Building A Garage Gym – Part One

In this two-part article series we’ll cover everything you need to know about home gyms. Pros, cons and what equipment you need.

IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, you probably love going to the gym but hate having to wait in line for a machine or, even worse – The bench press on a Monday.

And, if you’re REALLY like me, you’d probably rather avoid paying the massive membership fees at an elite gym. So what’s the solution? Build your own garage gym! In time, it’s cheaper than paying all membership fees, and it’s a great way to get fit in your own home. Plus, there’s no need to worry about crowded gyms when you have your own private workout space.

In this two-part article series, we’ll cover everything you need to know about home gyms – Pros, cons, and what equipment you need!

THE ADVANTAGES

Let’s be honest. We’ve all had the thought of a garage gym – It just sounds awesome! And well, truth be told, there are probably too many advantages to it. This is perhaps what pushes many people to build their own gyms.

So without further ado, let’s have a look at the biggest advantages of home/garage gyms.

#1 ‘MERICA-LIKE FREEDOM

As we’ve mentioned, we all know the struggle. You hype yourself up on a Monday to go for a push day, only for the bench press to be overtaken by five other dudes. Certainly waiting for all of them is not just distressing, but also robs you of your quality pumps due to the significantly longer rest times.

And while longer rest times may mean better performance, being independent and free in your training space is a must. This is where home gyms shine because they allow you to calculate your rest times precisely and not have to load/unload the bar for someone else. The most that can happen is for your wife/husband to share the bar with you, in which case you can be nothing but proud.

#2 NO DISTRACTIONS

If you are like me, every time you go to the gym, you are in THE zone and are focused solely on your workout. After all, this is why we put headphones on. To zone ourselves out of any and every distraction. But, the truth is that oftentimes we’ll encounter distractions at the gym, whether we want it or not.

For instance, there will be at least one guy, every now and then, who asks how many sets you have left, only to keep talking for 5 minutes, explaining how he used to squat four plates eight years ago. And guess what? That’s totally NOT the case with a home gym! The only thing that can distract you is, again, your loved one’s gains.

#3 YOUR OWN PLAYLIST

Most times we go to the gym with headphones on. This is where truly motivating music plays. It is oftentimes that you take the headphones off just to hear the speakers blast some liquid, chillstep. In such situations, you may often catch yourself drifting away on the bench press. However, if you have a home gym, that changes.

A home gym allows you to play whatever music you feel like listening to, at whatever volume you like. Having your own gym is a 95% good idea. However, there are some disadvantages to it, too. For instance, you don’t have as much equipment. Some of your favorite machines will likely be in a lack, and you will mostly focus on free weights.

IN THE END, BUILDING A HOME/GARAGE GYM IS A WORTHWHILE PROJECT THAT CAN YIELD SOME GREAT RESULTS.

Another thing is that training all by yourself is quite risky. Why is that? Well, because you don’t really have the chance to get a spotter. This is further accentuated by the fact that we perform at least slightly better in front of other people (regardless of how zen you are and how much you think you do it just for yourself.)

On a third note, we all know that a public gym can create some of your strongest friendships or even a relationship if you’re lucky enough to get into one with your gym crush.

Last but not least, gym equipment is quite expensive. So for many of us, it will take quite some time to create a gym that meets most of our training needs.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In the end, building a home/garage gym is a worthwhile project that can yield some great results. A garage gym is not only your personal space but also a place you can go to get away from all of life’s distractions and focus on whatever you need to accomplish with your body in an hour or two. But with this in mind, another question pops up: What equipment do you actually need for a home gym? This is exactly the question we’re going to answer in part two of this article series, so stay tuned!