{"id":351227,"date":"2025-12-17T14:18:25","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T14:18:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/351227\/"},"modified":"2025-12-17T14:18:25","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T14:18:25","slug":"how-the-mens-health-fitness-director-overhauled-his-garage-gym","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/351227\/","title":{"rendered":"How the Men’s Health Fitness Director Overhauled His Garage Gym"},"content":{"rendered":"

THERE ARE TWO kinds of garage gyms. One is a nominal gym in your home, the kind that has all the equipment you need to get a workout in\u2014but also has shaky lighting, mismatched dumbbells<\/a>, and the floor of, well, a garage. The other is a home gym, a complete fitness space where you truly feel at home.<\/p>\n

This second iron paradise makes it easy to slog through leg days and cardio sessions and marathon stretch sessions. And this second space is not one I thought I\u2019d truly ever have (or need). I grew up in big-box gyms, after all, lift heavy and love having a spot\u2014and oh, I only have the tiniest of one-car garages (the kind that can barely fit an SUV) in my home, too. <\/p>\n

Then REP Fitness<\/a> offered to tag-team with me on a full garage revamp. And somehow, we managed to transform my tiny space into a complete training spot that works for everything, whether that\u2019s bench presses<\/a> or kettlebell swings<\/a> or agility drills<\/a> or long runs. Now, every workout, whether it\u2019s a bench press max out or chill cardio, is a 15-second commute away. <\/p>\n

How the Gym Makeover Started<\/p>\n

EVER SINCE THE pandemic, I\u2019ve always had a bit of a home gym<\/a>. Back in 2020 when the gyms were closed, I started cobbling together basic gear: a trap bar, a flimsy Bowflex bench (that eventually became a good Prime Fitness bench), a Tonal, and a fold-up wall rack that was always folded out for pull-ups and squats. <\/p>\n

The space got the job done. I had 107-pound kettlebells, enough to challenge me on bench presses and Romanian deadlifts<\/a>. Eventually, I\u2019d add Hex dumbbells up to 50 pounds, because classic dumbbells always outperform adjustables for accessory work. A SkiErg<\/a> offered me winter cardio, and a Samsung Terrace TV<\/a> provided constant entertainment. <\/p>\n

It was all … fine. But the garage vibes were always there, even after we added the Mr. Cool mini-split system to provide air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter (a quiet must for any garage gym). And a lot of that was my own fault.<\/p>\n

\"beforeCourtesy Ebenezer Samuel<\/p>\n

Samuel\u2019s original garage gym had necessary equipment, but nothing in the way of aesthetic or organization.<\/p>\n

The Full Gym Transformation<\/p>\n

MY BIGGEST PIECE of advice when building your garage gym: Go all-in if you can. Throughout the pandemic, I\u2019d battled that urge, so I had a Frankenstein space, with gym equipment and … other equipment like screwdrivers and wrenches and the obligatory self-installed garage shelf. The floor wasn’t level, so squatting heavy felt dangerous. I never truly trusted the rack when I benched. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s why my first move was to level the floor, and repaint every wall. REP took things a step further, understanding the need for a motivational vibe, and brought in artist Bianca Burrows<\/a>, who added a superhero-themed mural to constantly give me training fuel. <\/p>\n

We did all this first, because that informed the rest of the space\u2014the colors of racks and equipment. I jettisoned much of my own gear, ID-ing just a few pieces to keep. The SkiErg and Assault Fitness curved treadmill<\/a> stayed, because they offered cardio versatility. The Terrace stayed too; it\u2019s an outdoor TV which makes it optimal for a garage\u2019s sometimes-humidity. <\/p>\n

Then we layered on new equipment. Every home gym starts with the rack and bench<\/a>. All your heavy lifts (and bodyweight moves like pull-ups) take place in the rack. And today\u2019s home benches are the backbone of any gym, overloaded with so much functionality that you\u2019ll do everything from Nordic curls to hanging sit-ups on them. <\/p>\n

