Exercise machines for your garage gym are getting more and more popular by the day. In this episode I go over everything you need to know BEFORE you buy a machine for your home gym.

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Review Guidelines: GymCrafter.com/review-guidelines/

0:00 Intro

3:05 Need To Know More

4:15 Knowing Your Training Style

6:34 3 Costs of Buying a Machine

15:59 Movement Patterns

17:19 Adding Volume

18:52 Limiting Systemic Fatigue

20:14 PT Applications

23:09 Ease of Use

25:10 Companies Gotta Sell!

26:13 Team Free Weight

26:52 More Enjoyable

27:10 More Versatile

27:49 Efficiency

29:01 Movement Patterns

30:02 Aging Well

31:32 Variability

32:29 Team Machine

33:07 No Barbell!

34:12 No Learning Curve

34:53 Better for Families

35:28 Training With Injuries

35:57 Hypertrophy

37:29 Cubs vs Sox

38:46 Which Team are You On?

40:10 What Should Your Gym Look Like?

43:00 Return of the ’70’s?

46:55 Wrap Up

*GymCrafter is viewer-supported. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my links. A huge thank you to anyone who helps out in this way. It's what allows me to continue to make videos like this for you as often as I do!

Buy new gear for your garage gym now, or wait until something better comes out? Wait for that new product that's supposed to come out from your favorite home gym company, or buy something that's available today? I'll answer these questions, with some specific examples, on this episode of the GymCrafter podcast.

Automatically save 5% on ANY Force USA product:

ForceUSA.com/gymcrafter

Rep Fitness Smith Machine: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/rep-smith-machine/

Bells of Steel Smith Machine: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/bos-byob-smith-machine/

Dialed Motion Leg Developer: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/dialed-motion/

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Website: GymCrafter.com

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Insta: Instagram.com/gymcrafter

Review Guidelines: GymCrafter.com/review-guidelines/

0:00 Intro

2:55 Is It Obsolete?

6:00 Don’t Wait Forever

7:21 Don’t Go Into Debt

8:06 Companies Can’t Please Everyone

10:02 Affiliate Links!

11:18 Force USA C20

19:56 Beware the Marketing

21:51 Rep Bolt On Smith Machine

26:29 Dialed Motion Leg Developer

33:20 General Guidelines

33:37 The Importance of Resale Value

35:19 When to Settle

37:10 Stop Shopping!

38:23 Beware V1 Products

*GymCrafter is viewer-supported. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my links. A huge thank you to anyone who helps out in this way. It's what allows me to continue to make videos like this for you as often as I do!

What good is going to Home Gym Con to look at garage gym gear if you don't also bring some home! In this episode I share what I bought, what is now on my short list, and what I changed my mind on at this year's show!

Highlighted Products:

Synergy Delta Rack: https://synergycustomfitness.com/products/delta-5-tier-horizontal-rack

Freedom Fitness Flooring: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/freedom-flooring/

(Use code GC1 for 5% off)

Matt Porter Rev Bar: https://porterpef.com/products/revbar

Matt Porter Eclipse Grips: https://porterpef.com/products/eclipse-grip

Matt Porter TNT HellBox: https://porterpef.com/products/tnt-hell-box-belt-squat-attachment

ATX Leg Developer: https://www.atxfitness.com/atx-leg-extension-leg-curl-combo-bco-780

Dialed Motion: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/dialed-motion/

BWTG: https://blackwidowtg.com

Rep Manual Treadmill: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/rep-fitness/

Darko Lifting: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/darko-lifting/

Bare Steel Equipment Curl Bar: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/bare-steel-ez-bar/

Ancore: https://ancoretraining.com

BulletProof Fitness: https://bulletprooffitnessequipment.com

Partners & affiliates: GymCrafter.com/partners

Website: GymCrafter.com

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Insta: Instagram.com/gymcrafter

Review Guidelines: GymCrafter.com/review-guidelines/

0:00 Intro

2:44 Synergy Bracket

5:03 Custom Floor Tile

6:39 Rev Bar

9:03 TNT HellBox

10:46 ATX Leg Developer

24:00 Dialed Motion Leg Developer

25:01 Black Widow

27:27 Rep Manual Treadmill

29:25 Darko Spotter Arms

30:46 Mini Barbell

31:28 Bigger Garage!

