I have always had a home gym. I am now 73 years old and just moved into a new house, 55 and older community. I left my last house with my gym in it and that is what sold that house. We listed the house stating it had a gym in it and it was sold in less than a week. I am building my new gym and having a ball ! I found some pieces at our community college, cheap ! Thanks for getting the word out it really is a life changer. Thanks for all your time and effort, it was a very good video.
I love that so much, good for you!! I think half the fun is the search for equipment, too. So glad you were able to find equipment from the local college- that's incredible. Thanks for watching!
agree 100%.. you don't have to have it all at once, you gain pieces over time and grow to your taste. the freedom of walking over and doing a few sets as the mood strikes or as you said working out barefoot in your underwear is PRICELESS! I love my home gym I wish I had done it when I was a younger man
I worked out in gym 30+ years. I’m a former bodybuilder and powerlifter and also an icu Rn. During covid gyms closed and I wanted to train so it started with a kettlebell. A weight vest and a glute ham machine. From there it grew into my home gym. Coming home from work wearing scrubs and going right into the garage to train has given me free time and peace of mind. It’s my own personal Zen. My dog gets to be out there and my friends come over to train. It’s just my thing and I love it.
Mine in a studio apartment: - Ironmaster DBs up to 62kg each - Ironmaster super bench pro - decline attachment (for sit ups) - pull up bar - rings (for dips) with weight belt - Ironmaster leg extension/ leg curl Can do 90% of what I want.
Imo, the value proposition is not against a membership, it's vs the excuses/justifications that keep me from working out when I have to waste time/energy before the workout begins. And is against the extra medical costs of being out of shape because I let the extra overhead of going to a gym keep me from doing it. I started with a cheap power rack, but went heavier on the cardio options (treadmill, cycle and rower) so I could always do some cardio without overtaxing the muscles that were recovering from resistance training. Eventually I'll upgrade to a nicer rack with more cable options. Best of all, I splurged on a really nice AC because I hate working out in muggy air.😀
Between the floors, professionally installed mirrors, wall control storage, 700 lbs of competition bumper plates, and the equipment I have about $25k in my home gym. I had some equipment prior to Covid that I never really used because I preferred going to the gym, but once the shut down happened I started to expand my purchases and haven’t looked back. I still have a gym membership because I can’t fit a hack squat machine in my space and that’s my preferred method of squatting.
This video really resonated with me. I am a long- time lifter for the past 30 years. In March of 2020, when gyms started to close, I decided to start acquiring equipment for a garage gym. I now have what I consider a “solid home gym” based on your criteria. My equipment is better than Planet Fitness. Plus I get to rock out with Amazon music during my workout, and avoid an hour in round trip driving time.
The biggest benefit I've gained from starting a home gym is that it's harder to make excuses for not working out, haha! Like you I'm socially awkward and am... not crazy about interacting with other people 😅. So in addition to packing for and commuting to the gym, I also had to overcome the hesitation of having to thrust myself into a public place -- something I STILL struggle with. With a home gym, I can start working out at any time -- on a whim! -- and even while I'm working on other things. Whereas I used to only workout around 2 days a week, I now have little excuse for working out everyday and can be a lot more consistent!
