HomeInspirationStep into this Powerlifting Family's Badass Home Gym

Step into this Powerlifting Family’s Badass Home Gym

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Meet Jim and Holly.

This powerlifting couple has built a very impressive gym in their home. They’ve outfitted their space with excellent equipment and they’ve maximized their space as well as anyone I’ve seen.

Join me as we step into Jim & Holly’s badass powerlifting home gym.

The Journey

Growing up in New Jersey, Jim & Holly decided to move to Tennessee three years ago. During their initial home search, they focused mainly on more dense areas, where there were more things to do. They found a good number of commercial gyms they could join, but ultimately the hustle and bustle proved too much.

They found their dream home in a more rural area, but the downside was that there were no gyms anywhere close. To add to that, shortly after their move, they found out they were having twins, which they knew wouldn’t allow for a regular gym schedule given their location. So, being the fitness-minded and resourceful couple that they are, they decided to build a gym inside their home. This also allowed them the opportunity to raise their children around the positive things a gym and training can teach.

Major respect for that!

When they first started the gym, they did so with a Rogue SML2 squat rack, a Rogue flat utility bench, a Rogue Echo Bar, a Rogue Bella Bar, and a mix of Rogue Echo bumpers and plates from the Dick’s Sporting Goods 300lb Olympic Set.

In the past three years, however, they’ve traded up on all of those items, and now their gym consists of much more.

Every item they have in their space has been purchased brand new, many of which were bought during good sales like Black Friday. Over that time, they’ve also sold certain pieces in favor of others in order to refine their equipment based on their needs. As they put it:

“it’s been a long and expensive learning experience, but we are both happy with the end result we’ve created”

I’ve got to say, I would be pretty damn happy myself.

Let’s take a closer look at their equipment lineup.

Equipment

Jim and Holly’s space is a shining example that you can build a ridiculous home gym without a massive space. They have carefully selected equipment that meets their needs and fits their space nicely.

When asked what their favorite piece of equipment was, they responded with the Legend Fitness Lat Pulldown/Low Row from a use standpoint. There isn’t a workout where they don’t use that piece in some capacity. A close 2nd, from a health perspective is a tie between the Edge Fitness Reverse Hyper and the Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar.

All three of those pieces are seriously awesome. If I had to pick one of those myself, the pulldown would be my personal choice also. It’s extremely versatile.

Piece by piece, their space includes the following:

Bars

Jim and Holly have one of my favorite barbell collections that I’ve seen. They’ve got the straight bar dialed in with the American Barbell Elite Power Bar, and they have a ridiculously awesome specialty bar collection.

Jim & Holly Badass Home Gym Garage Gym Lab 1

Rack & Bench

I love how this setup is optimized for their space. It’s very well thought out, with some beautiful custom features ranging from storage to the awesome “front porch.”

Jim & Holly Badass Home Gym Garage Gym Lab 5

Plates, Dumbbells, & Kettlebells

Jim & Holly Badass Home Gym Garage Gym Lab 4

They’re not something you see particularly often, but I think the Troy “Go” plates are pretty badass. The York Legacy DB’s are awesome and their DIY rack shelves are brilliant to save space. If you’re tight on space, mounting your DBs to your rack is a potential game changer. It will look sweet and also offer additional stability.

Machines

The fact that Jim and Holly were able to get several of these machines in their space is impressive. It’s almost as if the little nook was made for a reverse hyper.

Jim & Holly Badass Home Gym Garage Gym Lab 3

Cable Attachments

As if the Legend Fitness Pulldown/Low Row wasn’t awesome enough, check out their collection of attachments:

Miscellaneous

Jim & Holly Badass Home Gym Garage Gym Lab 6

Jim & Holly’s badass powerlifting home gym is a great example that you don’t need a ton of space to have an amazing setup. They’ve maximized their space with the equipment they need, and I’m incredibly impressed.

I’d like to thank Jim & Holly for sharing their journey, their home gym, and a list of their equipment with the community!

You can follow and stay in touch with Jim & Holly on Instagram @JimC_Fitness.

If you would like the chance to be featured on the site, shoot me an email at Adam@garagegymlab.com.

The bar is loaded,

Adam

Adam Hensley
Adam Hensley
Adam is the founder of Garage Gym Lab and has over two decades of fitness/training experience. He serves as the chief content creator and runs our YouTube channel and social media accounts. When he's not testing equipment or sharing his love for home gym life, you'll find him with his wife and two kids in sunny South Carolina.
Adam Hensley
Adam Hensley
Adam is the founder of Garage Gym Lab and has over two decades of fitness/training experience. He serves as the chief content creator and runs our YouTube channel and social media accounts. When he's not testing equipment or sharing his love for home gym life, you'll find him with his wife and two kids in sunny South Carolina.

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