Garage Gym Ideas What You Need and How to Set Up Your Own Garage Gym

Try and think of all the reasons why you wouldn't want a garage gym. There is a very good chance that, if you are like most exercise-oriented people, you couldn’t come up with any good reason why having a garage gym wouldn't be a good idea.

That's because having a personal gym right there in your house is a wonderful idea. Not only does it save you money, but it's convenient, personalized and you can use it whenever you want without needing to drive to it or sign in.

So now that we've settled that little conundrum, it's time to check out some awesome garage gym ideas that can help transform that dusty space into nothing short of a luxurious sports club just for your personal fitness needs.

Practical Garage Gym Ideas to Implement Today

The beauty of having a personal garage gym is that you can spend as much or as little money on it as you wish. In fact, you don't even have to go all-in at the start. You can build it up slowly as your fitness needs arise.

If you focus on buying quality gym equipment that you need and regularly use, over time, you will find that you have a home gym that is not only self-equipped but one that is fully functional and efficient.

However, before you get started on designing your garage gym, there are a few factors that you must consider:

• The size of your garage: The amount of space you have will play a big role in the kind of equipment you can buy and use. You, therefore, have to pay close attention to the actual usable space in your garage
• The height of the ceiling: This is also another big issue. There are certain gym equipment pieces that you simply can't use effectively if you have a low garage ceiling
• Ventilation and lighting: Granted, these are factors that you can change but it never really hurts to consider them during the planning phase because it will determine the number of non-workout equipment that need to be bought

Then, of course, there is no accounting for personal taste, as this is highly subjective. However, the rule of thumb to follow here is that you should strive to make your garage gym as comfortable as possible for you. Remember, this is going to serve as your personal space - feel free to personalize it!

That being said, here are some practical garage gym ideas to start implementing today:

1. Put Efficiency Front and Foremost

One of the biggest reasons why having a garage gym is so cool is because it saves from the inefficiencies that come with: packing your gym bag, driving to the gym, waiting on someone to finish using the machine you want to use, share a shower with a bunch of other people, get dressed, drive back home or to work and repeat the process all over again. The drive alone could cost you hours every month. Hours that could be put to better use.

When designing your garage gym, think of efficiency first. This is a space where you not only go to save time but to work out without the external stresses that come with sharing a confined space with a bunch of strangers:

• Make it easy to get into the gym (don't put heavy and bulky workout equipment at the entrance)
• Put everything you will need for your workout within reach (have a mini-fridge with your water, juice or shakes in the same room)
• Keep all your workout gear in the basement, so you don't have to run around the house looking for that single weightlifting gym glove that doesn't want to be found

If you must, have a big clock on your wall to remind what time it is when you are working out so that you partition your segments accordingly.

2. Store as Much as You Can on the Walls

It doesn't matter how big your garage is; you will still be dealing with finite space. One of the best ways to set up a garage gym is to leave as much space as possible to do stuff. This means ensuring that your gym equipment and things like your dumbbells, barbells, and racks can be stored on the walls.

Once those easily movable pieces of equipment are out of the way, you will have a bit more space for specialized compact gym equipment like your DAP/Smith Combo machine as well as your flat and incline benches.

In fact, with the right pieces of compact gym equipment and organization skills, you can have your entire gym on your garage walls, leaving you with enough space to park your car if you wish.

3. Set Up Your Own Music with Amazon Echo Dot

This has to be one of the best reasons why building your own garage gym is a wonderful idea - you don't have to listen to what is so often awful music played at public gyms. Having your gym means that you can now listen to your kind of music and at whatever volume you want.

The music set up is quite important since the right kind of music will pump you up to do more reps and keep you going when you start to feel lethargic and bored. One of the best ways to make this set up efficient is to hook up an Amazon Echo Dot to a set of real quality speakers like Bose.

This way, you use voice command to control the music and don't even have to stop doing what you are doing when a particular song isn't speaking the warrior in you.

4. Buy the Right Kind of Equipment

Now, this is one of those places where personal choice comes into play. There are many different types of gym equipment out there, and if you are to implement the wildest of garage gym ideas, then you would buy everything.

However, space and finances are most likely finite; you have to choose wisely. There are several ways to decide which pieces of workout equipment you need to buy:

• Consider the kind of workout you do regularly
• Think of the kind of gains you most desire
• Look at your space and your bank account

However, as stated earlier, these are things that you can buy as the need arise, which means that you don't have to spend your life savings on them just this minute.

That being said, if you already have the funds in place and have considered your garage space, there are several compact gym equipment pieces that you should consider buying. Things like:

• Compact 8 Stack Multi Gym: That is because this single piece of equipment will help you target a wide range of muscles and even allow for multiple people to use at the same time. You know, just in case your spouse and even kids want to join you for workout sessions.
• Rowing Machine: The right kind of rower will help you achieve all of your cardio exercise workout targets as well as build up those leg muscles, glutes, arms, and pecs as well while at it. The best part is that they don't take up much space, and they usually have different difficulty level settings for all levels of fitness.

Then, of course, there are the free weights such as barbells and dumbbells and the typical gym mainstays like a jump rope, a treadmill, and any other specific machine you prefer to buy. The idea here is to find machines that can be used for more than just one purpose. The more the multi-usability of the machine, the more justifiable the purchase in terms of money and space.

5. Install Mirrors Everywhere

Mostly because...why not? It's your gym, and if you want to be as vain as possible, then you can. However, mirrors in the gym aren't just there so that you can check yourself out at every turn.

They serve a specific purpose: they help you check your form. Every weightlifter worth their salt will tell you that form is one of the most important aspects of working out for two main reasons:

• It helps you get the most out of the workout
• It helps reduce the chances of injury

Keeping correct form is crucial to achieving your workout goals and keeping you fit, healthy, and injury-free while at it. So go ahead, install mirrors all around the garage if you want. You can even start slowly by buying a full-length mirror then increasing the number slowly until mirrors cover the entire wall.

6. Make Room for Your Spouse and Even Kids

Yes, for some people, gym time is personal time, and they don't want any distractions around. However, if you are going to design a garage gym in your home, why not make it all-inclusive?

Now, of course, whenever young children or even teenagers are involved in a gym environment, there is always an increased risk of injury to them. One way to reduce this risk is to get foldable gates that can be put away on the walls when not in use. These gates can be used to keep the toddler or toddlers in a safe corner as the parents work out using heavy equipment.

If, however, you have teenagers, why not get them involved? You can teach them how to lift or have them do aerobic exercises using the rower, treadmill, or jump rope. Another good way to do this is if you have enough space in your garage, you can partition it into two rooms.

One should be the weight room where all the heavy and potentially dangerous equipment remains, and the other one should be the yoga room where all the aerobics and bodyweight exercises take place. This is the room that the kids should use under your direction and supervision.

Not only will this allow you to get the entire family excited about healthy living, but it's also another avenue for you to spend more quality time with them.

Building yourself a garage gym is a wonderful way to save money, get your DIY skills on, and save a lot of time every year.

Plus, when you have a home gym, you have very little excuse not to work out. These are just a few garage gym ideas that you can implement starting today, and in no time at all, you will have a fully-fledged home gym that you and the family can enjoy.