As I’ve shared before, we are slowly renovating a fixer upper on 2.5 acres. Our farmhouse also has a detached garage, workshop, and barn on the property. Over the summer, we spent a lot of time trying to make the most of our space. We added a shed and converted it into an office/sewing studio, and we turned the old workshop into half chicken coop/half garden and tool storage. This cleared up a lot of space in our garage, so I decided to convert it into a home gym. Keep reading to see my affordable garage gym set up!
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Why We Decided to Make a Home Gym
I recently had our third baby, and I wanted to start rebuilding my strength and core postpartum. I was so sick and tired during my pregnancy that exercising really wasn’t a priority for me. But now I am feeling excited and motivated to rebuild my strength and endurance!
I have never really liked working out in gyms, and I don’t really have the time to go consistently with three young kids and a homestead. So, I decided to bring the gym to us!
We have a two-car garage and need to be able to get one of our vehicles/a riding lawn mower into it, but I cleared one side to turn into a garage gym. We needed to do this project on a budget, and I was able to set up the entire thing for a few hundred dollars thanks to secondhand finds and good deals!
Setting Up an Affordable Garage Gym
Here is a detailed review of our affordable garage gym set up!
Flooring
Our garage floors are concrete and pretty cracked concrete at that! I wanted to have something that would add a little bit of warmth and cushion, so I started researching different flooring options.
A lot of gym mats are really expensive, but I found these ¾” thick tiles for an affordable price! I bought open box ones on Amazon, so that helped me save even more. Eventually, I’d like to add more tiles to fill out the rest of this side of the garage.
Our garage is really dusty so it has been hard to keep them clean, but they can be wiped down easily which is great! Before installing these, our treadmill was really loud and bouncy. These floors help absorb some of the shock and it is much better now!
Large Equipment for an Affordable Garage Gym
We have a couple of larger pieces of equipment in our garage gym. We bought both of them secondhand and have been really happy with the results. Shopping secondhand for these items saved us hundreds of dollars!
Treadmill
I used to love running, but it has been difficult to figure out how to run consistently while raising babies. I don’t usually feel comfortable running alone if it is dark, and we currently don’t have a jogging stroller for our kids.
We found a treadmill for free on Facebook Marketplace that works great! This treadmill is similar to the one we have, but if you’re on a tight budget I recommend buying secondhand. I saw lots of treadmills for free or less than $100 in our area. The treadmill we got can fold up if needed, which is a great option for limited space!
Although I prefer running outside to treadmills, having this treadmill has made running much more possible right now! If my baby needs to be fed, I’m just steps away instead of miles from my house.
I haven’t been running much yet, but I have been using the treadmill for incline walking which is an effective but low impact workout! Eventually, my husband and I would like to train for another half marathon and having this piece of equipment in our garage makes training more of an option with three young kids.
Bench Press
We also found a bench press similar to this one for $50 on Facebook Marketplace. It came with a few different weights, too. I haven’t started lifting much with the barbell yet, but I do use the bench for abs and different exercises with dumbbells right now.
I am very new to lifting but am hoping to start using the bench press more once I have built up some more core strength postpartum!
Large Equipment Wish List
Eventually, I’d like to get a stationary bike to use for cardio in addition to the treadmill, but for now this is the extent of the larger equipment we have. I have been researching brands like Peleton, MYX, and Echelon.
If I do end up purchasing one, I am planning to buy second hand. I have seen several Peleton’s for around $500-$800 secondhand. Echelon’s tend to cost around $200-$300 secondhand in my area. Most of these bikes have memberships with training videos that you can purchase monthly, but they can also be used without the app.
Eventually, we have talked about saving up for a power cage like this if we start lifting consistently, but for now the bench press works great!
Home gyms can be extremely expensive, but you can find a lot secondhand for inexpensive or free if you take the time to look! A home gym doesn’t have to look pretty to be functional!
Small Equipment for an Affordable Garage Gym
As I’ll share about more below, I am using the Sweat App and I bought some of the recommended equipment to have on hand to be able to complete the workouts in the programs I wanted to do.
Yoga Mat
I have had a yoga mat like this for years and it works great! We do have the gym floor mats that I mentioned above, but I like having a little more cushion when working out on the floor.
