit an entire wellness facility inside a 53-foot semi-trailer. This wasn’t just a gym—we needed dedicated areas for strength training, cardio, boxing, recovery, contrast therapy, and a smoothie bar, all within a very limited footprint. Every inch mattered. We spent countless hours evaluating equipment layouts, traffic flow, storage solutions, and how people would move throughout the space. The challenge was amplified by the compressed timeline, which left us very little time for extensive design iterations before construction began. Power was the other major obstacle. This facility required significantly more power than a traditional mobile gym.
In addition to lighting and climate control, we had to support a commercial-grade audio and video system, recovery equipment, a hybrid sauna featuring both traditional and infrared heating systems, and a cold plunge with a dedicated chiller. When you start adding up the electrical demands of all those components, the power requirements become substantial. To make it all work, we had to engineer a robust power solution around a massive 20-kilowatt generator, which itself had to be integrated into the trailer without compromising valuable interior space. Balancing power generation, equipment placement, ventilation, and overall functionality was a complex puzzle.
Functionality and safety were at the center of every design decision we made throughout the project. Given the compressed timeline and the complexity of integrating so many different wellness components into a mobile environment, we leaned heavily on our industry partners and subject matter experts to ensure we were making the right decisions. Fortunately we already specialize in mobile solutions that require packing a lot of equipment in a little space and securing it for safe transport.
One of the advantages of being in the fitness and wellness industry for years is the network of relationships we’ve built along the way. We worked closely with equipment manufacturers, recovery technology providers, sauna and cold plunge specialists, and other partners to identify solutions that would perform reliably, fit within the space constraints, and operate safely in a mobile environment.
We had to integrate every aspect of fitness and wellness into a very limited space. The non-negotiables were a complete strength training setup featuring a squat rack and cable station, a treadmill for the days Jelly couldn’t get outside to run, a speed and heavy bag to stick with his boxing routine, and a dedicated recovery area with contrast therapy. The challenge was making all of those elements work together in a way that was functional, efficient, and still felt comfortable to use on the road.
The entire build was unique but I think the most unique part was the recovery and contrast therapy areas and smoothie/nutrition bar. There have been quite a few gym trailers built but none that we are aware of the incorporate the recovery aspects like this trailer.
I think I’m most proud of how functional the space is, especially considering how little room we had to work with, and how the overall aesthetic came together. We were able to fit a complete gym, a dedicated recovery area with contrast therapy, and a full smoothie bar into a 53-foot trailer without sacrificing usability or design. It doesn’t just function well—it also feels like a high-end training space, which was exactly the experience we wanted to create.
We had a very small team pull this project off in just over four weeks. At the same time, we were building two other Fit Truks, so it took a tremendous team effort. Everyone put in long hours, and we brought in a few specialized contractors to help us meet the deadline without compromising quality. I was personally in the shop almost every day helping with the build, sourcing materials, solving problems as they came up, and doing whatever was needed to keep the project moving. It was an all-hands-on-deck effort, and I’m incredibly proud of what our team accomplished in such a short amount of time.
This project really represents the broad scope of what Fit Truk is capable of. My vision has always been much bigger than just building our three standard Fit Truk models. I want Fit Truk to become the go-to company for anything related to outdoor, mobile, or experiential fitness and wellness. Whether that’s a mobile gym, a custom recovery trailer, a touring artist’s training facility, or a completely one-of-a-kind activation, we want to be the team that brings those ideas to life.
We’ve also been working hard to establish ourselves in the music industry, and this project put us right in the middle of it. It gave us the opportunity to showcase what we can do on a much bigger stage and opened the door to building similar projects for other artists, athletes, and brands in the future.
Having a dedicated gym and wellness space on the road is incredibly valuable for an artist. The more conversations we’ve had with artists and their teams, the more it’s become clear just how difficult it is to stay consistent with fitness while touring. Their schedules are constantly changing, they’re often in a different city every day, and time is always limited.
Even when there’s time to work out, getting to a gym can be a challenge. It takes valuable time to travel, it’s difficult to find a facility that offers the privacy many artists need, and many commercial gyms don’t allow outside personal trainers. For artists who travel with their own coaches, that’s a major obstacle. Having a fully equipped gym and wellness center right outside the backstage door eliminates all of those challenges. It gives the artist and their entire team immediate access to strength training, cardio, recovery, and nutrition whenever their schedule allows. Instead of trying to fit fitness into the tour, the gym becomes part of the tour, making it much easier to stay healthy, recover properly, and perform at a high level throughout months on the road.