32:16 Rackable Curl Bar

33:10 Voltra/Ancore

35:02 BulletProof Fitness

*GymCrafter is viewer-supported. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my links. A huge thank you to anyone who helps out in this way. It's what allows me to continue to make videos like this for you as often as I do!

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

Trends come and go in the garage gym industry and this year at Home Gym Con, it was easy to see quite a few of them. In this episode I cover 6 trends in garage gyms and ask for your help in seeing if they will stick around or not!

Rep Smith Machine: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/rep-smith-machine/

Bells of Steel Smith: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/bos-byob-smith-machine/

Force USA C20 Video: https://youtu.be/NWwsMlPP0Ik

Bells tower: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/bos-single-stack/

Dialed Motion: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/dialed-motion/

Partners & affiliates: GymCrafter.com/partners

Website: GymCrafter.com

Newsletter: GymCrafter.com/Subscribe

Insta: Instagram.com/gymcrafter

Review Guidelines: GymCrafter.com/review-guidelines/

0:00 Intro

1:39 Smith Machines

8:27 All-In-One Trainers

15:43 Leg Developers

21:55 Rise of the Machines

33:54 Purpose Built Home Gym Gear

41:15 Smart Devices

48:22 Wrap Up

*GymCrafter is viewer-supported. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my links. A huge thank you to anyone who helps out in this way. It's what allows me to continue to make videos like this for you as often as I do!

Home Gym Con 2025 wasn't just a place to see cool new garage gym gear. It was also a place to learn about that gear and the industry. In this episode, I review 11 surprising things I learned at this year's convention.

Partners & affiliates: GymCrafter.com/partners

Website: GymCrafter.com

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Insta: Instagram.com/gymcrafter

Review Guidelines: GymCrafter.com/review-guidelines/

0:00 Intro

1:48 I'm Tall!

3:00 RitFit

6:50 Marketing

10:36 Voltra

20:24 Ancore

22:53 I Need A Gimbal

24:37 Bad Product Releases

29:13 Small Fabricators

33:17 Details Matter

36:48 Pendulum Squats

40:03 We Are Out of Touch

*GymCrafter is viewer-supported. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my links. A huge thank you to anyone who helps out in this way. It's what allows me to continue to make videos like this for you as often as I do!

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

Home Gym Con 2025 in Louisville, KY was a fun, amazing, memorable blur. In this first of 4 Home Gym Con podcast episodes, I review the event overall, talk about what I liked and what should have been different, and lay out my plans for 2026!

https://homegymcon.com

https://www.youtube.com/@UCF-kK-HyM64cSH3H8QeMfMw

Partners & affiliates: GymCrafter.com/partners

Website: GymCrafter.com

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Insta: Instagram.com/gymcrafter

Review Guidelines: GymCrafter.com/review-guidelines/

*GymCrafter is viewer-supported. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my links. A huge thank you to anyone who helps out in this way. It's what allows me to continue to make videos like this for you as often as I do!

Instead of overspending on equipment for our home and garage gyms, sometimes, the smart decision is to look for stuff that is "good enough". In this episode I talk about how to find out what is good enough for your gym and what isn't.

American Barbell Grizzly Bar: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/ab-chewy-bar/

Rep Badlands Bar: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/rep-badlands-bar/

Partners & affiliates: GymCrafter.com/partners

Website: GymCrafter.com

Newsletter: GymCrafter.com/Subscribe

Insta: Instagram.com/gymcrafter

Review Guidelines: GymCrafter.com/review-guidelines/

*GymCrafter is viewer-supported. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my links. A huge thank you to anyone who helps out in this way. It's what allows me to continue to make videos like this for you as often as I do!

