Home gym ownership savings

[Slow2FIRE]

My home gym (which I just recently completed with an acquisition of powerblock dumbbells from craigslist at a great price ~ roughly 40% of MSRP which is unheard of on craigslist as I've been scanning the ads for several years now) has saved me roughly $2500 vs gym membership assuming an average $30 / month membership fee.

I've had a home gym setup in various stages of completion and component acquisition since 2006.
Consisting of:
Power cage (with pullup station and dip station)
(incline to flat) Adjustable hvy duty bench
 horse stall mats
powerblock dumbbells
320lbs of bumper plates and change plates
7' bar
pulley machine for low row and lat pulldown
...and a few odds and ends (jump ropes, resistance bands, various handles for pulldown machine, chalk)

[Laserjet3051]

I, too searched CL for the powerblock dumbells, hoping to get a good discount off the high MSRP. After 2 years of continuous searching, with zero luck, I bit the bullet and bought them at the store. They are an integral part of my home gym that, like you, have saved me lots of gym membership $$$s over the years

[Jaguar Paw]

I have been toying around with the idea of a home gym as my wife and I pay around 250 each for membership. The initial investment of a home gym just seems sooooooo expensive though.

[brute]

I think it's worth it for the home gym. If you aren't a competitive lifter, then you can get away with relatively cheap stuff. $400 for a rack and a bench, maybe another $400 in bars and plates. That will get you started, and you can add on things as you go.

For instance, I filled 5 gallon buckets I got for free with gravel when I needed more weight but there wasn't anything on CL.

[Uturn]

Horse stall mats make great gym flooring at 1/4 the price of actual gym mats. 

[brute]

Horse stall mats make great gym flooring at 1/4 the price of actual gym mats.

QFT. I have those in my garage for deadlifts and olympic lifts. If it can handle a horse, it can handle my weights.

[gggggg]

Nice, I was an olympic lifter for about 5  years, and had a set up at home. It is def convenient to work out at home.

[Well Respected Man]

If you have the space just sitting there empty or emptyable, then yes, it can pay for itself quickly. If not, it can be difficult to impossible to get a decent home gym set up. I've got some space that was just being used for storage, so I added some weights and a couple of benches off of craigslist, a treadmill from a neighbor, and a spin bike off craigslist. The total so far is around $600, and we've saved about $80/month for the past year, so a couple of months to go till break even. The horse stall mats have been on my list, but I have some demolition to do first. Tractor Supply seems to have them at a decent price.

The other part is that you can more easily squeeze in a workout if you are short on time, and you are not wasting a monthly payment if you backslide on your workout regimen. According to research, most gym patrons would be better off paying the high per-visit fee instead of an annual contract fee paid monthly.

[ketchup]

GF and I bought a squat rack, bench, barbell, and 300lbs of plates on Black Friday 2013 for about $300 total and cancelled our gym memberships the next week.  So far that's saved us at least ~$750.

That plus a pair of bicycles is all the "gym" we need.

[JrDoctor]

Definitely something I want to be able to do in my final house.

[SimplyMarvie]

Our current house has the most insane closet known to man, and we've been ruthlessly purging clothes, so we just turned it into a home gym. We're babies at this, so 'home gym' currently means a bench, resistance bands, a ball, and some dumbbells, all of which cost under $200, including the floor mat. Paid for it's self in a month and it's SO much easier to get the workout in.

[MicroRN]

We have a finished room over our garage, which is huge.  Not much in there right now, but we have some dumbbells and exercise bands and yoga mats.  We hooked up a 2nd hand TV and an old Xbox.  We can stream workout videos, use part of my collection that I've amassed over the years, or stream music.  Since we have 10 acres, we run laps around the property rather than going to a track.  For the most part we just run and do basic bodyweight exercises.  I do yoga or pick out a video when I want a change.   

I'd like to add a proper weight bench and some adjustable weights.  A rower would be amazing, and I keep craigslist alerts for them.  I used to row competitively, so that's my happy space when it comes to exercising.  The problem is that I'm picky.  I've owned a cheap rower before and hated using it, and I've used most models available at some point.  The only one I like and want is a Concept 2.  New, they're about $900 plus shipping.  I keep hoping to find one for $500 or less, but they get snatched up really fast.  On the other hand, we used to pay $100/mo for a YMCA membership, and now we don't which saves us $1200/year.  Plus, we work out so much more consistently at home than when we have to drive somewhere with the kids.

