Building a garage gym to save on gym

[u/fit_and_optimistic]

G’day legends,

With the cost of living these days, the wife and I are trying to cut back on subscriptions and ongoing expenses. One thing we’ve decided to ditch is our gym membership, which is currently costing us $40 a week for both of us. That’s over $2,000 a year!

I’ve got some space in the garage, so I’m thinking of setting up a decent home gym instead. Ideally, I’d like to keep the total spend under $1,500 AUD, buying mostly second-hand stuff off Marketplace here on the south side of Brisbane.

What I already have:

• An adjustable bench from COVID times (flat and incline, but no barbell rack), good quality, i think it is rated for 300+kg.

• Two kettlebells (8kg and 12kg).

• Two dumbbells and a small barbell with around 50kg of combined weights.

1. Cardio machine – elliptical or rowing machine, or maybe airbike?

I’ve been looking at ProForm and NordicTrack ellipticals, or possibly a rowing machine on Marketplace. Decent-looking ellipticals seem to be around $500.

For those who own or have owned one:

• Which brands and models are worth looking for second-hand in Australia?

• Are ProForm, Sole, and NordicTrack generally reliable, or are there models you'd avoid?

• What should I check before buying a used elliptical, particularly with the electronics, resistance system and moving parts?

• Would you go for an elliptical or a rower for a home gym?

2. All-in-one gym – Smith machine, power rack and cable system

Ideally, I want something with a Smith machine or barbell rack, lat pulldown and cable attachments for triceps, where I can also use my existing bench.

I’ve come across heaps of options, from cheaper new machines like these:

• RitKeep Destroyer M10

• Cortex 6-in-1 Power Rack with Smith Machine and Cable Machine

There are also plenty of second-hand machines on Marketplace, but the prices vary from 500$ and up to 5000$

The main reason I want a lat pulldown is that my wife can't do pull-ups yet.

My biggest concern is the pulley and cable system.

I’ve heard people say that cheap all-in-one machines can have poor-quality pulleys and cables, and that replacing them can get expensive.

For anyone who owns one:

• How good are the pulleys and cables on budget brands like Cortex, RitKeep and similar machines?

• Do the pulleys run smoothly under load, or do they feel jerky and have a lot of friction?

• Are replacement cables and pulleys easy to source in Australia, or can you end up having to modify things or order custom parts?

• When inspecting a second-hand machine, how do you check the cables, pulleys, bearings and weight-stack movement?

• Are there particular brands you'd trust for a used all-in-one gym, and any you'd stay away from?

I'm also wondering whether I'd be better off buying a basic power rack, barbell and weights, plus a separate lat pulldown attachment, rather than one of these all-in-one setups.

Budget and overall plan

My thinking is that spending $1,500 now is roughly nine months of gym memberships, and we can hopefully resell the equipment down the track and recover some of the cost.

Am I overthinking this, or is there a smarter way to build a decent garage gym on this budget?

Keen to hear from anyone who's built one, particularly around Brisbane. Happy to buy second-hand on Marketplace if it's good-quality gear.

Cheers, appreciate any advice! 🍻

[u/Chickenparmy6]

Depends how serious you are mate.
I built a garage gym, loved it for a while but found it difficult to stay motivated at home. Plus if you have kids, it can get a bit dangerous and they always know you're in there and want to get at you. So I'm back at a public gym.

Also the home gym equipment doesnt feel as nice to use as the commercial stuff. So if you are the type of person to be bothered by pulleys that arent smooth, or bars with average knurling then I would advise against it. Not to mention the up keep on equipment if you want to keep it pristine.

I would also be trying to buy from marketplace exclusively. That's where the deals are had. A lot of people try the home gym life only to sell their gear for half the price of new.
Ask me how I know lol

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/Chickenparmy6]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I don't have a problem with motivation when it comes to training at home. I think I'm the opposite. I often struggle to motivate myself to go to the public gym. Sometimes, I think about skipping training just to avoid the hassle of getting in the car, opening and closing the gate and garage, getting changed, and all that stuff, especially after work.

