When the pandemic hit, many of us were forced to amend our workout routines if not abandon them completely. Equipment was difficult to come by and many gyms shut their doors. In my personal fitness journey, I went from working out at a CrossFit Box daily to doing something in my garage.

Working out in the garage brought on a whole host of new challenges: My son is home when I workout so I can’t focus 100%. I have a good amount of equipment but not everything I had access to at a normal gym. It is much easier to skip workouts when you are home after a long day and tired.

What I found though, is that no matter who you are, having a garage gym is incredibly helpful. If you workout at a regular gym, it is nice to have the flexibility of a garage to use if you can’t make it to the gym. You actually instill discipline and healthy habits to your kids. It is FUN to workout as a family. Don’t get me wrong, it still has its challenges, but my wife and I have found the garage gym to be a blessing for us.

That being said, I have put together a list of things that have helped me to make the transition but also get the most out of my home gym:

1. Start Small. You don’t need to get a whole gym set up to start. I know, that sounds weird coming from a fitness equipment company, but I just started with some sandbags and a rower. Eventually I upgraded to a barbell, crash pads and then a rack.
   
   
2. Be Easy on Yourself. When working out at home, life happens. Sometimes your kids interrupt. Sometimes, you don’t feel like working out. Just come back again. That is the beauty of the home gym. It is open 24/7.
   
   
3. Be Consistent. While nothing is perfect, it helped me to set a time and stick to it. Eventually the whole family bought in and now they join me!
   
   
4. Follow a Program. There are a TON of online training programs available out there. Some are free! Find one based on your goals and skill level. Don’t be afraid to switch if you want, but I find that taking the guesswork out of my programming helps.
   
   
5. Be Organized. Might be a little bit of my OCD, but I like to have a place for everything in my garage. It is easy to have your space get crowded being that the garage is a multi-use space. Invest in some shelving and spend the time putting your stuff away. You will thank me later!

I hope that all helps and you find the value in a home gym like I did. At the end of the day, do what works for you and your family and have fun with it! Fitness should be fun.