My wife was in the Navy, and I was stuck in Japan, out of place, living off base with two kids and nothing to do. I had a weight bench though...and that's where it started. Stay-at-home Dad could just play video games all day, but I started something. Right now I have a PLM03 weight cage with the cable stuff, bunch of attachments, and a bunch of bars. I don't feel bad about the price because like the example in this video...some people blaze that cost on old cars and I've seen them never get that old car on the road. At least my shit can be used and probably takes up just as much space. It's like $2k...so just compare that to a car...it's not a bad hobby. The wife makes it feel expensive with the guilt trips, but she's spent more on vacations to bullshit places and my logic justifies me buying some new cable machine attachments. At least it's not like our shared gun collection where she keeps buying more guns that we never use. The gym gets used...and my kid is about to hit puberty...he fucking loves it. I show him a lift or two and then he's in there for hours on his own (I'm not the coach Dad type that lives through his kids) and he's just going at it. Go at it if you have the space and a little excess cash. It's not that pricy over time. It's not like I was buying cars and that kind of hobby. Put it like this...I could've just been playing video games instead...get fat...brag about nothing to the normies...how many of you want to hear about my latest Diablo IV necromancer build? How many chicks want to hear about that? The weights though is a real conversation starter...EVERYONE has a little part of themselves that wishes they had a gym of their own. Not everyone has a little place in their heart for my gun collection, my video games, or my off grid tiny homes ideas. The gym though...even chicks like it even though the wife wants to use that space for storing clothes or some bullshit.
Hi Matt, I have a home gym that I’ve been building over the past 20 years. I love working out at home. Another benefit of working out at home is that you don’t catch as many colds. 90% of all the colds I ever got were from the gym. Another thing is you control the music. You don’t have to be subject to gym music, which is so annoying. Hope to see you soon. Back in the old neighborhood. Tom .
Yes!! The music isnt a huge deal for me because I still wear headphones at home (2 kids sleeping directly above me with little insulation) but the illness aspect is huuuuge. The gym is a breeding ground for germs.
My homegym was a dream come true to realize, but it did come with some regrets, as i went overboard and made some purchases i wouldnt have or purchases i wish i wouldve paid a little more for, like the bench and the squat rack. Plus, the gym is in the garage and i can't train there in the winter (no heat) and i just go to commercial gym more. Things i absolutely use daily are an adjustable dumbbell and an indian club. Easy access.
One of the really nice things about home gym equipment is that it holds its value fairly well as long as you dont totally abuse it. You’ll lose some money, but if you end up regretting purchases or changing your mind, there is ALWAYS an option to sell your stuff and get a decent amount back for different purchases
I like to have the option to go to a commercial gym with friends and variety of machines; and have the option of a home gym. I have a 1 piece squat stand, a bench press, doorway pull up bar (kensui 45 and hammer grip attachments for variations), angled dip bars, 1 inch dumbbell handles, 500 lbs of weight , resistance bands and a cable pulley system from amazon. And have about $1700 invested over several years. only thing I really need now is an adjustable bench and I can do any free weight or body weight exercises and some cable exercises. And the whole thing that going to a gym is cheaper than a home gym, i really don't even care. To me the extra expense is worth it me cuz i enjoy working out that much. It's no different than someone buying a fancy car or clothes, every has priority how they spend their money.
I started my home gym in 2016. I never made much money but I was able to buy one dumbbell every other week when I got paid. Slowly over the years by taking advantage of sales and sometimes saving for a couple of years to buy a few items I have a nice little setup. So now the gray hair old lady heads downstairs in whatever outfit she throws together, with hair that looks like Krusty the Klown and I can get in the day's workout, in peace and whatever time I want to. One more thing.... please lets keep this on the quiet tip: I hardly ever rerack... Oh the horror!!!!
Hey Matt, what do you think about the new ATX triplex 2300€ : Kraftstation ATX® - TripleX Gym - Multistation It looks like vendetta style + selectorized (not plate loaded) lat pulldown/cable row in a small space. I wonder because I am very tall and long arms, so a cable machine won't do the job I guess
I dont know a ton about that specific piece but seems like a decent solution for all-in-one. I wouldnt want to get that instead of a power rack though, just in addition to. If you’re not limited by ceiling height, you can get yourself a tall rack with a pulldown/low row built into it then add on the lever arms as well
A con that wasn't mentioned is portability. If your space is something you think you might vacate in the next five years or so, you probably don't want to purchase equipment which is bulky or difficult to disassemble and reassemble.