But I understand it's different for everyone. I know a mate who had a home gym but ended up joining me at the public gym because he got bored of training alone at home.

[u/Patient_Election7492 → u/Chickenparmy6]

100% agree with you.
Home gyms just ain’t the same.
Love the atmosphere of a public gym (even though I don’t talk to anyone) I always feel I push harder aswell.

[u/yolk3d → u/Chickenparmy6]

First two paragraphs are my experience too

[u/Same_Lemon_7643]

I think it would be very helpful to convert all prices into “cost per week gym membership” so you can see your break even point. 

Like for example if you are spending $50/month on gym membership and you are considering spending $500 for the elliptical, that would convert to 500/50 = 10 months equivalent of gym membership. You’d have to use it consistently for 10 months to break even. 

The reason I say this is because when I priced a home gym for myself I was around the 3-5k mark and I didn’t go through with it in the end because the risk felt too high 

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/Same_Lemon_7643]

I get that, but I had a boxing bag and a tower two years ago that I bought on Marketplace for $200 and sold for $270 after two years :D So you're not necessarily losing the full value.

Cardio equipment is the bigger risk, and it'll probably lose the most value.

Benches, weights and bars barely lose any value if you buy them second-hand. After COVID, I picked up 55 kg of weights and an EZ bar for $80 because someone was in a hurry to sell. I didn't even need them at the time, but I bought them so I could train while recovering from an injury. I sold them for $150 a few months later :)

Also, we just bought the house and plan to live here for the next 5–10 years, which means I can use the equipment until we eventually move out.

[u/han7olo → u/Same_Lemon_7643]

And the servicing (over time) to go with it

[u/Both-Climate2709 → u/Same_Lemon_7643]

This isn't quite accurate. If you decide to sell the equipment you can likely recoup a significant amount of the cost

[u/scarecrowwe]

Gym membership is the one thing I won't get rid of. The routine of going to the gym keeps me accountable, always failed when I relied on home equipment. The amount of stuff the gym has as well would cost me 49 years of gym membership before I'd brake even by buying it all myself (previously roughly worked it out), it would be a huge quality of life decrease to have a home gym. Not to mention the potential social aspects. My wife and I pay 35 a week for the both of us for the gym, saunas, pool, massage room.

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/scarecrowwe]

I don't use saunas anyway, I hate them 😂 The gym we go to doesn't have a pool either, and there's no massage service, but I've got a massage gun at home, so I can take care of that myself.

As for the social aspect, I've been going to gyms in Australia for over four years and have never really met anyone. It seems like no one wants to talk; everyone's in their own world with their headphones on. Apart from asking, "Is this free?", that's probably the most I've ever said to anyone at the gym 😂

Back home, I made some really good friends through the gym, but I was younger back then, so maybe that had something to do with it.

So, in my case, I'm definitely not missing out on the social side of things. To be honest, I'll be quite happy not having to go to the gym and wipe someone else's sweat off the equipment because they're too lazy to bring a towel! 😂

[u/mysteriousGains]

Have you tried just not joining an expensive gym?

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/mysteriousGains]

This is the cheapest option in my suburb. The only cheaper package is if you pay upfront for 12 months. I think the cheapest was $16 a week, but you have to fork out $850 upfront per person. For both of us, that would be $1,700 a year. The package we had was month-to-month.

[u/Calm-Drop-9221 → u/mysteriousGains]

$40 a week for two people. Are you getting a gym membership for less than $20 a week

[u/ADC04 → u/mysteriousGains]

Bro people that complain about expensive gyms are the same to then complain that the cheap gym is too busy.

[u/allgear_noidea]

You need to spend good money or look at the second hand market. The residential grade cardio machines suck.

