How to Turn Your Garage Into a Home Gym (Affordably, Too!)

Are you tired of paying for expensive gym memberships? Maybe you’ve failed your New Year's resolution one too many times. Or perhaps you always wanted to try working out in your underwear. Whatever your reason, it is time to finally turn that garage into the home gym you always wanted.

Here are five key questions you should ask yourself to get set up for success:

1. What’s in my way?

If you are going to go through all the effort of creating a home gym, make sure it’s a place you actually want to be. Garages collect clutter and clutter is the enemy of focus. Clear away the spiders and their webs, sweep the floor, and get rid of those paint cans from when you redecorated your home office eight years ago. Can you stand to be in your gym? That’s a good start!

2. What style of exercise do I want to focus on?

Although you may be dreaming of a sparkling, fully-decked-out gym in your garage, you will want to start out small and with focus. Is this gym going to be your cardio center? Your yoga haven? A ninja-warrior dojo? Although it may be tempting to see this as your opportunity to finally try out boxing, pick something that you know will work for you for a long time.

3. What equipment will I need?

This is why question number two is so important. It is much easier (and cheaper!) to set up a yoga studio than a yoga/crossfit/weightlifting/spin studio. Don’t try to recreate Gold’s Gym. The key here is to find the tools that will give you the most bang for your buck.

You could purchase TRX straps for your back, 15-pound dumbbells for your biceps, an ab-cruncher for your core, self-standing pullup station for your back and arms, and a set of bands or you could purchase a power cage and barbell to do all that and more. A good rule of thumb is that if a piece of equipment only does one thing, it probably isn’t worth the expense.

4. What should I buy?

Not all gym equipment is built the same, and a quick Google search will prove that they are not priced the same either. When deciding what to purchase, consider:

A) How much better the expensive equipment is than the cheaper equipment

B) How good are you at the thing you’re trying to do?

Although that fancy yoga mat you have your eye on may be extremely lux, will it really help you touch your toes for the first time since college? Consider the $30 mat from your local sports equipment store. You can always upgrade later.

On the flip side, an $800 barbell squat stand may seem like a good deal, but if it is poorly made and doesn’t have the right safety measures in place, you’re in trouble. Instead, consider the $1300 power cage for your weightlifting needs.

5. How can I make this place more comfortable?

Remember, your gym needs to be a place you actually want to be, if you’re ever going to use it. Unlike your local chain gym, your garage is likely either only partially insulated or not insulated at all. Not only is it uncomfortable to workout in extreme cold or extreme heat, it can actually be dangerous! Make sure that your garage gym has enough insulation to ensure that you can complete your workouts any time of the year.

Your future garage gym is now free of both spiders and half-finished craft projects. You have and insulated your walls so you’ll be comfortable working out in your garage year round. Now, it’s time to get moving!

Ready to make your home-gym dreams come true?

We'd be happy to help you determine the level of insulation you need and complete the job. We offer free estimates, with no strings attached. Just give us a call: 307-632-7777.