How to Build: Garage Home Gym

A home gym is both a convenience and a pathway for the improvement of health. The great thing about a home gym is that just a little equipment will allow you to do many things, despite a lack of large spaces. In fact with just a barbell (and weights), one has the ability to hit all compound movements (bench press, squat, dead-lift, shoulder press, Romanian dead-lift, etc.), and with a pair of adjustable dumbbells, the amount of exercises you can do skyrockets, especially when it comes to isolation work.

Adjustable Dumbbells: Bowflex 1090s (or others)

Barbell: Rogue 45lb Ohio Power Bar

T-3 Series Folding Power Rack

Pound Plates (multiple brands)

Kettle Bells (Bowflex 840)

Fold-able Bench

In order to build a perfect home gym, one needs to research and understand what equipment helps achieve the most exercise selection and longevity.

According to Scott Abel Fitness, some must haves are an adjustable bench and adjustable dumbbells. Some other items that may be nice to have would be a cable machine, resistance bands, and an Olympic rack/barbell.

According to Strength Warehouse USA, some good things to have are:

1. Dumbbells
2. Adjustable Bench
3. Kettlebells
4. Cardio Equipment
5. Olympic Barbell and Weight Plates
6. Power Rack
7. Resistance bands
8. Leg Machine
9. Cable Machine or High/Low Pulley

Overall, some consistent items that are popular/essential to home gyms include dumbbells, an adjustable bench, Olympic barbell/plates, power rack, resistance bands, and a cable machine.

Now, a cable machine is generally larger, and hence would not really fit the constraint of smaller spaces, however, should you have the space, a cable machine is a great tool to have in your arsenal.

Next: Space.

The average 1 car garage is about 240-540 square feet, with the average shed being about 96 square feet. So, the goal is to build a system that fits within that space constraint.

So, we begin construction.

The above 3D model is a depiction/example of what a home gym set up would look like with the materials mentioned above. The bench can easily be folded and mounted on the wall/stowed away. The dumbbells (being adjustable) take up minimal space and can be stowed away either in a corner (as in the image) or under the shelves (where the kettlebells lie). Should the owner desire more equipment, such as resistance bands, smaller weights, foam rollers, etc., there is space for them to store such equipment on the shelves included in the room. Additionally, most of the walls are empty/subject to change depending on each individual owner, meaning that one could install mirrors (to help watch form), or install posters/motivational items to help liven up the gym space.

Product Links:

1. https://www.bowflex.com/product/1090-adjustable-dumbbells/710000.html?srsltid=AfmBOor3Htn53GxNASumIJNYUt-NBNtY3zwtb0JzIr_ikMevRYSHIRE1
2. https://www.bowflex.com/product/840-adjustable-kettlebell/100790.html#q=kettle%2Bbell&start=1

Adjustable dumbbells and kettlebells are a great way to save both space and money. By having an adjustable set of weights, the need to buy separate weights (such as a whole row of dumbbells) disappears, as all of the weights you desire simply collapse into a single product.

Dumbbells:

1. Dumbbells are great tools when it comes to isolating the muscles/bringing smaller muscles under stress.

Kettlebells:

1. Kettlebells have lots of applications when it comes to power work, and explosive movements, hence they are essential to have.

Product link: https://titan.fitness/products/t3-series-folding-power-rack?variant=47796661584149

A power rack is a simple solution when it comes to housing your plates, weights, etc. The beauty of a power rack is that it is easily customizable. There are hundreds of attachments that one can purchase, be they dip bars, weight hooks, etc. that all play to the versatility of a power rack. The power rack from Titan Fitness, as shown above, has an added bonus when it comes to saving space, as it folds into itself. The power rack above is also extremely stable due to having supports attached into the wall behind it, and additionally it includes a pull up bar, which helps with both stability and variety of options for exercises. Overall, having a power rack, especially like the one above, can help with all your compound movements, as well as with your goals to save/maximize space.

For your barbell and weight plates you can either buy a package, or buy the two separately. Weight plates usually come in sets (ranging in weights and numbers), and there a many types of barbells that one can choose from.

A good option would be the Alpha Bar and Bumper Set from Rogue fitness.

Product link: https://www.roguefitness.com/alpha-bar-bumper-set.

The use of rubber, or bumper plates helps with longevity, as the plates will not damage floors significantly if dropped, and there is no chance of rusting as with metal plates.

Product Link: https://www.amazon.com/NICEPEOPLE-Foldable-Backrests-Capacity-Adjustable/dp/B0CTMKNWF7

A fold-able bench is essential to a home gym, as it allows for numerous exercises to be performed, and is an overall need when it comes to building gyms in general. The NICEPEOPLE bench above is one option (of many) that one can use for their home gym, especially due to the product's ability to stow away in small spaces. The product above also comes with additional accessories that can help achieve even more exercises.

Adjustable Dumbbells: $699 ($799 before discount)

Barbell + Pound Plates: $1030.00

Power Rack : $269.97 ($419.99 before discount)

Kettle Bells (multiple brands): $149 (single)

Fold-able Bench: $59.49 (typical price is $69.99)

Making the total cost (without any discounts): $2,467.98 (before tax) for all of the materials in this instructable.

It is important to note however, that there are hundreds of different products out there, and if one chooses to pursue those other products, the price mentioned above can definitely change. The products included here are some of the more higher quality/name brand items, that doesn't mean that there aren't other products that can help you build the perfect gym, with the space that you have.

The dimensions of the power rack are: (HxWxD) 83" x 46" x 23", or about 7 feet x 4 feet x 2 feet. If you wanted say about 5 feet of clearance in each direction (which is quite generous in terms of need for space when it comes to building the gym set up above), the total amount of area you need would be 98 square feet (as the power rack is against the wall, there is no need for space behind the gym). This 98 sq ft is significantly smaller than a 1 car garage (which is about 240-540 square feet), and is only slightly bigger than your average shed (which sits around 96 square feet). Since the 98 square foot is a larger than needed number, that means that the home gym will easily fit in a shed, give or take 2 square feet. Hence, this gym set up is perfect for maximizing both space and fitness.

The gym that this instructable creates is one of many variations that you can have when it comes to maximizing fitness in small spaces. Some other applications could include:

1. Tonal
2. Vitruvian Trainer+
3. NordicTrack Vault
4. Peloton Equipment
5. etc.

Most of these machines are usable in small spaces, helping all with a space constraint meet their fitness goals.

1. One can also buy an all in one system, which includes a power rack, cable system, etc., hence saving even more space and maximizing exercise selection. A plausible product could be the DoNow Smith Machine, costing about $1,599 before tax.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/DONOW-Machine-with160kg-Crossover-Pull-Down/dp/B0D632P2SW

Additional Equipment:

The type of owner, and the interests they have can influence what kinds of equipment/exercises they want to do. So, here are a couple of options:

1. If an owner has more space, they can also buy a cable machine to help unlock access to even more exercises.
2. The owner can also buy other machines/products that catch their eye, should they wish to/have more space to spare. These could include: Smith machines, leg presses, leg extension, etc.
3. More cardio based individuals could forgo some of the strength based equipment, and opt for cardio machines, like rowers, vertical climbers, treadmills, ellipticals, etc.
4. Older individuals may opt for machines, that offer a stability not found in free weights, hence helping these owners maintain their physical health for longer.

To conclude, building a home gym is an excellent way to utilize small spaces, like garages, or sheds, as they serve both as pathways to leave no space unused, and to leave no goals unaccomplished. A home gym is the answer to all your small space dilemmas.

Disclaimer: All images found from Google Search Engine, and respective product websites (Bowflex, Titan, Rogue, etc.).