Buying home gym equipment online should be easy, right?!

Sounds easy enough, select the equipment, spend your hard-earned cash, wait for shipping, then let the gainz begin! Read along to follow my journey from a thrown-together gym without a purpose, to the efficient masterpiece that I use every day.

I'm sure you've heard the phrase, "measure twice and cut once." Well, the same can be said when it comes to buying home gym equipment. Research, a lot, and buy once. How do I know? Well, I’m guilty of it! (Oops…)

When I started my home gym journey, I had roughly $1,000 to spend.

I hear you now, “that sounds like a solid budget”, but we’re going to build on that later, so don’t go anywhere. With that money burning a hole in my pocket, I went to check out the equipment seen at most fitness comps and in the CrossFit world. Plus, I wanted a t-shirt so I could taste the Kool-aid. Since I grew up in Fargo, ND, I did stumble across PRx Performance while doing my research, but I thought my budget was going to restrict what I could purchase from PRx, so I moved on.

Fast forward a few weeks and a grand later,

I was unboxing a squat stand, various pairs of solid rubber plates, a barbell, collars and some other accessories…because Kool-aid. For the next 2 years, I was grinding it out, making it work, and I was fairly happy with my purchase. In the home gym, you learn to be creative, but when you spend too much time (and more money) modifying your gear for the training that you’re doing, something is wrong!

I told you money would come up again. We’re getting there!

A lot changed in 2020, I got a new job, and a pandemic took over the United States – yeah it’s been a ride. I sold all the current equipment I owned for what I bought it for due to equipment demands. A new position at PRx Performance showed me what I missed when I thought the equipment was going to be too expensive.

Using the money I made by selling old equipment, I more than paid for my new folding rack and accessories. Now, you could stop right here because, “TK, you’re biased, you work there now, and probably get a sweet discount.” While part of that is true, I didn’t make a smart decision the first time I bought home gym equipment.

The extra money I spent to make my previous equipment work for me would have been enough to buy my PRx Performance set up at retail price the first time around.

Again, measure twice, cut once, if you know what I’m saying!

I LOVE my new home gym in its current state!

It just works, and there’s a level of pride that comes with it while I’m working out in the garage!

We fully insulated and finished the walls, added a heater, installed recessed LED lighting and a dual-purpose flooring set up because winters here in North Dakota are no joke! I will be adding more as time goes by, but for now, I’m thrilled! If you’re looking to go on a home gym journey of your own, the time is now!

Do your research, put thought into your budget and to what your goals are.

Don’t limit yourself, but rather spend the time making great decisions, you’ll be happy you did.