If you are tired of schlepping yourself to the gym or shelling out big bucks for boutique workout memberships, it may be time to build a CrossFit garage gym. The benefits of this convenient setup are quite obvious, but you may be wondering how to turn your garage into a CrossFit gym. You can make it happen by planning a layout that fits your space, preparing your walls and floor, and buying a few CrossFit garage gym essentials. Keep reading to get tons of tips for how to build a Crossfit gym in your garage.
What Do I Need For a CrossFit Gym at Home?
Every CrossFit garage gym is going to look a little different - that's the beauty of the concept! By building the gym at home, you can completely customize it to your wants and needs. Still, there are a few essentials most CrossFit experts will agree you should have for your gym. Here are a few:
- Essential equipment like kettlebells, dumbbells, and barbells (see the next section for all the details)
- Hooks and cabinets for jump ropes, gloves, etc.
- Shelves for weights
- Floor mat for doing weight lifting
- Paint for garage walls
- Cleaning supplies for equipment
What Equipment Do I Need for a CrossFit Gym?
There are some must-have pieces of equipment for your home CrossFit gym, while others are negotiable. Evaluate your budget and then consider getting the following items for your garage.
Must-Haves
- Kettlebells: Kettlebells are the bread and butter of any CrossFit workout. These simple and affordable weights give a full-body workout and can be used in a variety of ways, including swings, deadlifts, squats, and more. Want to save money on your kettlebells? Find an adjustable kettlebell so you don't have to buy several different sizes.
- Dumbbells: No matter what type of gym you're building, dumbbells are a necessary building block for weight-lifting exercises. Choose a wide range of sizes you'll use frequently.
- Plates: When you're on the hunt for plates, remember that not all are created equal. High-temperature plates are best if you want to avoid the risk of the plates cracking. Choose sets of 45s, 25s, 10s, and 5s to allow for a full-range CrossFit workout.
- Barbell: Those plates won't be of much use without a barbell. Choose any Olympic-lifting-style multipurpose bar that works for your budget, or go with the typical CrossFit 20kg bar if you have the money.
- Jump rope: Double-unders are a staple of CrossFit workouts. Hold yourself accountable for every rep by having this piece of equipment on hand.
Good to Have
- Pull-up Bar: As a CrossFit enthusiast, you've probably already got a pull-up bar on your list of equipment. You may be able to find a bar attachment that works with other equipment to save money, or choose a stand-alone option.
- Bench: A bench will allow you to do the angled workouts popular in CrossFit. Choose a bench that is simple if you're looking to save money, or find one with added features if you have a bigger budget.
- Box: Box jumps and jump-overs are an important part of CrossFit, so you'll be glad you invested in a box for your home gym. Choose one with soft edges if you want to avoid injuries from slips and falls. You can also build your own box if you're looking for a low-cost option.
How Much Space Do You Need for a Home Gym?
The layout and spacing of your home CrossFit gym depends on how much square footage you have to work with. Maybe you're using a two-car or three-car garage for your gym space, or maybe you're only using a small corner.
Regardless, your home gym size should be at least 10 ft x 10 ft of space for your CrossFit home gym. This will give you enough room for the pull-up bar and other essential equipment, with some breathing room to really get into your workout. You don't want your space to restrict your movement or make you uncomfortable. If it does you might not end up using the gym as often as planned.
Now it's time to set it all up. Install your shelves, cabinets, and wall hooks. Get it all organized. Bring in your equipment and put it into its permanent places. Make sure the equipment is close enough together to be easily accessible, but far enough apart to allow for free movement.
How Do You Do a CrossFit Workout at Home?
Once you have the basic equipment, you can do any workout of the day from home. Building a home gym will open up endless possibilities for your CrossFit workout.
Want to get in some extra training time? Here are a few workouts you can do in your home gym space.
Workout #1
Complete 3 rounds
- 5 handstand push-ups
- 10 broad jump burpees
- 10 pistol squats
- 15 jump squats
- 20 alt leg v-ups on each side
Workout #2
Complete each exercise once.
- 100 double unders
- 20 overhead squats
- 100 double unders
- 12 ring muscle-ups
- 100 double unders
- 20 dumbbell snatches
- 12 bar muscle-ups
Workout #3
Complete as many reps as possible within the 1-minute timeframe. Repeat 3 times.
- 1 min wall balls
- 1 min sumo deadlift high pulls
- 1 min box jumps
- 1 min push presses
- 1 min rowing
Good Luck
Having the right storage solutions, workout equipment, and finishing the garage walls will go a long way to create a space you love. And after reading this guide, you're probably anxious to get started building your own CrossFit garage gym. Whether you're on a budget or ready to deck our your garage with equipment, use these home CrossFit gym ideas to put it all together.