I put down a rubber floor, squat rack, 2 barbells, a few benches, adjustable dumbbells, dip bar, heavy bag, some bands, leg extension and hamstring curl bench and a rowing machine. Roughly 2500 bucks and I still want to get a cable station. I workout 5 days a week. No way I would make it to the gym that often if it wasn't at home.
Hi Mr. Rosenman: As you know, a home (garage/basement) gym is never done. What are you thinking about purchasing next? It does not look like; you have a lot of room available for new equipment. I started my garage gym over thirty years ago, and we barely made everything fit. Not a lot of people can afford the up-front costs, or the space for a home gym. Do you allow your friends/family to use your facility? I hope to see more of your new videos. Thank you.
Next up for me is Nordic bench that folds up against the wall to store vertically. It won't take up much space at all, and I've been missing being able to do Nordics at home so I look forward to that. Family can use the gym, sure, but I'm not inviting friends in to use it. I enjoy working out alone.
What you didn't tackle on the comparison of gym membership vs home gym: the resell value of your equipment. When you want to sell your home gym, and take the money of that into the calculation, I'm sure the home gym isn't even that much more expensivez if not cheaper, than a gym membership. Ofcourse we all know, you should never sell your (full) home gym, unless it's for upgrading
would I let anyone spot me in the commercial gym hell no, I would say at least 90% of people don't even know how to spot people in gyms nowadays and the other aspect what I found in commercial gyms nowadays they're not friendly people especially I found that if people in the group they're even more anti-social. number one: wh it the best to have a home gym is you can have your pre-made meal after workout straight away rather than going from a commercial gym and trying to find a restaurant or go home start cooking one of my pet hate when i was working in a gym, coming into the morning shift finding that the staff at night didn't clean, I would find weight plates all over the gyms floor, all dumbbells on the floor, bottles and cans all over the gym, none of the cleaning roles were filled in the gym, no bog roll, it was like f~~~~~~ me i still had to the morning routine had to make sure all the machines working/oil machines/ put batteries in the rowers if they needed hoover and mop the gym floor, clean all cardio and weight machines and had half hour to get most of this done before the gym open
I have had a home gym for 20 years also go to gym having both is great just wish 20 yrs ago they had stuff we do now all in one machine would be great but smith machine I have is big but still works and has peck deck
There you go! For many people new to lifting, it’s something they need to learn. Not incredibly difficult, but a small hurdle if you’re used to working out in a commercial gym with a partner at all times
Home gym is def worth the cost I use mine 5-6 times a week. Hobbies like home gym and my second hobby hockey are expensive but it’s not about money but health and happiness haha
I have always had a home gym. I am now 73 years old and just moved into a new house, 55 and older community. I left my last house with my gym in it and that is what sold that house. We listed the house stating it had a gym in it and it was sold in less than a week. I am building my new gym and having a ball ! I found some pieces at our community college, cheap ! Thanks for getting the word out it really is a life changer. Thanks for all your time and effort, it was a very good video.
I love that so much, good for you!! I think half the fun is the search for equipment, too. So glad you were able to find equipment from the local college- that's incredible. Thanks for watching!
73 years old and still going strong. Respect!
agree 100%.. you don't have to have it all at once, you gain pieces over time and grow to your taste. the freedom of walking over and doing a few sets as the mood strikes or as you said working out barefoot in your underwear is PRICELESS! I love my home gym I wish I had done it when I was a younger man
Hey it's never too late to enjoy a home gym! Glad you got it started.
I own a home gym, $3500-$4000 tier.
Buddy, u NAILED EVERY SINGLE POINT in my heart!! 💪💪
I worked out in gym 30+ years. I’m a former bodybuilder and powerlifter and also an icu Rn. During covid gyms closed and I wanted to train so it started with a kettlebell. A weight vest and a glute ham machine. From there it grew into my home gym. Coming home from work wearing scrubs and going right into the garage to train has given me free time and peace of mind. It’s my own personal Zen. My dog gets to be out there and my friends come over to train. It’s just my thing and I love it.