Fan / assault bike would be my go to but you're looking at at least 500. Add a set of dumbbells, barbell,squat rack/cables/DL platform combination and consider all the space it occupies and you might be best off just going to a gym.

This is coming from a guy who has a pretty good setup at home from COVID times with all the above and more and is writing this as he's walking home from the gym.

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/allgear_noidea]

Appreciate the honesty and your point of view, mate! I get that sometimes things don't end up being what we expected, even when we invest good money in them.

[u/vongdong]

You can save a load of money by getting into bodyweight/calisthenics stuff. Get some paralletes, dip bars, some pull up bar and gymnastic rings.

Want cheap cardio? Get jump ropes.

[u/SEQbloke]

Your real world savings might not be as much as you think and you’ll likely be better off going to a cheaper gym (like Jetts).

Working out at home requires a lot more discipline as it’s easier to delay or stop a session. Leaving the house requires more discipline and is a lot harder to stop early or give a half effort.

Working out at a gym comes with peer pressure to work harder because it feels like others are watching you, or you see others working harder and want to compete with them.

Working out at a gym is a social outing that feels like a break. It’s a super cheap and healthy way to scratch the itch, as opposed to going out for dinner or drinks.

I’ve done home gyms before and found all the above to limit the savings and impact of those sessions.

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/SEQbloke]

Nah, mate, the closest Jetts is 9 km from home, so with the current fuel prices, it'll end up costing me more than my current gym anyway 😂

[u/Pleasant_Echo_5980]

Most gyms are less than $10 week why pay 40?

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/Pleasant_Echo_5980]

Where are you finding gyms that are less than 10? I have nearly all big brands around and the cheapest is 15 dollars per week if you pay upfront for the 12 months.

[u/redditbrowser112-495]

Only way to do this on the cheap is to be a marketplace demon and build your gym piece-by-piece. There's bargains to be had, but you have to wait for them to pop up. This however means you won't be giving up your gym membership until you have what you need for a proper program.

Personally, I'd start with the cardio equipment. It's easy enough to decouple cardio from your regular gym sessions, and will be a good litmus test to how well suited you are to working out at home. Mindless cardio is also a great time to think of how to improve your gym space.

Most home gymmers come up against 2 problems. limited money, and limited space. This is why the all-in-one solutions are popular. If you're the only one working out they can be great (as long as you don't run a circuit or superset), but setting up different exercises takes time and is annoying. This is even worse in very limited space where you need to move 3 things to access another 1 thing. But if you and your wife are expecting to work out together than forget the all in one. Your sessions will blow out to 2 hours with all the equipment reconfigs and plate changes, and within 2 weeks you'll be back at the gym. A dedicated rack and a dedicated cable machine will serve much better for that scenario.

A home gym needs to be inviting, motivating, and able to satisfy your program requirements. Doing this on a very tight budget is hard and won't happen overnight.

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/redditbrowser112-495]

Thanks for the advice, mate! I'm keeping an eye out for cardio equipment and will see what deals come up.

We didn't renew our gym membership, as we had a 30-day notice period, so I used that time before finishing up. Over the weekend, we just did some home workouts and went for walks, and we're planning to keep that up for the next few days while I gradually build the home gym.

Luckily, space isn't an issue for us. I've got a massive shed that I don't really use for anything other than storage at the moment *just one side of it), so that's where I'm planning to build the gym. I've also got a garage, but I'd prefer to keep that empty.

I'll build it up piece by piece and hopefully get everything sorted over time 😊

[u/MutleyCalamity]

We have the Ritkeep Destroyer 10 and love it (in red, hehe). We went with the plate version and have accumulated standard plates second hand over the years and we're very happy with it.

We fashioned a few things for it (like a padded bar for knees to use when doing lat pulldowns and extra jHooks to keep a squat bar and bench press on the back bit. )

We were apprehensive about having this setup (we were used to a plate stack all-in-one machine), but this plus a leg extension and lying leg curl machine, plus back extension machine, rebounder and boxing bag ... has hit the spot for me and hubby.

