Garage gyms are bad ass, it’s too bad there’s such little space in NYC for this. However if you’re in a suburban area or have the space for a garage gym then this is the post for you!
What’s Needed?
I strongly believe in a gym that’s clutter free and since we’re looking at a garage gym on a budget we want to find the most bang for your buck equipment. That means no machines just free weights. Here’s what I suggest:
Squat Rack
I prefer a half squat rack, this will give you the option to do everything from squat, bench, overhead press, inverted rows, pull ups, and so on without taking up much space.
Price $445
The nice thing about this rogue series is that you can take apart some aspects to lower down the pricing. Take a look at the site and see what works best for your liking.
IF you don’t care so much about the space you can get a full squat rack for still pretty cheap. My only issue with them is space, I like to move around and not maneuver around equipment.
Price: $799
EliteFTS has a nice power rack that includes the storage for the plates, pull up bar, pins for band work, and the safety pins are loaded horizontally so you can do isometric work on them.
Squat Stand
So some of the above squat racks maybe out of your price range, then you should look for squat stands. The nice thing about squat stands is that they are light, easy to move around, and CHEAP!
Here’s a few:
Price: $275
The great aspect of this squat stand is that there is a pin hole every 1″. This means you can use this for multiple purposes from benching, squatting, presses, RDL, etc…
The nice thing about these squat stands is that it has a place to store your plates which can give you a little more stability, and it can be stored away very easily if you decide to do so.
Legitimate Bar
Bars can range anywhere $85-$500+ so naturally if you’re on a budget you may want to skimp out on the bar but this will eventually cost you. Say if you go for a cheap bar $75 bar, eventually that bar will bend (especially as you get stronger) or rust. Save yourself a headache and save up for a bar that can withhold 1500lbs+, has a center knurling and is from a trusted brand. The saying “you pay for what you get” couldn’t resonate any harder here.
Bars we suggest:
Price: $329
Texas bars are trusted by many lifters and I’ve been using them for the past 8 years with no issues. In fact our 5 year old all purpose power bar’s knurling is still holding strong after MANY uses. We’ve also had some very stronger athletes come in and pull well over 700+lbs and the bars are still good to use no bend or warping.
Price: $250
I personally have not used this bar before however other coaches and personal trainers that I know really seem to like this bar.
Olympic Weightlifting Bars
Price: $700+
If you’re looking for Olympic weightlifting bars, Eleiko is the top dog. We used them at the NFL, College, and for our own weightlifters so I can’t say enough about the quality of the bar. However these bars are SUPER expensive, I believe the minimum is $700 for a mens bar.
DHS Barbell
Price: $535+
I’ve lifted with a few DHS bars and found them to be pretty descent, especially considering the cost. The bars have great spin and solid knurling, the only negative is that if felt a little flimsy. I assume they want the lifters to have “whip” so the bar has a little more flex than I’d like especially with lighter weights.
Pull Up Bar
If you didn’t go for the half rack, then you’ll need a pull up bar. Personally I don’t like the bars that hang between the doors for a garage gym. So are the ones I’d suggest:
Rogue P-5V Garage Pull Up System
Price: $120
This pull up bar is great because it gives you a little room from the wall and you can hook a bunch of stuff to it. If you place it high enough you can attach pull up rings on them too….efficiency!
Price: $72
If you don’t care for a pull up bar then I’d suggest just getting pull up rings. This way you can adjust them up and down for pull ups, inverted rows, muscle ups, dips, etc…
If you’re tight on space and budget this maybe your best bet. The rings take up very little space and allow you to do so many different exercises it’s well worth the cost vs. say a TRX or a pull up bar.
Bench
When looking for a bench, you want to make sure that the padding is soft and squishy so that you can slide your upper back into the bench without it sliding and wide enough for bigger guys.
As of now the most economical I’ve found that somewhat fits these categories is this:
Price: $175
The bench is nice and wide. The only issue is that it’s a little more slick than I’d like. HOWEVER you can easily fix that by placing a yoga mat or a band over the area you place your upper back to create some friction.
Bands
If you like to do a few accessory work like rows, push downs, pull overs etc.. but don’t want to pay for a cable machine, look no further than using bands. Resistance bands are perfect for this, cheap, and still can give you a nice pump. I’d suggest that you place them on the top of your squat rack, pull up bar, or simply set up a wall anchor similar to this:
This mount costs about $50 but you can just goto home depot and buy an anchor for about $3-5 and it’ll do just fine.
Money Saving Tips
If you’re still looking for better deals and are in no rush for the equipment, then I’d suggest to hit up craigslist, talk to your local universities strength and conditioning coaches, and gyms. Craigslist has a bunch of great equipment from sleds, kettlebells, and so on for half the cost. The bigger equipment like decent squat racks, plate sets, glute ham raises, etc… will most likely come from the University. You can also call your local gyms or find foreclosed gyms to find various pieces of equipment. However most of the equipment will more than likely be a little beat up and worn down. With that said, I’m sure it’ll work just fine and the savings on shipping and the general cost alone will be worth reaching out.
In the end if you buy the:
- Rogue ES-1 Squat Stand: $275
- Texas Power Bar: $329
- Rings: $72
- Bench: $175
- Total= $851
Now you’ll just need to buy the plates ($250+) at a local gym or sporting goods store and you’ll have a full gym for around $1k. In one years time that’s about $83 a month, about the same cost of most gyms in Manhattan and in two years time that investment will equate to about $41 per month. The savings alone will allow you to buy more equipment and you don’t need to deal with the craziness that goes on in some gyms.
Stay strong,
Team Fusion Trained
About the Author
I really dig the possibility of having a home gym with the chops of a pro gym– thanks for the detailed breakdown.