I think this sends a really powerful message. More and more artists are making their health and fitness a priority because they recognize it’s essential to their careers. Touring is incredibly demanding, and staying healthy isn’t just about feeling good—it’s about being able to consistently perform at a high level.
An injury or health issue can force an artist to cancel shows, which can result in a significant loss of revenue for not only the artist, but everyone involved in the tour. Between performing, traveling, recording, and managing countless other obligations, artists have to be in great physical and mental condition to keep up with the demands of their schedules.
By investing in a dedicated fitness and wellness space, they’re making a commitment to longevity, performance, and overall well-being. I think that’s a trend we’ll continue to see across the entertainment industry as more artists recognize that taking care of themselves is also taking care of their business.
Making fitness more accessible has always been the driving force behind Fit Truk. That’s why the company exists. Whether it’s bringing a gym to underserved communities that don’t have access to traditional fitness facilities, creating solutions for adaptive athletes, or building custom mobile fitness and wellness spaces for organizations and brands, our mission has always been to remove barriers to health and fitness.
At the end of the day, we believe fitness should meet people where they are—not the other way around. Every project we take on, from our standard Fit Truk models to fully custom builds like this one, is another way of making fitness and wellness more accessible, more convenient, and available to people who otherwise might not have those opportunities.
Fit Truk is a company that designs and builds custom mobile fitness and wellness solutions. While we’re best known for our line of mobile gyms, our capabilities extend far beyond that. We build everything from mobile training facilities and recovery trailers to outdoor fitness spaces and fully customized wellness environments for brands, sports teams, government agencies, nonprofits, touring artists, and anyone looking to bring fitness directly to the people they serve.
Our mission is simple: make fitness and wellness more accessible. We believe people shouldn’t have to overcome barriers like location, time, or lack of facilities to prioritize their health. Whether we’re bringing a gym to an underserved community, creating training environments for adaptive athletes, supporting military readiness, or building a backstage wellness center for a touring artist, the goal is always the same—to meet people where they are and make healthy living more convenient, more engaging, and more accessible.
The original vision for Fit Truk was to improve fitness for first responders. I wanted to create a solution that would bring a fully equipped gym directly to firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel, and other first responders so they could train specifically for the physical demands of their jobs. Too often, these professionals don’t have convenient access to the equipment or programming they need, despite having careers that require them to be in peak physical condition.
I also believe first responders should train outdoors and in a variety of environments, just as they work in the real world. A mobile gym is a natural fit because it allows training to happen where they serve, creating more realistic, accessible, and effective workouts.
While we haven’t fully pursued that market yet, it’s still a big part of our long-term vision. As Fit Truk continues to grow, bringing fitness directly to first responders and helping them better prepare for the demands of their profession remains one of the missions I’m most passionate about.
Completely. What started as the idea of operating a single Fit Truk in the Kansas City market has evolved far beyond what I originally imagined. We quickly realized there was much greater demand for building these vehicles than operating them ourselves. That led us from offering one model to developing multiple Fit Truk models, and today we’ve grown into a company that specializes in mobile fitness, wellness, and experiential solutions of all kinds.
We’re now building 4wd Fit Truks with off-road capabilities, custom trailers, recovery units, and even specialty vehicles and trailers that aren’t gyms at all but are designed for brand activations and unique mobile experiences. We’ve also launched an experiential marketing division that helps brands take these assets on the road, creating engaging fitness and wellness activations at sporting events, music festivals, corporate campuses, and other high-profile events.
The mission has stayed the same, making fitness and wellness more accessible, but the ways we accomplish that have expanded tremendously. Today, if someone has an idea for a mobile fitness or wellness experience, we want Fit Truk to be the first company they think of.
I think every project we’ve taken on has prepared us for this moment. Our build team has experience creating almost every type of mobile vehicle and trailer you can imagine, and many of our team members come from the construction industry, bringing years of hands-on experience and problem-solving skills to each project.
For me personally, building has always been a part of my life. My first full-time job was working in a body shop when I was 13 years old, and since then I’ve worked in nearly every area of the construction industry. In college, I built custom sport bikes with friends, and later I designed builds for a car restoration business. I’ve always enjoyed taking an idea and figuring out how to bring it to life.