Love the jammer arms, I'm holding my breath for the Bulletproof ISO Arms 🤞
Can't wait to see those in action!
Mine in a studio apartment:
- Ironmaster DBs up to 62kg each
- Ironmaster super bench pro
- decline attachment (for sit ups)
- pull up bar
- rings (for dips) with weight belt
- Ironmaster leg extension/ leg curl
Can do 90% of what I want.
love my ironmaster bench and accessories!
My home gym-
1) Doorway Pull-up Bar
2) Gymnastic Rings
3) Parallettes
4) Dip Bars
Imo, the value proposition is not against a membership, it's vs the excuses/justifications that keep me from working out when I have to waste time/energy before the workout begins. And is against the extra medical costs of being out of shape because I let the extra overhead of going to a gym keep me from doing it.
I started with a cheap power rack, but went heavier on the cardio options (treadmill, cycle and rower) so I could always do some cardio without overtaxing the muscles that were recovering from resistance training. Eventually I'll upgrade to a nicer rack with more cable options.
Best of all, I splurged on a really nice AC because I hate working out in muggy air.😀
Between the floors, professionally installed mirrors, wall control storage, 700 lbs of competition bumper plates, and the equipment I have about $25k in my home gym. I had some equipment prior to Covid that I never really used because I preferred going to the gym, but once the shut down happened I started to expand my purchases and haven’t looked back. I still have a gym membership because I can’t fit a hack squat machine in my space and that’s my preferred method of squatting.
Idk about home gyms
But the bench clearers jerseys are on point keep the collection going mang 🔥 💪
Discovered them recently and it is so difficult to not buy every last one. They’re amazing.
This video really resonated with me. I am a long- time lifter for the past 30 years. In March of 2020, when gyms started to close, I decided to start acquiring equipment for a garage gym. I now have what I consider a “solid home gym” based on your criteria. My equipment is better than Planet Fitness. Plus I get to rock out with Amazon music during my workout, and avoid an hour in round trip driving time.
Yup!! I guess you were in the same boat as me in 2020 when you had to pay a premium on the equipment, huh?
Yes indeed. Items of equipment were scarce, and there was a lot of price gouging going on. The price of weight plates was obscene.
I’m taking notes
Walmart had a power rack for $119 and a high-low lat attachment for $50, 100 lb bumper plate set for $70.
Walmart has crazy deals on gym equipment, you just have to pay attention to the quality because there is a wiiiiide range
The biggest benefit I've gained from starting a home gym is that it's harder to make excuses for not working out, haha! Like you I'm socially awkward and am... not crazy about interacting with other people 😅. So in addition to packing for and commuting to the gym, I also had to overcome the hesitation of having to thrust myself into a public place -- something I STILL struggle with. With a home gym, I can start working out at any time -- on a whim! -- and even while I'm working on other things. Whereas I used to only workout around 2 days a week, I now have little excuse for working out everyday and can be a lot more consistent!
Yes I love that! If it allows you to be consistent that is absolutely the most important thing
My wife was in the Navy, and I was stuck in Japan, out of place, living off base with two kids and nothing to do. I had a weight bench though...and that's where it started. Stay-at-home Dad could just play video games all day, but I started something. Right now I have a PLM03 weight cage with the cable stuff, bunch of attachments, and a bunch of bars. I don't feel bad about the price because like the example in this video...some people blaze that cost on old cars and I've seen them never get that old car on the road. At least my shit can be used and probably takes up just as much space. It's like $2k...so just compare that to a car...it's not a bad hobby. The wife makes it feel expensive with the guilt trips, but she's spent more on vacations to bullshit places and my logic justifies me buying some new cable machine attachments. At least it's not like our shared gun collection where she keeps buying more guns that we never use. The gym gets used...and my kid is about to hit puberty...he fucking loves it. I show him a lift or two and then he's in there for hours on his own (I'm not the coach Dad type that lives through his kids) and he's just going at it.