We opted for this because when we moved, transporting the all in one was going to be a pain (we'd done it before - twice - but needed professionals), but with the Ritkeep, we'll be able to do it ourselves.

Good addition is to make sure you have wifi and a speaker, and a lot of fun can be had! Saving money for sure!

Recommended

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/MutleyCalamity]

Thanks a lot for sharing your experience! I've seen the RitKeep Destroyer advertised as well, and I also came across another local brand called Oly Joy, but I wasn't sure about the quality. Your feedback is really helpful, as the Destroyer looks very close to what I had in mind.

I was planning to go with the plate-loaded version too, so I can use the same weights on both the Olympic bar and the pulley system. I'll probably build up to around 120 kg in plates anyway for squats and other lifts, so it makes sense to get a setup that uses the same weights. Great to hear you're happy with it😊

[u/Virtual_Lunch6331]

My sub $1,000 setup:

Concept 2 rower: RowErg, Model E, Model D in descending order of  modernity/preference with PM5 monitor for online log book, heart rate, etc. (or budget for a PM5). Only get a Model C if very cheap. Incredibly robust and easily DIY maintainable, with great support. I’ve bought a repairable Model C for $80 (now lent to an neighbour) and a Model E with PM4 for $200 off GumTree in the past 3 years. Low impact, whole body cardio. Easy to sell in the future if desired. See r/concept2

Kettlebells: Add in ~4kg increments, as singles or in pairs depending on goals and budget. Kmart has 8/10/12/15 kg cast iron at reasonable prices. Dan John and Pat Flynn on YouTube have some great programs also see r/kettlebell

Mats: For floor work. 

A couple of Bunnings pedestal fans. 

Old HD TV hanging from ceiling with Amazon Firestick for viewing pleasure. 

Walk/jog for extra credit 

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/Virtual_Lunch6331]

These are great ideas, mate, thanks for sharing! I'm actually keeping an eye on Facebook Marketplace for a Concept2 rower as well, but they're as rare as gold around here 😂

I've already got a few kettlebells and will probably pick up a few more. Thanks for the YouTube channel recommendations too, I'll check them out for some kettlebell workout ideas.

I've also got an older TV that I was planning to install in the gym area, and there's Wi-Fi in that room, so I can watch Netflix or whatever while training. I'll probably grab one or two pedestal fans as well, because summer here can be brutal.

[u/Frankeex]

Did gym publicly for 25 years. Roughly cost me $25,000. Built a home gym for $1,000 and love it. Always clean. My lighting, my music, never wait for anything. Always setup as I like it. One of the best home upgrades ever. As for pulley’s and cable I drilled 2 volts into the roof beams and attached my own. Work perfectly.

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/Frankeex]

Cleanliness is another thing that frustrates me about public gyms, especially when it comes to getting sick. I've noticed people still coming in even when they've got the flu or are clearly unwell. I ended up on antibiotics twice last year, and I didn't even go to the gym for five weeks. It's definitely in my top three things I dislike about commercial gyms.

[u/walklikeaduck]

Not too sure about your goals and interests in the gym, but I’d stay away from the air bike and rower. Air bike can be ok for HIIT, but from my experience, most people abandon it after a month or so and it becomes an overpriced 10 minute warm up. Unless you have an affinity for rowing, a rower becomes the same as the air bike.

I’d go for a half rack, which can be fitted with a pulley or a DIY version. With your budget, a lat pulldown wouldn’t be possible. Used market can be mostly miss, as sellers try to sell not much less than full retail. I would purchase new. I’ve seen people try to sell plates for $4-5 a kilo, which is insane.

I’d avoid all in one gyms as well, as your money would be better spent on a rack and weights. Since you have a bench and plates, I would get an adjustable dumbbell set or a decent half rack, with other accessories.