[FIstateofmind]

Awesome job, OP!

As said by another poster, looking into this once I'm settled.

[The Money Monk]

I have been toying around with the idea of a home gym as my wife and I pay around 250 each for membership. The initial investment of a home gym just seems sooooooo expensive though.

its not very expensive if you stick with a simple free weight routines. I have spent under $1500 building my 'muscle dungeon" on my back patio, and have all the following:

Short 72" Squat rack (roof of my patio isn't very high)
flat/incline bench
Bench press bench
4 olympic barbells
500+ pounds of metal weights
160lbs of bumper plates
60lb kettle bell
Homemade Pullup station I built outside
Gymnastics rings
Jump rope
2 weight storage stands
12,15, and 35 lb dumbells
Set of adjustable dumbells
Homemade pullup/dip belt


I would like more dumbells, some resistance bands, and a way to do hamstring curls and glute-ham raises / hyperextensions, but none of that is essential. Every single muscle group can be adequately worked with a barbell.


I bought the squat rack, bumper plates, jumprope, weight stands, and kettlebell new. Everything else was purchased on craigslist for WAY below retail. Used weight equipment shows up frequently and cheaply.

Also keep in mind that if I were so inclined, in ten years of so I could sell all this for probably what I paid for it, and thus have paid NOTHING to work out for a decade.

[OmahaSteph]

Great thread and thanks for the tip on horse mats. I'm moving in a couple weeks and plan to turn part of the basement into a powerlifting area (though Money Monk's "muscle dungeon" has a much better ring to it!). I picked up a set of non-Olympic weights from a friend who was going to take them to Goodwill, and they're fine for now, and another friend has a squat rack that she wants out of her garage. I'll eventually pick up an Olympic set off CL plus dumb bells and a bench.

My gym membership isn't that expensive, but it's across town and a PITA to get to. I'm much more likely to stick with a program if it's RIGHT THERE in my house.

[brute]

So my home gym is

EliteFTS collegiate squat rack
EliteFTS signature competition bench with fat pad
Safety Squat Bar
Texas DL Bar
Texas Power Bar
1500 pound rated olympic barbell
22" db handle
15" db handle x 2
600 pounds olympic plates
250 pounds standard plates (for the dumbell handles)

I'll be adding farmers walk implements, a log, a yoke, tractor tires, and atlas stones over the next couple years.

[Sailor Sam]

The info on the horse mats is really helpful!

Right now I'm living in 350sf, on the second floor, with no greenspace. Plus I move x-country very few years. I dream of a home gym, but it's going to about a decade before it's practical to build one. In the meantime, I can dream. And now my dream has horse mats.

[Lunasol]

How do you guys find the willpower to work out at home?

My gym membership ended two months ago and I didn't renew it because mustachianism, but I haven't made myself workout at home not once since then!

[Bracken_Joy]

We have one large horse stall mats. It did help reduce noise some, but still isn't enough. When we move, we will probably do a plan like this: http://athleticlab.com/build-weightlifting-platform/The plywood backing is supposed to help quite a bit.

We've had our home gym for a year now, and it's paid for itself. Most of our items are DIY and wood, but they get the job done, and have the benefit of being cheap. $40 to make our DIY squat racks, and they've held up to a year of my husband's heavy lifting (and my not so heavy lifting, haha). I think our break even point was 4 months. But more important, it's right outside our door. I've always done better working out at home- the convenience factor is huge. It's just nice to be able to do powerlifting and oly lifting now! Not that I didn't have fun with yoga videos, resistance bands, and my DIY kettlebell at our old apartment ;) but I definitely have upped my game!

[brute]

We have one large horse stall mats. It did help reduce noise some, but still isn't enough. When we move, we will probably do a plan like this: http://athleticlab.com/build-weightlifting-platform/The plywood backing is supposed to help quite a bit.

We've had our home gym for a year now, and it's paid for itself. Most of our items are DIY and wood, but they get the job done, and have the benefit of being cheap. $40 to make our DIY squat racks, and they've held up to a year of my husband's heavy lifting (and my not so heavy lifting, haha). I think our break even point was 4 months. But more important, it's right outside our door. I've always done better working out at home- the convenience factor is huge. It's just nice to be able to do powerlifting and oly lifting now! Not that I didn't have fun with yoga videos, resistance bands, and my DIY kettlebell at our old apartment ;) but I definitely have upped my game!