Go at it if you have the space and a little excess cash. It's not that pricy over time. It's not like I was buying cars and that kind of hobby. Put it like this...I could've just been playing video games instead...get fat...brag about nothing to the normies...how many of you want to hear about my latest Diablo IV necromancer build? How many chicks want to hear about that? The weights though is a real conversation starter...EVERYONE has a little part of themselves that wishes they had a gym of their own. Not everyone has a little place in their heart for my gun collection, my video games, or my off grid tiny homes ideas. The gym though...even chicks like it even though the wife wants to use that space for storing clothes or some bullshit.
Hi Matt, I have a home gym that I’ve been building over the past 20 years. I love working out at home.
Another benefit of working out at home is that you don’t catch as many colds. 90% of all the colds I ever got were from the gym. Another thing is you control the music. You don’t have to be subject to gym music, which is so annoying. Hope to see you soon. Back in the old neighborhood. Tom .
Yes!! The music isnt a huge deal for me because I still wear headphones at home (2 kids sleeping directly above me with little insulation) but the illness aspect is huuuuge. The gym is a breeding ground for germs.
Agreed!
My homegym was a dream come true to realize, but it did come with some regrets, as i went overboard and made some purchases i wouldnt have or purchases i wish i wouldve paid a little more for, like the bench and the squat rack. Plus, the gym is in the garage and i can't train there in the winter (no heat) and i just go to commercial gym more.
Things i absolutely use daily are an adjustable dumbbell and an indian club. Easy access.
One of the really nice things about home gym equipment is that it holds its value fairly well as long as you dont totally abuse it. You’ll lose some money, but if you end up regretting purchases or changing your mind, there is ALWAYS an option to sell your stuff and get a decent amount back for different purchases
I like to have the option to go to a commercial gym with friends and variety of machines; and have the option of a home gym. I have a 1 piece squat stand, a bench press, doorway pull up bar (kensui 45 and hammer grip attachments for variations), angled dip bars, 1 inch dumbbell handles, 500 lbs of weight , resistance bands and a cable pulley system from amazon. And have about $1700 invested over several years. only thing I really need now is an adjustable bench and I can do any free weight or body weight exercises and some cable exercises.
And the whole thing that going to a gym is cheaper than a home gym, i really don't even care. To me the extra expense is worth it me cuz i enjoy working out that much. It's no different than someone buying a fancy car or clothes, every has priority how they spend their money.
I started my home gym in 2016. I never made much money but I was able to buy one dumbbell every other week when I got paid. Slowly over the years by taking advantage of sales and sometimes saving for a couple of years to buy a few items I have a nice little setup. So now the gray hair old lady heads downstairs in whatever outfit she throws together, with hair that looks like Krusty the Klown and I can get in the day's workout, in peace and whatever time I want to. One more thing.... please lets keep this on the quiet tip: I hardly ever rerack... Oh the horror!!!!
Krusty the Clown 😂 Don't worry, your secret is safe with me.
Hey Matt, what do you think about the new ATX triplex 2300€ : Kraftstation ATX® - TripleX Gym - Multistation
It looks like vendetta style + selectorized (not plate loaded) lat pulldown/cable row in a small space.
I wonder because I am very tall and long arms, so a cable machine won't do the job I guess
I dont know a ton about that specific piece but seems like a decent solution for all-in-one. I wouldnt want to get that instead of a power rack though, just in addition to. If you’re not limited by ceiling height, you can get yourself a tall rack with a pulldown/low row built into it then add on the lever arms as well
A con that wasn't mentioned is portability. If your space is something you think you might vacate in the next five years or so, you probably don't want to purchase equipment which is bulky or difficult to disassemble and reassemble.
Home gyms are for everyone. It’s the new Man Cave
Preach.
