10+ Rookie HOME GYM MISTAKES You Need to Avoid!

I'm probably one of the rare cases where I never had a gym membership and decided to build a home gym and actually use it. If anyone reading this is in the same position I was in, do some bodyweight workouts at home for a while just to see if you can stick with an exercise routine before buying big gym equipment

During covid when I gained a lot of weight I bought power blocks and started 30min 3days/week amongst walking more and eating better and lost 20lbs. Then I wanted to try lifting heavy that's where i found this channel! I added stall mats, that $200 rack, a Rogue boneyard bar, and the Walmart everyday bumper plates. All just under $1k and I've used it pretty consistently for over a year doing a 4 day upper/lower split. It's basic but super nice to have living in the middle of nowhere! There's no way I would have drove to a gym so since it's in the garage I actually workout regularly now.

Quality squat rack, quality barbell and middle of the road plates and that is pretty much 80% of home gym. No need to overthink it

I started a home gym BECAUSE I never went to a gym and I couldn’t be happier. I’m working out all the time now. I totally understand the point but for some starting the home gym is the catalyst to getting going. Thanks for your channel, it’s been a tremendous help to me

I’ve been training for a little over 60 years , training in home gyms and pro gyms such as the original Golds in Venice Beach. In my opinion Coop is 100% correct on everything. The only thing I’ve ever missed about pro gyms is the array of equipment and the competition along with the socialization. Over a period of time I have everything and miss nothing about a pro gym . No more driving 25 miles one way and membership fees. Great job Coop🤙

CONSIDER YOUR SLANT!!!!! Most garages are not poured level and will slant toward the garage door.. Made the huge mistake of mounting the rig on the slanted wall, so when I would squat, one foot was lower than the other. Over time, at heavy weight, it started causing hip issues. Removed the rig, put the pull up bar on the ceiling and switched to individual squat stands. Saved a ton of space since I can move the stands completely out into the driveway if I dont need them, and I can squat with the slant to avoid hip issues.

Building a home gym is like bulding a gaming PC. U dont need the creme de le creme u need mid tier and then over time u buy one part at a time to get to the creme de le creme

Agree 100% with you. I think the biggest one is using your home gym. My wife and I started very small and basic to make sure we would use our garage gym before spending $$$.

I LOVE that you continue to stay on top of this subject.

The flooring is such a good point. I waited way too long to put down stall mats. It really does make the space so much better.

It's pretty crazy to see how good the quality of these videos have gotten over the years. Besides my power rack, I've never purchased a new piece of equipment before first checking for your review -- it's been a mandatory part of my screening process since 2019 lol

I agree. Get a home gym equipment buy what you can afford. Most important , use it.

Can you do a “top 10 essential attachment” for power racks please!!! Also stair climber/ stepper reviews?

I've been in the gym for about a month. Found I absolutely love working out, have lost 20 pounds even. But in that month I've onky touched weights maybe 5 times? Almost any time I've been there the weights, racks, smiths etc are in use. Hour later getting off the treadmill and they're still full up. I've decided a home gym is the goal for me.

I have a shed. I got a rack, bar, some plates, bench, DBs, I added some diy cable stuff and got a sled as luxury and then found a free treadmill online. Its not crazy but I can pretty much do all my favorite exercises.

Got my home gym stacked for the year already .. YEAH BUDDY!

Coop, you need to do more leg extension/lying leg curl reviews. Things like the ironmaster bench leg curl attachment, the body-solid glce365 leg extension/curl, and prime fitness leg curl/leg extension. Keep up the great work!

I bought almost everything in my home gym 2nd hand and it's saved me a lot of money/enabled me to have really solid equipment that i couldn't have afforded otherwise. Also, DIY has helped a lot too. I have DIY cable pulley systems that really make a difference when I'm on a hypertrophy program.

The overall premise is right, but the only thing I disagree with is the buy once cry once and the flooring. I started my home gym at 12 picking up an EZ-curl bar, standard dumbbell adjustable bar, and standard iron plates. I shopped garage/yard sales for used equipment and have been able to buy a squat rack, bench, cage, 1000lbs+, 4 barbells, and a ton of accessories for around $500. I have bought more equipment since then that I want to introduce to my final home gym because I can turn around and that equipment for close to $1500 to put into new equipment. plus you only need flooring protection over where you deadlift and might drop dumbbells, which I used barbershop mats that got the job done that were free. Start where you can and buy the basics, then from there sell up for upgrades.

Built my budget home gym based mostly on the advice on these videos. Lots of great advice - thanks!