I made on really similar to that a few years ago. But I was lazy and just covered the whole thing in mats, which actually turned out for the best since i like lifting barefoot.

[RedBaron3]

I have powerblocks, adjustable bench, an i-beam I use for pullups, and various resistance bands and attachments but I'm really missing a pulley machine (and struggling to find a mustachian option).  I would love to trade an unused elliptical for one. 

[brute]

I have powerblocks, adjustable bench, an i-beam I use for pullups, and various resistance bands and attachments but I'm really missing a pulley machine (and struggling to find a mustachian option).  I would love to trade an unused elliptical for one.

DIY pulley option. http://www.stack.com/a/how-to-build-a-diy-cable-machine

I did something similar at my old place, but having trouble finding it.

[smedleyb]

Saving time, too. 

[Jaguar Paw]

I have been toying around with the idea of a home gym as my wife and I pay around 250 each for membership. The initial investment of a home gym just seems sooooooo expensive though.

$250 EACH???? 
Has to be some type of unlimited crossfit + yoga + ????

While you can't get a full gym worth of cybex machines for $500 / month ($250 ea), you can certainly set up a nice mid grade home free weight gym after only 4 months of gym dues for the two of you - all brand new equipment.  A few sites with decent equipment and prices (if you need heavy duty equipment that is):  newyorkbarbell and repfitness
Of course, second hand free weights are just as good as brand new free weights (with the exception of a worn cheapo 7' olympic bar if you do oly lifts) and you can do much better in equipment per dollar if you don't buy brand new.

Ooops. 250 each per year! 250 per month?! Get out of here! :)

[mm1970]

How do you guys find the willpower to work out at home?

My gym membership ended two months ago and I didn't renew it because mustachianism, but I haven't made myself workout at home not once since then!

My own personal opinion is... you are the kind of person who works out at home, or you aren't.

I mean, I'm sure there's a continuum also.

I just...can't.  I mean I can, and I do - but I'm MUCH more consistent at going to the gym.  My own particular "baggage".
1.  Small house.  2BR, 1BA, no garage, 1100 sf, 4 people.  No space for "stuff" except for some dumbbells.
2.  Kids.  The only time I can work out is when they are asleep.  I'm good at waking up *most* of the time. But I have to be relatively quiet.  And the only time I'm *assured* of not being interrupted is at the gym.
3.  Personality.  I'm partly an extrovert and I LOVE group fitness.  Seriously things I love:
- waiting for the gym to open so that I can swim, and chatting with the folks there
- group fitness classes
- group triathlon training
- walking with friends
- playing sports with friends

These things are things that I LOVE.  My friend and I have a standing walk date, I'm there!

4.  "working things into the day": - used to bike to work, sometimes walk to the store, etc.

When I *do* work out at home, it works best if I'm following a video and doing a particular program.  It's the closest that I can come to "group fitness" - you know, having Tony Horton or Bob Harper or Jillian Michaels telling you what to do.

Some of this is just time.  The time I have to work out is before everyone wakes up, which makes going to the gym the easier thing.  But honestly, I see a LOT of old people at my gym (YMCA), and they go more often and for longer the older they get. 

[The Money Monk]

So my home gym is

EliteFTS collegiate squat rack
EliteFTS signature competition bench with fat pad
Safety Squat Bar
Texas DL Bar
Texas Power Bar
1500 pound rated olympic barbell
22" db handle
15" db handle x 2
600 pounds olympic plates
250 pounds standard plates (for the dumbell handles)

I'll be adding farmers walk implements, a log, a yoke, tractor tires, and atlas stones over the next couple years.

You planning on competing, or just doing the strongman stuff as a hobby and for real-world strength type training?

I've never researched it, but I imagine real atlas stones probably cost a fortune.

[brute]

So my home gym is

EliteFTS collegiate squat rack
EliteFTS signature competition bench with fat pad
Safety Squat Bar
Texas DL Bar
Texas Power Bar
1500 pound rated olympic barbell
22" db handle
15" db handle x 2
600 pounds olympic plates
250 pounds standard plates (for the dumbell handles)

I'll be adding farmers walk implements, a log, a yoke, tractor tires, and atlas stones over the next couple years.

You planning on competing, or just doing the strongman stuff as a hobby and for real-world strength type training?

I've never researched it, but I imagine real atlas stones probably cost a fortune.