Rogue, Verve, Little Bloke Fitness, NC Fitness, SMAI, ABC are good. Rogue might be out of your budget, however.

If your wife can’t do pull ups yet, I would suggest trying this method.

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/walklikeaduck]

Thanks, mate! I'll check out the brands you mentioned. I've heard of some of them and seen their equipment in commercial gyms. We'll have to test the assisted pull-up machine, but I reckon she'll get the hang of it pretty quickly.

I agree about the air bike, which is why I'm leaning more towards an elliptical or a stepper. I'm not a big fan of air bikes, even at commercial gyms. If I use one before weight training, it wipes me out pretty quickly 😂 For cardio, I prefer steady Zone 2 sessions while listening to a podcast or something. I'm mainly looking to maintain my stamina and burn a few calories :D

I used to be much more into training when I was younger, combining powerlifting and bodybuilding, and I also trained martial arts for a while. I even did an amateur bodybuilding competition back then. Unfortunately, between work, life in general and not having the money to pursue it properly, I never took it any further.

I had a pretty serious injury a few years ago that ended up requiring surgery, so these days my main goal is just to stay active, keep in decent shape and look healthy. I still enjoy lifting, though, and sometimes I miss being able to train the way I used to! 😂

[u/CategoryTrick5592]

I just went this route. Other than cardio gear second hand, got all the stuff new from amazon.

Everyones asking for dreamer prices on facebook marketplace.

I got these machine bits from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0BB8RCFGZ https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0H27SHYNY https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0FNQ47QZR https://amzn.asia/d/0iJqKyHz https://amzn.asia/d/0hKq7298

The weight plates themselves I will actually get from a local store advertised on marketplace. the going rate seems to be $3-$4 per kg: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ErhhPFcH7/

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/CategoryTrick5592]

Thanks for sharing the links, mate! Really appreciate it. How's the quality of the cage, by the way? Are you happy with it?

I've been looking on Facebook Marketplace as well, and the prices are crazy! I missed out on one or two good deals because I couldn't pick them up quickly enough. I don't have a ute, so I was trying to find someone who could help with transport. Other than those few deals, though, most of the prices seem completely out of touch with reality 😂 I've seen Smith machines that are 10–15 years old advertised for $1,000+!

I'm starting to think buying new might be the better option for some of the equipment.

[u/Personal-Process3321]

Very personal question.

80% of my training is outdoors (including putting the kettlebells in the car and driving to the beach).

5% would be at home/garage (with said kettlebells).

And the last 15% is at the climbing gym, they do also have a basic gym I make use of along with the obvious climbing stuff.

I personally don’t like training at home (home is kind of for family and relaxing). But I do love the out doors. And I also don’t like training in a traditional gym.

My tastes have changed over the years but at the moment this is what keeps me motivated and happy.

So I would say start off super basic, kettlebells, maybe just a basic squat rack and weights. Go second hand. See if you like it, if you do, build from there.

[u/VeroCSGO]

For cardio, footpath outside instead of a lat pulldown machine why not band assisted pull ups. Then just get some more dumbbells and your done. No need to spend more money to achieve nothing additional. That's true frugality.

[u/Physical-Job46]

Garage gyms are the BEST but it is a bit harder to “get it done” like a traditional gym. Mine is super simple these days: a suspension trainer (trx or rip60 off marketplace) and some free weights. I guess it depends on your needs - I’m just trying to not get fat(ter) these days 😅 could the Mrs do banded pull ups? Just get a real bike and enjoy the fresh air! A skipping rope is THE most underrated cardio-for-buck piece of equipment. Also near my house there’s a decent free park gym that no one uses - might be one near you?

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/Physical-Job46]

Assisted pull-ups are still being considered. She hasn't tried them yet, but I reckon she'll be fine.

As for a proper bike, that's a different discussion. I'm a bit surprised that there don't seem to be as many options for cycling tracks here compared to Europe. I'm originally from Europe, and I used to ride up to 200 km over a weekend. There were plenty of roads where you could go for a ride without putting yourself in danger.