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

Home Gym Con is 16 days away and the biggest reason I'm going is to bring you as much coverage as I can. With 125 vendors, I won't be able to cover everything, so in this podcast I review my current content plan and ask you to help in every area!

Home Gym Con: https://homegymcon.com

Vendor List: https://homegymcon.com/vendors/

Rep NightHawk bench: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/rep-nighthawk/

Partners & affiliates: GymCrafter.com/partners

Website: GymCrafter.com

Newsletter: GymCrafter.com/Subscribe

Insta: Instagram.com/gymcrafter

Review Guidelines: GymCrafter.com/review-guidelines/

0:00 Intro

0:59 What is Home Gym Con?

3:49 Why I’m going

9:58 2 things I’m not doing

11:12 Brands I’m not covering

14:13 Brands I am covering

28:28 Content plans

32:33 What would you like to see?

*GymCrafter is viewer-supported. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my links. A huge thank you to anyone who helps out in this way. It's what allows me to continue to make videos like this for you as often as I do!

I've built or helped build quite a few garage gyms in the last 8 years of running GymCrafter and I learn things every time. In this episode I review 10 things I'll do differently next time!

Freedom Fitness Flooring: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/freedom-flooring/

Code GC1 saves you 5%

Walking pad: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/walking-pad/

Code GYMCRAFTER saves you up to 30% off purchases over $279

American Barbell power bar: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/ab-ss-elite-power-bar/

American Barbell Chewy bar: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/ab-chewy-bar/

Rep Black Diamond bar: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/rep-black-diamond/

Rep Badlands bar: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/rep-badlands-bar/

Rep open trap bar: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/rep-open-trap-bar/

Bells open trap bar: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/bos-open-trap-bar/

Rep cambered Swiss bar: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/rep-cambered-swiss-bar/

Bells Arch Nemesis bar: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/bos-swiss-bar/

Bare Steel EZ curl bar: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/bare-steel-ez-bar/

Black Widow VHS bar: https://blackwidowtg.com/products/vhs-bar?_pos=1&_sid=74073b561&_ss=r

Freak Athlete Hyper Pro: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/freak-athlete/

Tib Bar Guy Sled Tred: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/tbg-sledtred/

Rep NightHawk: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/rep-nighthawk/

Partners & affiliates: GymCrafter.com/partners

Website: GymCrafter.com

Newsletter: GymCrafter.com/Subscribe

Insta: Instagram.com/gymcrafter

Review Guidelines: GymCrafter.com/review-guidelines/

0:00 Intro

2:50 Different flooring

7:01 Paying for installation

7:48 Running electric

9:47 Side mount garage door opener

11:22 Clearing the space first

12:54 A place to walk

19:49 Less barbells

24:06 More specialty bars

28:33 Being more open minded

31:05 Home Gym Con

33:19 Less overthinking

36:19 Wrap up

*GymCrafter is viewer-supported. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my links. A huge thank you to anyone who helps out in this way. It's what allows me to continue to make videos like this for you as often as I do!

Having a great garage gym is only half the battle. Getting the most out of it is the other half. In this episode I review 8 common ways people miss out on the benefits of their garage gym.

MAPS Anabolic: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/maps-anabolic/

Slant Stack: https://gymcrafter.com/recommends/slant-stack/

Partners & affiliates: GymCrafter.com/partners

Website: GymCrafter.com

Newsletter: GymCrafter.com/Subscribe

Insta: Instagram.com/gymcrafter

Review Guidelines: GymCrafter.com/review-guidelines/

0:00 Intro

2:16 Letting perfect be the enemy of good

4:58 Trigger sessions

9:17 Micro sessions

15:52 Getting more from what you have

23:30 Learn from others

27:46 Training discipline

30:45 Training smart

33:16 Periodization

36:05 Movement variations

38:09 Implement variation

39:47 Staying focused

45:55 Wrap up

*GymCrafter is viewer-supported. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my links. A huge thank you to anyone who helps out in this way. It's what allows me to continue to make videos like this for you as often as I do!