Creating a Gym in Your Garage

Insulation

Insulating a space, especially in an area with cold weather, is a must. Not only will it help keep the climate in your garage and house more stable, but it'll also help reduce the noise.

Insulation installation isn't hard, but you should wear gloves, a mask, and long sleeves if you're putting in fiberglass insulation yourself. If your garage door isn't insulated, you can use a foam board insulation kit from places like Lowe's or Home Depot.

Heating & Cooling

Heating and cooling your garage is definitely a luxury, but if you can squeeze it into your budget, it will be a luxury you won't regret splurging on. We've come across ductless units (sometimes referred to as mini-split systems), which are nice since they're not running on your house's heating/cooling unit and can be used only when you need them.

Flooring

Options for adding flooring over concrete to reduce impact are almost endless these days. If you can put large puzzle pieces together, you can most certainly save some money and your joints by putting in some shock-absorbing flooring yourself. A bonus to a few types of these floor tiles is you can park on them too. You don't have to permanently give up a parking space to have a place to work out.

Equipment Storage

From the most basic hooks to hang ropes to commercial-grade racks that hold the heavy stuff, it's really up to you how much space you want/have to dedicate to equipment.

We've used slat wall to store smaller pieces of equipment without problems, but everyone's needs are different, so racks are a great option as well. Having open space actually to work is probably the most important part of getting set up, so putting a solid plan of organization together should be a priority. Make a space to easily put away the equipment you have now, then work the rest in as you accumulate new pieces.

Equipment

This part is less about storage and more about not buying more than you need. If you're using your new space every day, obviously you'll need a few more items to start with. Not everything has to be purchased on your first day, week, month, or even year.

Equipment pieces can be accumulated through time as you determine how much you need and use them. Having your basic pieces of equipment available doesn't have to be expensive either.

Used equipment is available in places like Craigslist, Play-it-Again Sports, and local classified ads. Keeping an eye on sale ads (especially around January) also helps if you're looking for something specific or that has an expiration timeline.