Elliptical Buying Guide – What To Look For When Buying an Elliptical For Your Garage Gym
Looking for an elliptical? Not sure whether to spend $1000 or $5000? Make sure you get an elliptical you love with this comprehensive buying guide!
Plan Your Gym
Everything you need to know to plan an amazing home gym
Treadmill Buying Guide – What To Look For When Buying a Treadmill For Your Garage Gym
It’s easy to spend a lot more money on a treadmill than you planned to. But you don’t have to if you know exactly what you do and don’t need.
Which Cardio Machine Burns The Most Calories?
Ever wonder which cardio machine burns the most calories? Wonder no longer!
How Much Does the Right Home Gym Flooring Cost?
Flooring is an often overlooked but essential part of building a home gym. It can cost more than you think, but it’s worth every penny!
No Power Rack? No Problem! Building a Garage Gym Without a Cage.
Too many people skip building a garage gym because they don’t have the space or budget for a power rack. This is a huge mistake! You can build an amazing garage gym without a rack and I’ll show you how in this article!
What’s the Best Electric Space Heater For Your Home Gym? 10 Heaters Thoroughly Tested
I tried and tested ten electric space heaters in my garage gym. See which ones performed the best and which might be a waste of your money!
Should You Use EVA Tiles for Home Gym Flooring?
Last updated on March 31st, 2023 at 10:53 amIf you go to almost any home improvement or sporting goods store (in person or online) and search for “home gym flooring,” you’ll almost always find EVA as a recommended option. EVA is one of many different materials explicitly marketed as “home gym flooring.” The problem with … Read more
How to do pull-ups in gyms with low ceilings.
Last updated on April 8th, 2022 at 03:57 pmThe pull-up is a foundational functional movement pattern that everyone should train regularly. While it’s one of the more challenging movements anyone can do in a gym, it’s one that has a myriad of benefits that apply to everyday life. The pull-up is also a movement that … Read more
Overhead Pressing in gyms with low ceilings.
Last updated on July 7th, 2021 at 01:34 pmIn its many forms, the overhead press is one of the best compound lifts you can do when training with weights. After the “big three” (bench press, squat, and deadlift), some consider the overhead press a very close fourth when it comes to critical lifts. While there … Read more
The best indoor cardio solutions for home gyms with low ceilings
Last updated on February 28th, 2021 at 07:46 pmMany home gym owners seem to think that all they need is a treadmill or rower or tend to leave the cardio out altogether. In my opinion, both sides of that argument are wrong. As I’ve written about numerous times, all home gyms need three basic components: … Read more
Finding a Squat Rack for a home gym with a short ceiling
Last updated on February 28th, 2021 at 07:47 pmThe largest piece of equipment in most home gyms is the power rack. This is what allows you to work effectively with a barbell and weights and what keeps you safe when lifting alone. It’s also one of the biggest challenges to those with a low ceiling … Read more
Building a Home Gym You’ll Love in a Room with a Low Ceiling.
Last updated on March 11th, 2022 at 04:44 pmThe very first home gym I ever saw was in the early 1970s. My grandfather and uncle had carved out a small back room in their basement that held a drum set and a small home gym. That gym consisted of a heavy bag, a speed bag, … Read more
Can you put a treadmill on the second floor?
Last updated on January 2nd, 2023 at 05:47 pmAn average treadmill measures approximately 3’ wide x 6’ long x 5’ high. What may surprise you is that a treadmill of this size needs an area about 7’ wide x 12’ long x 8’ high. I cover all the reasons why in my article here, but … Read more
Do you really need a treadmill mat?
Last updated on January 2nd, 2023 at 05:53 pmI had finally decided on my treadmill. After way too much research and time at the store trying them out, I ended up going with the first one the guy at the store showed me after asking me about my needs. I’m naturally skeptical of salespeople, so … Read more
Building a great home gym, what do you really need?
Last updated on April 8th, 2022 at 03:58 pmAsk ten home gym owners what you need to build a great home gym and I can pretty much guarantee you’ll get ten different answers. That’s because each of those ten people has different needs and enjoys different types of training. This makes it hard for someone … Read more
Adding mirrors to your home gym… Everything you need to know.
Last updated on November 17th, 2022 at 09:33 amAlmost every commercial gym I’ve ever seen has mirrors on the walls. It’s part of the deal when building a gym. They are useful for both the patrons and the trainers and it would be hard to make a case for not installing them. So when people … Read more
Can you really build a garage gym for $500?
Last updated on March 16th, 2021 at 01:29 pmSo you want to build a home gym for $500. You start shopping and soon realize that in the world of home fitness equipment, $500 doesn’t go all that far. You are faced with a choice. Do you get only a couple of quality items? Or do … Read more
Is your pull-up bar mounted in the right place?
Last updated on June 16th, 2022 at 10:02 amPull-ups are a fundamental and functional movement pattern. They should also be a part of any well-programmed training regimen. For those of us with home gyms, that means that we need to find a place to put our pull-up bar. It also means we need to figure … Read more
How Much Does it Cost to Build a Home Gym You’ll Love?
Last updated on November 17th, 2022 at 09:36 amThe first thing most people consider when building a home gym is where in their home it might be able to fit. A millisecond later those same people are usually wondering what their new gym is going to cost. It’s probably a safe assumption that budget is … Read more
Easy Ways to Keep Deadlifts From Damaging Your Floor
Last updated on May 21st, 2022 at 05:50 pmThe weight dropped with a thud that shook the whole house. I hadn’t expected to lose my grip, but the bar (which was loaded to just over 300 lbs.) slipped without warning. After I inspected myself for injury, I checked the weights for damage (at that time … Read more
Should You Bolt Your Squat Rack to the Floor?
Last updated on May 21st, 2022 at 05:46 pmThe sound of the power rack’s metal feet scraping across the floor was almost unbearable. Real nails on a chalk board type sounds. I had attached a heavy band to one of the uprights and was trying to do banded rows. Every time I pulled, the rack … Read more
How Many Weight Plates Should You Buy For Your Home Gym?
Last updated on December 13th, 2022 at 03:15 pm12/13/22 Update. Since writing the below article, I’ve reconsidered my views on what size plates to buy. I still stand by the method presented below. The change comes with what plates you should buy as part of your set once you determine just how much weight you … Read more
How Much Room Do You Need For a Squat Rack?
Last updated on May 21st, 2022 at 05:45 pmI get pretty pumped every time I add a piece of gear to my home gym. But no addition has ever excited me more than the addition of a power rack. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve stood in my garage imagining a full-size rack … Read more
Is It Safe to Build a Home Gym on the Second Floor?
Last updated on May 21st, 2022 at 05:45 pmSometimes 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 … Read more
How Much Space Do You Need For Your New Treadmill?
Last updated on January 2nd, 2023 at 05:57 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 … Read more