Ever used the “gym is too far away” excuse? Well today, we’re going to specifically destroy that excuse and teach you how to create your own awesome garage gym. Save time by never commuting to the gym again and also avoid the crowds and waiting in line for equipment. Once you break even on the initial investment of equipment, you’ll even save big money in the long run on monthly membership fees. Don’t feel like you have to buy it all at once though! If you can get just a few minimal pieces, you can get started immediately, and then gradually build it up over time. Time to create your own awesome garage gym at home!
Visualize Your Fitness Goals
First thing’s first! You need to visualize your fitness goals. Are you looking to bulk up, enhance endurance, or simply maintain a healthy lifestyle? Identifying your objectives will help you determine the type of equipment you need and how to design your gym.
Pick the Right Equipment
Once you’ve got your goals in place, it’s time to fill your garage gym with the right equipment. There is seriously no right or wrong way to do it and remember, it can be done in phases! You can start with just a piece or two and gradually add more, like we did!
Bare Bones – The Minimalist Garage Gym
At minimum, acquire some versatile free weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells, and/or medicine balls. You should also get a couple of decent mats for floor work and abs. You can put together a very solid functional fitness routine with just those minimal yet versatile pieces of equipment!
Bigger Bones (and glutes) – A Beefier Set Up
If you have the room and the budget for it, the next piece of equipment that would make your garage gym even more awesome is a squat rack with a pullup bar at the top. Add in an adjustable incline bench and your workout options just multiplied dramatically. With just one barbell and a few plates, you can really get after it.
Admittedly, this can be an expensive upgrade so do yourself a favor and check out local thrift stores, craigslist, or facebook marketplace. If you want to buy new and are not in a rush, keep an eye on sales as many sporting goods stores and gym equipment companies will run sales periodically.
Also keep an open mind about buying used! Squat racks, barbells, and iron plates last forever! Sometimes you can get a great deal when people are ready to unload theirs. I got lucky once when a friend of mine decided to dissolve the gym side of his martial arts business and he sold me a barbell and a full set of bumper plates at a fraction of the original cost!
Cardio Pros and Cons at Home
Having some form of cardio equipment at home certainly has its perks! The recent popularity surge of Peloton clearly indicates that people are enthusiastically embracing the chance to experience that cardio endorphin rush from the comfort and convenience of their own homes. So why wait? Bring the cardio opps to you!
One of the admitted cons of cardio equipment however, is that it is expensive and kind of a pain to maintain. When you pay for a gym membership, your monthly dues help cover the servicing and maintenance of all the treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, stair climbers, rowers, etc. If you invest in one or more of these pieces of equipment for your house, please remember they are a huge, sophisticated machine like a car or pool that sometimes needs a special electric power source as well as preventative maintenance! Gyms usually have a company on call that comes out to fix the machines as they break down but also 1-2x a year to perform service and maintenance on them.
From personal experience I have found that the rowing machine, such as the Concept 2 erg, is the best cardio equipment for the home garage gym for a few reasons. First, it doesn’t need to be plugged in so it doesn’t draw power or need a special outlet. Second, it doesn’t require a lot of maintenance. We purchased the oil from the manufacturer and wipe the tracks down with a lightly oiled rag a few times a year. Finally, when not in use, you can stand it up and park it against a wall or in a corner to free up floor space.
Bells and Whistles
The bells and whistles of a garage gym are the items that are nice, but not necessary. Gradually as your garage gym comes together, you can add more pieces. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your garage gym be. If you have the space, the interest, and the budget, you can gradually assemble a pretty badass space customized just to your needs and preferences.
My Own Garage Gym Journey
We have been building our garage gym for almost two decades, and back when my husband and I were both in the Army, we started our collection with just a couple of kettlebells, a couple mats, and a mismatched batch of dumbbells. Those workouts I did with that basic equipment got me through some tough times though, when my husband was deployed and I had two little kids at home! I could go down in the basement while they were asleep and at least do something, anything to move my body with some resistance and creativity.
Like I said above, kettlebells last forever! I still have the original kettlebells that we got back when our kids were babies and now they’re picking colleges!
We were also lucky to have acquired most of our pieces before the pandemic lockdowns and subsequent gym closures. I hosted fitness clients, lots of friends, and worked out with our kids in our garage for many months during that time of uncertainty. I will always keep at least some of the most important pieces no matter where we go or move next.
Build It in Phases
Over the years, we added on equipment piece by piece. Some of it we got from thrift stores. Other pieces came from a friend’s business that was downsizing. We got the squat rack on sale around the holidays from a sporting goods store. And just a few pieces we ordered outright, full price, from the company, such as our Concept 2 indoor rower (C2 erg), Rogue box, and sandbags. Here is a list of the equipment we have acquired in a 15+ year journey of building our garage gym across 5 military moves:
- Squat rack with pull up bar
- Big bad bluetooth speaker & interval timer clock
- Concept 2 Rowing Machine
- 45 pound barbell
- 25 pound barbell
- Full set bumper plates
- Miscellaneous iron plates
- Rogue box
- Adjustable benches (1 we got used from craigslist, which was really wearing out so we finally bought 1 new this year)
- Landmine attachment (ours connects into a thick bumper plate and then we wedge it in a corner)
- Hip thrust glute bench by Bret Contreras
- Barbell pad (for hip thrusting)
- Random ass sets of dumbbells and kettlebells, acquired from friends, craigslist, etc. Buy used! They last forever! No need to spend full price on these items!
- Balls – sand balls, slam balls, various sizes and weights
- Light, medium, & heavy sandbags
- Battle rope – bought used
- BOSU ball and stability ball
- Heavy bag + boxing gloves
- Full set of long bands with various resistance levels (for assisted pullups) – always buy bands new! They don’t last forever and need replacing periodically anyways. Never use bands that are showing signs of wear or tiny tears.
- Perform Better Small Loop Green Mini Bands – for hip abduction (side steps) I buy these by the 10 pack and pass them out to clients and replace as they wear out
- Mats – thick ones for core work and thin sticky yoga mats for yoga/stretch sessions
- Self myofascial release (SMR) tools – Foam rollers, lacrosse balls, tiger tail stick massager, theragun
- Random ass pieces – pushup handles, pulley rope attachment, airex pads, etc.
Design Your Space
With the equipment sorted, now comes the fun part: designing your garage gym. Remember, your gym should not only be functional but also inspiring. Arrange your equipment wisely to maximize space. We’ve moved all our pieces around a few times to find the set up that maximizes floor space and functionality. A mirror on one side can help with form, and adding some motivational posters or race medals can set the right mood for your workouts. We have a bunch of posters, flags, motivational quotes, and medals hanging around but this Arnold poster is the favorite. Make your space cozy and let it be a place that you feel cozy in to spend some time and be motivated!
Regular Maintenance
A garage gym requires just a little bit of regular maintenance. Since it’s just you and your family and friends, there will be less wear and tear than in a highly trafficked gym, and as a result – fewer germs. Still it’s good to add a container of antibacterial wipes or keep an antibac spray bottle with an old rag handy to keep your equipment clean. Check for wear and tear, and keep an eye on bands and other soft equipment. Maintaining a clean and functional gym will keep you safe and enhance your workout experience.
Closing Thoughts
And there you have it! Creating an awesome garage gym doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the right goals, equipment, design, and safety measures, your garage can come together over time to transform into a perfect private fitness sanctuary. You’ll never be able to use the “gym is too far away” excuse ever again!
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