I compete currently. Took 1st in my last contest, tied going into the last event and then won with 21 reps on the axle deadlift at 465 pounds. I'm ramping up to do a powerlifting competition this fall, then thinking a nationals qualifier for strongman in november. Hoping to try out for world's strongest man some day, but thats a stretch goal. (Not winning, just getting good enough to be allowed to try out for it)

[JasonDetwiler]

So my home gym is

EliteFTS collegiate squat rack
EliteFTS signature competition bench with fat pad
Safety Squat Bar
Texas DL Bar
Texas Power Bar
1500 pound rated olympic barbell
22" db handle
15" db handle x 2
600 pounds olympic plates
250 pounds standard plates (for the dumbell handles)

I'll be adding farmers walk implements, a log, a yoke, tractor tires, and atlas stones over the next couple years.

This is what mine would ideally look like, but I have worked with the owner of my gym to outfit the place with basically 3 of everything on this list.  It would take an eternity to save the $50/month for me and the wife to go to the gym.

What do you find you use the most and least?

[brute]

So my home gym is

EliteFTS collegiate squat rack
EliteFTS signature competition bench with fat pad
Safety Squat Bar
Texas DL Bar
Texas Power Bar
1500 pound rated olympic barbell
22" db handle
15" db handle x 2
600 pounds olympic plates
250 pounds standard plates (for the dumbell handles)

I'll be adding farmers walk implements, a log, a yoke, tractor tires, and atlas stones over the next couple years.

This is what mine would ideally look like, but I have worked with the owner of my gym to outfit the place with basically 3 of everything on this list.  It would take an eternity to save the $50/month for me and the wife to go to the gym.

What do you find you use the most and least?

I use the squat rack and bench with the power bar most. The safety squat bar least, but it's worth it for when my shoulders, elbows, and wrists are beat up.

When I had a tire, yoke, and farmers handles I used the yoke the least of those, so that would be my last purchase.

Congrats on getting the gym outfitted. If there were something within decent distance of my place, I'd use it. I may still hit Impact Elite in north KC, but I haven't been able to talk myself in the 90 minute round trip commute just for the gym.

[The Money Monk]

I compete currently. Took 1st in my last contest, tied going into the last event and then won with 21 reps on the axle deadlift at 465 pounds. I'm ramping up to do a powerlifting competition this fall, then thinking a nationals qualifier for strongman in november. Hoping to try out for world's strongest man some day, but thats a stretch goal. (Not winning, just getting good enough to be allowed to try out for it)

Nice work. Good luck.

[gggggg]

I just canceled my club membership today, I never use it anyway. I'd much rather run outside, and do bodyweight stuff at home. That's another $12 I've knocked off the monthly bills.

[Jaguar Paw]

I have been toying around with the idea of a home gym as my wife and I pay around 250 each for membership. The initial investment of a home gym just seems sooooooo expensive though.

$250 EACH???? 
Has to be some type of unlimited crossfit + yoga + ????

While you can't get a full gym worth of cybex machines for $500 / month ($250 ea), you can certainly set up a nice mid grade home free weight gym after only 4 months of gym dues for the two of you - all brand new equipment.  A few sites with decent equipment and prices (if you need heavy duty equipment that is):  newyorkbarbell and repfitness
Of course, second hand free weights are just as good as brand new free weights (with the exception of a worn cheapo 7' olympic bar if you do oly lifts) and you can do much better in equipment per dollar if you don't buy brand new.

Ooops. 250 each per year! 250 per month?! Get out of here! :)

Hahah - okay, that is much more reasonable.  In that case, if you both are fans of free weights it would take a year of gym memberships to cover the initial cost on craigslist sourced powercage, bench and horse stall mats, a second year to cover oly bar, plates and some type of dumbbell options, with a lat pulldown /low row machine running about 1.5 months of your current dues for two (2yrs 1.5months in my experience).  I only offered the links to brand new equipment because I mistakenly thought you were paying $250 per month :P

We have both thought about the idea as we definitely have the space in our garage and we have a newborn so time is in a serious crunch. We would need dumbells up to 100 pounds, flat/incline/decline (adjustable) bench, mats, squat rack, and 300 pounds of weights plus bar, treadmill, stair climber and rower. I train for races in the mountains and live in flat texas so the treadmill/climber are an important part.  It is still a concept that we will think about in the future.