Exercise Ball
I use this exercise ball for some exercises, and it works okay, but it honestly was much smaller than I expected! I wish I would have spent a few dollars more to buy a full size one like this.
Weights (1, 5, 10, 15, 30, 35)
Our weights are a combination of secondhand and new! For new, I like these ones because they are comfortable and more affordable than a lot of other options!
Weight Rack
I wanted a weight rack like this but didn’t want to spend a lot. I found one for way less on Facebook Marketplace! It has helped keep our space organized by getting the weights off of the floor.
Mirror
We found this mirror for $20 on Facebook Marketplace, and it does the job we need it to do! If you want to buy new, here is a highly recommended option.
Ignore the messy other side of our garage! Once we get the old floors out of our garden shed, we are moving all of this over and adding organizers to make it much more tidy! Then, we’ll put one of our vehicles on this side of the garage.
Step
I bought this step to use for exercises recommended in the Sweat App and it works great! I was surprised by how pricey exercise steps can be, but you can check for open box or second hand ones to save. In addition, I found that prices fluctuated based off of the color, so I purchased the least expensive one I could find.
Resistance Bands
I have a long resistance band similar to this and a set of shorter ones that range from extra light to extra heavy. These are great for a variety of exercises and barely take up any space!
Foam Roller
I use this foam roller for muscle recovery and also for some different exercises in the Sweat App. I have been happy with the quality of this one especially for the price! Eventually, I’d like to get one that has indentations, too, but the one I purchased was the most affordable and has done what I need it to do!
Massage Balls
I plan to use the massage balls for muscle recovery, too. This is the set that I got for less than ten dollars.
Wish List for our Affordable Garage Gym
I have a few wish list items for our garage gym! I am finding that shopping secondhand and not buying everything at once makes it way more affordable.
Kettlebells
Jumprope
Medicine Balls
Slam Balls
Pilates Ball
20 lb. Dumbbells
25 lb. Dumbbells
The Workout Program I Use
I personally don’t like planning my own workouts, and I often feel like I have no idea what to do! Having a program that tells me what to do each day has been a game changer.
Years ago before I had kids, I did a workout program written by Kayla Itsines. Since then, she has developed an app called Sweat. The Sweat App includes hundreds of workout plans written by different trainers.
I chose this program because it had programs that were safe for postpartum and for healing ab separation. Some of the other programs include pregnancy, postpartum, strength training, HIIT (high intensity interval training), and more. Many of the programs can be completed at home with minimal to no equipment and others require a gym membership or more equipment.
I have tried a few different programs on the app so far. I like the OG Kayla Itsines HIIT workouts and the At-Home Strength workouts by Kelsey Wells. Initially, I started with Kayla’s postpartum workouts, but I wanted something a little more challenging.
What to Expect from the Sweat App
If you choose a plan on the Sweat App, it will help schedule out your week with exercises, cardio recommendations, and daily steps.
There is also a section of the app that has recipe and nutrition recommendations. I’ve tried several of the recipes, and they are delicious! I like getting ideas for different ways to incorporate more protein when meal planning
My plan is to try to spend anywhere from 15-45 minutes working out in my garage gym 4-5 days a week. I have been doing some incline walking and jogging in addition to the recommended exercises on the Sweat App.
Things to Consider When Setting Up an Affordable Garage Gym
While I do have some long-term goals for getting into better shape postpartum, I have noticed that I already have more energy and that my mental health has improved since incorporating an exercise routine into my week! I am slowly regaining strength and building muscle! I struggle with postpartum anxiety, and taking time to exercise and care for my body really helps my mental health!
Gardening is a great form of exercise–and my main form of exercise in the summer–but it doesn’t happen often over the winter months. Having a designated space steps away from my home has been helpful over the winter and is much more realistic in this season of life than a gym membership for my family.
If you want to have a home gym, don’t think it has to be perfect to be functional! You can find a lot secondhand or even free! If you don’t have a garage, a basement or spare room works great, too! And if that isn’t an option, grab a pair of dumbbells, a yoga mat, and your living room floor!
Taking a little bit of time to care for your body doesn’t mean that you have to go to an expensive gym or have top-of-the-line equipment. I am learning that consistency and continuing to show up a little bit each day is the most important thing!
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