Garage Gym: Building Your Dream Fitness Sanctuary

One of the many advantages of being a homeowner is that you can do almost anything you want with your space, like remodeling a kitchen, putting on an addition, or repurposing a room.  Making the most of unused or underused space can even add to the value of your home, so if you don’t use it, converting a garage into a home gym may be a smart move for your wallet and your health. And if you’ve got unused space in your garage, building a garage gym is easier than you might think. 

Benefits of creating a garage gym

Everyone knows that regular workouts are a good habit and home fitness is a great way to stick to healthy habits. Working out at home is a huge trend right now and creating an at home gym in a big, open space like a garage means you’ll have plenty of space for home gym equipment and still be able to move. Having a gym in your garage means you’ll have space for lots of cardio and weight equipment, or even add specialized equipment for a TRX home gym or a CrossFit home gym. And just think of all the money you’ll save on expensive gym memberships!

How to get started and first steps

Building out a gym in your garage doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. But you do need to take several things into consideration before you get started. To make a gym in your garage, ask yourself the following questions:

• • Assess the space. Is there enough space for all of your gym equipment? Can you use the entire garage or only part of it? 
  • What’s your budget? Depending on what you choose to do, the costs of creating a home gym can be as low as a few hundred dollars and go up from there.
  • Is the garage attached or detached? Will you need to regulate the temperature with heating or air conditioning? Be sure to add HVAC installation costs into your budget.  
  • Do you engage in any specialized workouts? Make sure the space and layout can accommodate those workouts and any necessary equipment. 
  • Think about how you’ll work out and design your space accordingly. What cardio equipment do you use and enjoy the most? If you hate the elliptical or some other piece of equipment you know you won’t use, then don’t waste space and money on it for a garage gym. 

What to include

Knowing what to include and what not to include is equally important when you want to build a garage gym. 

Essential equipment

The average garage size is 20’ x 20’, which should be plenty of space for a home gym essentials like a weight bench, squat racks, weights themselves, and at least one piece of cardio equipment, like a treadmill or exercise bike. Create a list with all your basic fitness equipment for garage gyms.

The best home workout equipment (and especially the best home exercise equipment for beginners), is what you’ll actually use. If you like to do specialized workouts like TRX, CrossFit, pilates, spinning, or barre, then make sure you focus on those needs.

Best garage gym choices for a budget

If you’re on a budget, try to stick to the basics. A few hand weights and a weight bench are a good starting point. To save even more money, think about everyday objects you can use instead of investing in new gym equipment. For example, you could use a chair, stairs, and heavy detergent bottles for some exercises. It’s important to remember that you can get a great cardio workout from something as simple and inexpensive as a jump rope. Installing some inexpensive mirrors can help create a gym-like atmosphere. 

The best home gym layouts

The best home gym layout depends a lot on the size of your garage and what types of workouts you want to do. Are you more of a weights or cardio person? Or do you like a balance of both? Set aside designated areas for your weights, weight bench, and squat rack, if you have them. Leave as much room as possible in the middle of the room to do stretching exercises, weight-bearing exercises, and calisthenics. Have a corner for smaller miscellaneous equipment like resistance bands, a balance ball, heart rate monitor, and a yoga mat. Use inexpensive cubbies against a wall for towel and water bottle storage. If there’s room, set aside another area for cardio equipment like a treadmill, exercise bike, rowing machine, or elliptical. To ensure there’s plenty of airflow, make sure you’ve left space to access doors, windows, and the garage door if you want to open them.

Best home gym workouts

As mentioned, the best home gym workout is the one you enjoy most and will do on a regular basis. Many popular workouts like mat pilates, barre, TRX, and CrossFit can be adapted for home gym workouts. One of the most popular workout trends at the moment is CrossFit, and a CrossFit home gym can work just as well as a professional gym for your CrossFit WODs. CrossFit home gym equipment doesn’t have to be expensive or specialized and the best CrossFit workouts at home. Fortunately, most fundamental CrossFit equipment is relatively compact: you can get by with just a barbell, kettlebell, and medicine ball. Look for apps or online videos that demonstrate a safe home gym WOD and try the workouts that work well for you. If you are also following a keto diet, check out these tips on everything you need to know about working out while on a keto diet.

Pulling it all together

Making a home gym in your garage doesn’t have to be costly or complicated, but you might consider hiring a handyman to help with your home project. Like any workout regimen, the best thing you can do is simply get started, so focus on the basics, do what you like most, and make sure your new home gym is a space where you’ll enjoy working out on a regular basis.