Last updated on February 28th, 2021 at 07:36 pmI 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 her! Whether it’s for cold or snow or rain or simply that …
Gymnastic Rings or TRX, Which is Right For You?
View PostThe Best Ways to Light Your Home Gym, A Complete Guide
Last updated on July 7th, 2021 at 02:29 pmEvery 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 amazing, but the kicker was the sunlight! Training in a bright and …
How to Get Rid of a Bad Smell in Your Home Gym
Last updated on July 7th, 2021 at 02:24 pmDo 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 crop up from nowhere! I didn’t know where it was coming from, …
21 Highly Effective Ways to Quiet Your Home Gym
View Post4 Easy Steps to Buying Used Gym Equipment You’ll Love
Last updated on February 28th, 2021 at 07:19 pmI 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 a budget! That hope lies in used fitness equipment. If you take …
The Best Way to Save Money on Your Home Gym
Last updated on February 28th, 2021 at 06:38 pmOne 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 dreaming about our ideal mix of equipment, we end up with a …
Body Solid GFID225 Weight Bench Review
View PostIt’s Not All About the Gun Show – Your Guide to the EZ Bar
Last updated on February 28th, 2021 at 06:24 pmIn 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 several bars I think are important, check out my article “The 3 …
Do You Really Need a Trap / Hex Bar for Your Home Gym?
Last updated on February 28th, 2021 at 06:33 pmIt’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 Tube channels shows the end result of these types of shopping sprees. …
Choosing the Best Barbell for Your Home Gym
View PostThe 3 Barbells You Will Find in the Best Home Gyms
Last updated on July 7th, 2021 at 01:29 pm***Since writing this article, I’ve rewritten substantial parts of it as completely new posts. These new articles are much more up to date, accurate, and better reflect the equipment I’m currently using (different than some of the recommendations here). I still believe that these three barbells are worth having and that the overall advice given here is accurate. But I would recommend seeing the following updated articles …
7 Habits For Safely Training Alone Without a Spotter
Last updated on February 28th, 2021 at 06:24 pmI don’t want to die, trapped under a barbell, alone in my garage. Now that I’ve sufficiently brightened your day, let me explain. The pessimist in me always assumes the worst. Very often, I find myself daydreaming about unpleasant outcomes and things gone wrong. When I decided to build a fully equipped home gym in my garage, that was no exception. One of my biggest fears is …
55 Ways to Add Awesome to Your Home Gym for Under $50
View PostHow to Improve Your Home Gym Air Quality
Last updated on July 7th, 2021 at 02:16 pmWhat if your home gym, the thing you built to improve your health, is actually making you sick? What if an often overlooked factor was causing you health issues? Surprisingly, this is the case in more than a few home gyms. We put a ton of effort into choosing every detail in our gym. We stress over weights, machines, benches, racks, accessories, and more. We then often …
7 Steps to Warming up a Cold Home Gym
Last updated on July 7th, 2021 at 02:01 pmBaby, It’s Cold Outside! As I write this article, it’s early November and 32 degrees outside. My morning walks are marked by newly formed frost and the flowers and warm weather of summer are a fading memory. It’s time to settle in for another dark, cold winter season. For me, winter marks a change in my activities. It’s a period during which I tend to dedicate an …
The Complete Guide to Home Gym Flooring
View PostWhat Kind of Dumbbells Should I Buy?
Last updated on July 7th, 2021 at 01:03 pmOne of my favorite additions to my home gym has been my set of dumbbells. A nice set of dumbbells moves you miles closer to never having to use a commercial gym again. They can be used for a tremendously wide array of exercises and for me, are even more important than the Olympic bar and bumper plates (see my article on bumper plates here). I work …
What Are Kettlebells And Should I Have Them In My Home Gym?
Last updated on July 7th, 2021 at 01:22 pmWhen building a home gym, it’s important to make sure the equipment you pick is both versatile and effective. There are few, if any, implements that meet those requirements better than the kettlebell. For those in the know, kettlebells are an easy addition to their home gym. For those that aren’t, you may find yourself asking, “What is a kettlebell and do I need them?” History… Kettlebells …
What is BFR (Blood Flow Restriction) Training?
View PostAre Bumper Plates a Good Choice For a Home Gym?
Last updated on March 9th, 2021 at 03:28 pm**Since writing this article, I have purchased new bumper plates and written a more complete guide on weight plates. This article is a great primer on deciding between bumpers and standard plates. I actually ended up buying both. See why in my highly detailed guide to weight plates here. You can see all the gear I currently own, use, and recommend as well as what I recommend for …
Quick and Simple Ways to Keep Your Home Gym Clean
Last updated on February 28th, 2021 at 07:40 pmThe point of a home gym is to use it, right? That means we need to actually enjoy spending time there. One of the best ways to do that is to ensure that our home gym is clean, free of bacteria, and smells fresh! I don’t know about you, but when I’m done with my work out, I’m usually exhausted. I go hard in the gym and love every …