That hands-on background has shaped how we approach every Fit Truk project. We don’t just see these as vehicles we see them as custom environments that require creativity, engineering, and attention to detail. Every project has helped us build the experience and confidence to take on bigger, more complex mobile fitness and wellness solutions.
I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that almost anything is possible if you’re willing to figure it out. Throughout this journey, I’ve been told many times that certain things couldn’t be done. A lot of that advice has come from people
who have built successful businesses, but they built them by following models that already existed rather than
creating something completely new.
One example that stands out was when someone who built a massive, multi-billion-dollar custom truck business told me we couldn’t build the doors on our Fit Truks the way we envisioned. Instead of accepting that as the answer, we found a way to do it, and we built them.
That experience taught me to be thoughtful about where I take advice from. I have a tremendous amount of respect for people who have built things, solved problems, and created something new. Those are the people I want to learn from. But I’ve also learned that innovation requires a willingness to challenge the conventional way of doing things. If everyone listened to the people who said something couldn’t be done, nothing new would ever be built.
Absolutely incredible. Showing the finished product to a customer is an awesome experience.
There really wasn’t much time to stop and think about it. Even at 7 a.m. the morning of the reveal, we were still making final adjustments and adding custom graphics to the refrigerator for a last-minute request. The work didn’t really stop until the doors opened.
I was definitely a little nervous, but more than anything I was excited. After weeks of long days, problem-solving, and pushing to get everything finished, it was exciting to finally see the vision come together and share it with everyone. Seeing the reaction to something our team built from the ground up made all the late nights and challenges completely worth it.
He was insanely excited, and his reaction couldn’t have been better. I truly believe we exceeded his expectations in every way. The best part was seeing how genuinely grateful and appreciative he was for the work our team put into bringing the vision to life. Click here to see his reaction for yourself.
Yes. One moment that really stood out to me was when Jelly asked if building trailers like the one we built for him was
our entire business. I told him no, that our core business had traditionally been focused on outdoor gyms and mobile
fitness solutions. His response was, “I’m not trying to tell you how to run your business, but I think this is going to be your business now.”
Hearing that from someone who was experiencing the finished product firsthand was incredibly validating. It confirmed what we had already started to believe—that there was a much bigger opportunity in custom mobile fitness, wellness, and experiential builds. It was one of those moments where someone outside of our company saw the potential and helped confirm that we were moving in the right direction.
Everything. That moment was exactly why we do this. I knew there was a need for a project like this, but seeing the reaction and knowing that we created something that genuinely solved a problem was incredibly validating.
When you spend months building something, especially something that hasn’t really been done before, there are always questions about whether people will understand the vision or see the value in it. Moments like this confirm that we’re headed in the right direction.
This project has already tuned into so many more opportunities. I think we just set the standard for what a mobile gym should be- a full mobile wellness solution. Just like our Fit Truks set a whole new standard for outdoor fitness solutions, I believe we just set a standard for mobile gym trailers.
Yes. We are currently working on designs for five more trailers. This will be a large part of our business from this point forward.
We are already working on deals for five more mobile gym trailers in the US and Europe with more opportunities coming to use almost daily.
So many things. We are entering an exciting new chapter for Fit Truk. We are currently closing our first international deal, with Fit Truks headed to the Middle East, and we see tremendous potential for expanding internationally. We also plan to continue building more custom trailers, with several projects already in development for fitness brand activations, mobile experiences, and unique wellness solutions. We have multiple activation vehicles and trailer builds in the works, along with an innovative semi-mobile gym concept that we will be launching soon.
Beyond the builds, we are expanding our experiential marketing footprint with several brand tours planned this year. Our goal is to help brands create memorable, interactive fitness and wellness experiences while continuing to push the boundaries of what mobile fitness can be.
The future of Fit Truk is about much more than mobile gyms. We are building a company that creates custom fitness, wellness, and experiential solutions for brands, communities, and organizations around the world.
If readers remember one thing about this project, I hope it is that this is just the beginning of something much bigger. The way we think about access to fitness and wellness is changing. The traditional gym model will always have its place, but there is a growing need for flexible, mobile solutions that can bring fitness directly to people wherever they are.
We believe the future of fitness is about meeting people where they are, removing barriers, and creating experiences that are more accessible and engaging. Projects like this show what is possible when you think beyond the traditional gym, and we plan to be at the forefront of leading that change.
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