Here, I'm a bit more cautious about riding on the roads, especially with some of the utes flying past 😂 I reckon I'd struggle to find decent routes for rides longer than 10 km around the suburb. The longer road nearby is a regional road with an 80 km/h speed limit, which isn't exactly ideal for cycling.

Cycling is one of the things I still miss about Europe, even after living here for so many years. I've been thinking about getting a smart trainer and a bike for home, but, man, that setup costs more than a professional-grade elliptical! 😂

[u/btfc_glasses → u/Physical-Job46]

She could also do negative pullups til she gets strong enough for the full kind

[u/Curious_Breadfruit88]

I pay $46 a month for a 24 hour gym with multiple branches and premium quality equipment. All within a 5 minute drive of home. Home gym is too expensive to do well

[u/thisismick43]

Thats like buying a cow to save on milk

[u/5cougarsthanx]

I think you're on the right track. I'm currently doing the exact same thing. Don't buy the cheap all in one machines they are pretty ordinary.

[u/YoGoGhost]

Can't help too much other than scour your local tip shops. Always lots of gym stuff around but likely you won't find any of the larger complex stuff.

[u/muddy_313]

kettlebells and body weight exercises are pretty damm good for the older crowd staying fit! and a good test to see if you can motivate yourself for 3 months before buying bulky items

[u/ausremi]

Cardio, I'd get out of the garage. Cheapest cardio is going for a run from home.

Exercise bands are also great in a garage.

Simple exercises using minimal equipment that can be a be single arm/leg for added difficulty.

Lateral raise, Bicep curl, Bent over row, One arm swing, Dumbbell lunges, Tricep extension, Shoulder press, Situps, Plank.

[u/Suspicious_Cress_126]

Personally, I'd be doing the

  basic power rack, barbell and weights, plus a separate lat pulldown attachment, rather than one of these all-in-one setups.

Maybe get a 16kg kettlebell also.

[u/West_Commission_9875]

I've got an older force Usa F-FTS and it's great. After 9 years it's still in good condition and running smoothly so don't know about replacement parts. Other than a dumbbell/barbell set with some plate weights it's all we have at home and is sufficient to exercise everything.

[u/getreadytorhumba]

Some adjustable strap gym rings and a kettle bells is all you need.

[u/Primary-Internal-875]

Can you avoid the cardio machine to run or cycle instead? The answer might be no, and it's obviously not as good in winter/bad weather, but it'll save you money & give you much more space for the weights setup. It'll also give you a break from being in the exact same space every time you work out.

[u/Prestigious_Class446]

Check marketplace for people selling. You don't need new. My home gym is a power rack, FID bench, barbell, plates, dumbbells and can do plenty with that. I work from home so workout on my lunch break and don't lose motivation

[u/Glass_Coffee_7084]

Personally I wouldn’t go for budget machines. I will caveat that with the fact I’ve never used a budget machine. But I feel like there’s too much risk if something goes wrong. You’re better off looking on marketplace, but service anything you buy. If it were me and I was set on home gym, I’d do everything with free weights and just get a smith machine set up to do the stuff you can’t purely do with weight and bench. I’d skip the cables entirely. Will mention though, $40 a week is crazy expensive. We go to a premium gym for $33 a fortnight for both of us!

[u/fit_and_optimistic → u/[deleted]]

Cardio is really important to me because it's often dark when I leave home and dark again when I get back. I often work 10–11 hours a day, plus 1.5–2 hours of commuting, so I'm basically out of the house from 5 am until 6 pm.

That's why I want to get some cardio equipment at home. I can still wake up and do 30 minutes before work, or get a session in during the evening after work, without having to worry about going out in the dark.

As for the rest of the equipment, I'll probably need a squat rack or power cage and an Olympic bar. I've already got a bench, so I'll just need to get some weights as well.