🏆
I put down a rubber floor, squat rack, 2 barbells, a few benches, adjustable dumbbells, dip bar, heavy bag, some bands, leg extension and hamstring curl bench and a rowing machine. Roughly 2500 bucks and I still want to get a cable station. I workout 5 days a week. No way I would make it to the gym that often if it wasn't at home.
Hi Mr. Rosenman: As you know, a home (garage/basement) gym is never done. What are you thinking about purchasing next?
It does not look like; you have a lot of room available for new equipment. I started my garage gym over thirty years ago, and we barely made everything fit.
Not a lot of people can afford the up-front costs, or the space for a home gym. Do you allow your friends/family to use your facility? I hope to see more of your new videos. Thank you.
Next up for me is Nordic bench that folds up against the wall to store vertically. It won't take up much space at all, and I've been missing being able to do Nordics at home so I look forward to that.
Family can use the gym, sure, but I'm not inviting friends in to use it. I enjoy working out alone.
What you didn't tackle on the comparison of gym membership vs home gym: the resell value of your equipment.
When you want to sell your home gym, and take the money of that into the calculation, I'm sure the home gym isn't even that much more expensivez if not cheaper, than a gym membership.
Ofcourse we all know, you should never sell your (full) home gym, unless it's for upgrading
I would have never gotten to my bench press goal if I did not have my home gym because it has helped me stay consistent with a program.
Love that!
I need a home first
Definitely a recommended first step
would I let anyone spot me in the commercial gym hell no, I would say at least 90% of people don't even know how to spot people in gyms nowadays
and the other aspect what I found in commercial gyms nowadays they're not friendly people especially I found that if people in the group they're even more anti-social.
number one: wh it the best to have a home gym is you can have your pre-made meal after workout straight away rather than going from a commercial gym and trying to find a restaurant or go home start cooking
one of my pet hate when i was working in a gym, coming into the morning shift finding that the staff at night didn't clean, I would find weight plates all over the gyms floor, all dumbbells on the floor, bottles and cans all over the gym, none of the cleaning roles were filled in the gym, no bog roll,
it was like f~~~~~~ me i still had to the morning routine had to make sure all the machines working/oil machines/ put batteries in the rowers if they needed hoover and mop the gym floor, clean all cardio and weight machines and had half hour to get most of this done before the gym open
Also wondering how tiring it is to install all. My wife won't be the most happy I guess with the moving 😂
You just miss a hack squat/leg press double machine. Gym80 do some they are awesomeeee
That truly is the one piece I would love to add. If I had the space I would get one OR a pendulum squat
I have had a home gym for 20 years also go to gym having both is great just wish 20 yrs ago they had stuff we do now all in one machine would be great but smith machine I have is big but still works and has peck deck
Yeah the home gym equipment industry has come a VERY long way
I remember being homeless & having a home gym 😂. I couch surfed for months and wouldn’t give up my home gym in storage 😂 good times
Is that a true story?? Because if it is, that is some incredible dedication 😆
Wish I knew where you rent your storage units. Where I live a storage unit big enough to fit a home gym costs almost as much as an actual rental unit.
Yeah, but gym membership plus gym clothes, gym bag, and gas plus wear and tear of vehicle. So now you can take off more years lol!
The jersey , wasn’t that a Netflix doc??
You know it. The Danbury Trashers, baby.
Where did u get that awesome jersey?
For me there are no cons of having a home gym. I have all the safety straps and spotter arms i need. Safety isnt a concern in my situation.
There you go! For many people new to lifting, it’s something they need to learn. Not incredibly difficult, but a small hurdle if you’re used to working out in a commercial gym with a partner at all times
I cannot have a home gym because I am homeless and hopeless.
I don't need others to motivate me. If people need that it just means theyre mentally weak
I disagree. I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong with performing better when you’re lifted up by others.
Home gym is def worth the cost I use mine 5-6 times a week. Hobbies like home gym and my second hobby hockey are expensive but it’s not about money but health and happiness haha
Exactly right