\"rep<\/p>\n

Courtesy Rep Fitness<\/p>\n

\"rep<\/p>\n

Courtesy Rep Fitness<\/p>\n

I went with REP\u2019s Ares 2.0<\/a> wall-mounted rack as the room\u2019s anchor, and this unit does everything. Somehow, Rep marries a classic power rack to a dual-cable machine, and keeps it all feeling commercial-grade. And even though the unit is just 80 inches tall (opt for the 93-inch if you can), it still lets me do full-range-of-motion pulldowns, and even seated rows (although to hit full-ROM here, you\u2019ll want to keep some yoga blocks handy). <\/p>\n

REP\u2019s Nighthawk adjustable bench<\/a> covered my other critical base, offering a multitude of incline and decline options. Despite being heavy-duty enough for heavy bench press work, the Nighthawk is light to move. Even better (and critical for garage gym owners), it can store vertically, leaving you more room to train and stretch. <\/p>\n

A modular storage unit<\/a> and rolling storage cart<\/a> rounded out the gym\u2019s large elements \u2013 and were key to keeping all the dumbbells and kettlebells off the floor. You want a mix of training tools in the ideal home gym: Focus on lightweight dumbbells (you\u2019ll thank yourself for curls and warmup moves) and heavier kettlebells (great for swings and carries). I packed in both, in addition to a pair of REP\u2019s P\u00e9pin adjustable dumbbells<\/a>, giving me up to 120 pounds of single-arm load. <\/p>\n

Your goal (and a tip from Rep): Never overwhelm your space. This is still a one-car garage, so we added a single med ball<\/a> and weighted vest<\/a> and called it a day. <\/p>\n

My New Gym Has Changed My Training<\/p>\n

IT ALL ADDS up to a workout lair that\u2019s honestly more complete than I thought was possible. And yes, that\u2019s led me to tweak my fitness routine for the better. In addition to my regular workout split, I now get in extra time honing skill-based exercises (think: Nordics and weighted pull-ups), and when winter really sets in, I\u2019ll still be able to get extra steps in walking on the treadmill. <\/p>\n

Every so often, I\u2019ll head to the garage to watch a movie. Yes, it feels that much like home. <\/p>\n

Eb’s Home Gym Equipment\"Ares<\/a>\"Nighthawk<\/a>Rep Fitness Nighthawk Adjustable Bench\"Atlas<\/a>Rep Fitness x Kleva Built Atlas Multi-Grip Cable and Landmine Attachment\"Modular<\/a>Rep Fitness Modular Storage System 2.0\"Dumbbell<\/a>Rep Fitness Dumbbell Storage Cart\"Ski<\/a>\"AssaultRunner<\/a>\"55<\/a>Samsung 55 Inch Class The Terrace\"Smart<\/a>Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar<\/p>\n

Now 22% Off<\/p>\n

Exclusive Men’s Health Digital Issues\"Chevron\"ChevronMore of the Best Home Gym Equipment<\/p>\n

The 2026 Men’s Health Fitness Awards<\/a> | Best Home Gym Equipment<\/a> | Best Treadmills<\/a> | Best Rowing Machines<\/a> | Best Exercise Bikes<\/a> | Best Adjustable Dumbbells<\/a> | Best Massage Guns<\/a> | Best Weight Benches<\/a> | Best Foam Rollers<\/a> | Best Pull Up Bars<\/a> | Best Resistance Bands<\/a> | Best Air Bikes<\/a> | Best Medicine Balls<\/a> | Best Medicine Balls<\/a> | Best Adjustable Kettlebells<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., is the fitness director of Men’s Health and a certified trainer with more than 10 years of training experience. He’s logged training time with NFL athletes and track athletes and his current training regimen includes weight training, HIIT conditioning, and yoga. Before joining Men’s Health, he served as a sports columnist and tech columnist for the New York Daily News. \u00a0<\/p>\n