Rooks Performance doesn’t announce itself with flashy signage or sleek architecture. From the outside, the nearly unmarked building in Guthrie, Oklahoma, could pass for a warehouse or a company headquarters. The only hint at what’s inside is the Rooks logo — an “R” paired with a chess rook, a nod to strategy and strength.
Step through one of the oversized garage doors — equal parts style and function — and the picture changes. This isn’t just a gym. It’s a proving ground. A place where athletes pave the lane, as they say, to the next level. To the pros.
Out back, two football fields stretch across the property. Inside, the gym features turf and push sleds, rigs and kettlebells. Racks of plates wait to be moved. Athletes grind through drills and heavy lifts under the eyes of trainers who have lived the grind themselves.
Founded by All-Pro offensive tackle Lane Johnson and former Oklahoma teammate Tom Wort, Rooks Performance was built with one goal in mind: to be the ultimate training destination. Together, they’ve created a facility for athletes at every stage. From high school standouts to NFL veterans, they can sharpen skills, build resilience, and prepare for what comes next.
From teammates to training partners
Johnson and Wort’s story begins in Norman in 2009. Johnson was still learning the ropes as a tight end at OU, while Wort held down the linebacker spot. The bond they forged through grueling practices didn’t end with their college careers. Years later, both found themselves living in Edmond, Oklahoma, and picked up where they left off — training side by side.
Those early mornings and late nights built more than just strength. They shaped a philosophy. Training couldn’t be only about the workout; it had to include the environment, the tools, and the recovery practices that made the grind sustainable.
The Rooks standard
Some pro athletes — like CrossFit legends Rich Froning or Tia-Clair Toomey — build training hubs where anyone can buy a membership and sweat alongside the elite. Rooks Performance takes a different approach. There’s no drop-in pass, no casual membership. Entry requires an application, and acceptance means more than access to the gym. It’s a commitment to the Rooks Standard.
Intensity: Every rep matters.
Strategy: Train smart, not sloppy.
Focus: Zero distractions, 100% locked in.
Community: Iron sharpens iron.
Self-improvement: Championship habits, professional standards.
Results: No excuses, just outcomes.
Where recovery meets performance
Spend a day at Rooks and you’ll see the grind firsthand: heavy lifts, position drills, conditioning sessions. The day the Chilly GOAT team visited, Lane Johnson wasn’t just an NFL star dropping in for a photo shoot. Barefoot on the turf, he was right there with the trainers — coaching athletes on positioning, watching as members pressed 115-pound dumbbells, and checking in as others moved through mobility drills.
But what happens after is just as important. Recovery is built into the rhythm of the gym, not an optional extra.
The recovery suite at Rooks includes the Valaris contrast therapy tub from Michael Phelps Chilly GOAT Cold Tub by Master Spas.
For Johnson and Wort, cold immersion and contrast therapy are as essential as strength work. They’ll pre-cool before a lift, which can lower core temperature to improve endurance. After a workout, they will cycle through cold and hot to fight soreness and prepare for the next session.
“Getting in the cold has helped the guys out — and helped us out,” Johnson says. “It keeps you ready for the next day.”
Why recovery matters
At Rooks, recovery isn’t something that’s nice to incorporate; it’s part of the philosophy. Training here is designed to push athletes past their limits, but the system only works if the body can handle the next session, the next week, the next season. That’s why recovery isn’t treated as downtime; it’s a tool for performance.
Contrast therapy, in particular, has become central to how Rooks athletes train. Alternating between cold and hot water reduces inflammation, promotes circulation, and accelerates recovery. Cold immersion helps lower core body temperature and calm soreness, while warm water relaxes muscles and keeps blood flowing. Together, the back-and-forth primes the body to bounce back stronger — ready for another round of heavy lifts, drills, and conditioning.
The Valaris makes those benefits accessible every day. Instead of relying on separate setups or complicated routines, athletes at Rooks have one system that delivers both cold and hot therapy in the same unit.
The same recovery tools that fuel athletes at Rooks don’t have to stay in Guthrie. With the Chilly GOAT Cold Tub lineup — including the Valaris Contrast Therapy Tub — facilities and individuals alike can bring professional-level recovery into their own spaces. Whether you’re outfitting a training center or creating a recovery routine at home, the benefits of contrast therapy are just as powerful: less soreness, faster bounce-back, and more consistency in how you train.
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