Sometimes my imagination gets the best of me. As I was using my treadmill the other day (it’s in an upstairs bedroom), I envisioned my 205 lb. frame riding the 350 lb. treadmill as it crashed through my floor into the garage below. I’m fairly sure that won’t happen, but that’s just how my mind … Read more
The knock at my door was unexpected. It was my neighbor. “Hey, we’re moving, and we have to be out fast. If there’s anything over in my garage, you see that you might want, let me know. We’d rather not have to move most of it.” The housing crisis had claimed yet another victim. I … Read more
I have owned not one, but two Bowflex home gyms in my training lifetime. A bunch of years back, I owned two of the exact same model within about a year of each other. It’s too long of a story to explain here, but the short version is I apparently don’t learn from experience very … Read more
I love walking outside. But here near Chicago, there comes a time of year when no matter how hearty you think you are, walking outside just isn’t gonna happen. When the wind chill is 30 below, and the actual temp is -2° F, even the dog doesn’t want to go outside. And I can’t blame … Read more
When Jocko Willink, Seal team commander and all around badass, was asked to list the equipment people should buy for their home gym, he said, “If there’s one thing that you could have, if there was one piece of equipment, it would probably be smart to go with just wooden rings… You could basically work … Read more
Every time I was in my garage working out, something always felt a little off. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something just didn’t seem right. Then spring came and for the first time in several months I opened the garage door before I started training. The fresh air and warm temps were … Read more
Do you know what unwashed monkey butt smells like? I do. Well, at least I think I do. I would imagine it smells exactly like the odor that was emanating from my garage gym one hot June afternoon. I really wanted to work out, but I just couldn’t handle the smell that had seemed to … Read more
One of the biggest benefits of having a home gym is that it’s right there in your home. One of the biggest drawbacks is that, well, it’s right there in your home. It’s easy for you to get to, but it’s also easy for your family (if you have one) to be a distraction from … Read more
I almost had a heart attack the first time I priced out a new set of dumbbells. And then another when I looked at prices on weight plates. In fact, I have been consistently amazed at how much quality gym equipment costs. But there is hope for those of us who build out gyms on … Read more
One of the most commonly asked questions by folks putting together a home gym is, “How much will it cost?”. You don’t have to spend a ton of money to have a highly useful and enjoyable home gym. In some cases you don’t have to spend any money at all. Yet somehow when we start … Read more
There are few other pieces of equipment you’ll buy for your home gym that are as important or as used as a solid and reliable weight bench. When putting together my gym, a bench was one of the very first purchases. I went to my local Play It Again Sports and found a basic flat … Read more
In this article I’ll be covering the the EZ bar. It’s a funny looking thing that you’ll find in most commercial gyms. A lot of people think it’s just for curls. But it’s so much more than that. I integrated one into my training years ago and wouldn’t go back. For a full detail on … Read more
It’s easy to get carried away when equipping your home gym. A quiet hour alone with your credit card on the internet can often result in quite a few purchases you don’t actually need. For me this is especially true when it comes to training gear! A quick study of home gym blogs and You … Read more
Here, I’ll be covering the Olympic straight bar (also sometimes known as a power lifting barbell). This traditional straight barbell is usually the very first bar people add to their gym. It’s the king of the weight training barbells. You’ll most likely use it more than any other bar you own. It’s what you will … Read more
If you are building a home gym, you’re going to need at least one barbell. If you are building a great home gym, you’ll need at least 3.
One of the biggest challenges in training at home is that we’ll be lifting by ourselves with no one around to spot or help. With a little forethought, though, we can all train safely at home alone without a spotter!
A complete list of gear, accessories, tech, books, and gym upgrades that you’ll use and love. All for under $50!!!
The whole point of a garage gym is to improve your health. But if you don’t address your gym’s air quality, you could be hurting your health, not helping it!
Tired of shivering through your workouts in your cold garage gym? These 7 highly useful tips will warm you up in no time!
How is leg day like installing a new floor in your home gym? It’s critical to your foundation and it’s something a lot of people would rather skip! Of course, you would never skip leg day, would you? It’s fun, exciting, and not at all painful, right?! I think that’s why so many people don’t … Read more
Wondering what kind of dumbbells to buy? Learn all about the three types available and which is perfect for your gym!
If you’ve ever wondered “what are kettlebells?” and would they be a good addition to your home gym, this is the article to read!
Every once in a while, something new comes to the world of weight lifting and training. Sometimes it’s a fad, other times it’s not. Sometimes it shows results, sometimes not so much. Because there is so much information out there today, much of it conflicting, it’s hard to know whether or not to add something … Read more
When buying plates for your home gym, you’ll have to make the choice between standard and bumper plates. What are bumper plates? This article explains al
A complete guide to how and how often to clean each type of equipment in your home gym.