Meet Matt and Michelle.
This married couple has converted their 2-car garage into an unbelievably awesome gym that includes some of the best equipment on the market. Not only that, but it’s extremely well organized and nicely laid out.
Join me as we step into Matt and Michelle’s incredible garage gym.
The Journey
If you look at Matt and Michelle’s Instagram, you will see their personal mission statement:
“On a journey of self-discovery to be the best versions of ourselves.”
What an awesome attitude. You can tell, based on their garage space, that they’re fully committed to carrying this out… and I for one am excited to see their journey over time.
Matt and Michelle’s fitness journey started years ago. In high school, Matt played competitive football, held weightlifting records, and was generally thoroughly involved in the fitness culture. After suffering some injuries that ended his hopes of playing football collegiality, he began working at Life Time Fitness. During his 4.5 year stint there, he met his wife, Michelle.
After some life events, transitioning to desk jobs, and generally just living the comfortable married life, they got… a bit… complacent. Because of that, their health and weight started to decline.
While Matt was still mobile and somewhat active, he reached a weight of 545 lbs.
“enough was enough,” they said… and from there, they set into motion a plan to transform their lives.
They grew tired of dealing with the chaos of a commercial gym and they ultimately decided they wanted to “suffer” through the workouts at their own pace and on their own terms.
With Matt’s background in sports and fitness, they were confident they could do it on their own, and from there they began accumulating some equipment.
The Equipment
Matt and Michelle’s equipment lineup is very well diversified and it includes some insanely nice pieces. When they first started in February 2017, however, they did so with a modest setup that included four stall mats, a wall-mounted rack, an adjustable bench, and a bar & bumper set (210 lbs).
Today, it’s much different. Over that time, they’ve been accumulating equipment and selling off some of their older purchases. They recently completed their massive garage gym overhaul, which is what you see here.
When I asked what their favorite pieces of equipment are, Matt answered the Rogue RM-4 Monster Rack 2.0, and Michelle answered the purple Rogue Bella Bar.
Here’s a closer look into their equipment list piece by piece.
Rack & Bench
Matt and Michelle’s rack setup is something of a dream. There’s something about a red rack from Rogue that’s just awesome. With the 50 cal trolley kit, it’s even more impressive. I also love how they recessed the rack feet into the stall mats by creating cutouts. It makes for a great look.
- Rogue RM-4 Monster Rack 2.0
- 50 Cal Trolley and Lever Arm Kit
- Monster Safety Straps
- 2″ Monster Sandwich Cups
- Monster Landmine 2.0
- Monster Utility Flat Bench
- Adjustable Bench (AB-2)
- Thompson Fat Pad
- Titan Short Yoke
Barbells & Plates
Their barbell lineup offers nice coverage for the strength-minded individual, and they have enough plates for 2+ people to train simultaneously.
- Rogue Ohio Deadlift Bar
- Rogue Ohio Power Bar
- Rogue Bella Bar
- Rogue Safety Squat Bar
- Titan 10″ Strongman Log
- Northern Lights EZ-Curl Bar
- Northern Lights Olympic Bar
- Northern Lights Farmers Handles
- Rogue Black Training Bumpers (630 lbs)
- Northern Lights Bumper Plates (210 lbs)
Conditioning
Matt & Michelle have a very impressive list of conditioning tools. A full dumbbell set from 5 – 100 lbs isn’t something you see every day.
- Rogue Strongman Sandbag (150 lbs)
- Rogue Kettlebells
- Rogue Slice Sled
- Northern Lights Air Force Assault Bike
- TRX Suspension Trainer
- Northern Lights Rubber Hex Dumbbells (5 lbs – 100 lbs)
- Tyre Tread Slam Balls (50 lbs, 35 lbs, 20 lbs)
- Ballistic Wall Ball (16 lbs)
- Power Log Sandbags (50 lbs, 30 lbs)
- Covered Battle Rope (1.5″ x 50ft – red)
- TKO Weight Vest (20 lbs)
- XD Fit Sandbag (100 lbs)
Specialized Machines
Belt squats are definitely all the rage right now, and Matt and Michelle have a very good one in the Rogue Rhino. The functional trainer is a seriously versatile piece too.
- Rogue Rhino Standalone Belt Squat
- Bolt Fitness Functional Trainer (160kg Weight Stack)
Misc
What gym is complete without some awesome accessories. Matt & Michelle have some pretty cool “misc” gear, headlined by the Rogue jerk blocks. I love how they added a wheelbase for easy transport. The MAG Grips are badass, and… did you notice they even have a spray station mounted on the wall? Gotta keep all that nice gear clean!
- Rogue Jerk Blocks
- Rogue 3-Bar Gun Rack
- Rogue Belt/Band Hanger
- Rogue HG Collars
- Rogue OSO Collars
- Rogue Axle Collars
- Rogue Cannon Ball Grips
- Titan Fitness Deadlift Platform
- EliteFTS Resistance Bands
- MAG Grip – Wide
- MAG Grip – Medium Neutral
- Stall Mats
- Northern Lights Deadlift Jacks x 2
- Northern Lights Resistance Bands
- Northern Lights EZ Bar Attachment, Rope Attachment, and Single Handle
- Bolt Fitness 10-Bar Holder
- Bolt Fitness Ab Mat
Matt & Michelle’s gym is extremely impressive. There are a ton of useful pieces, it’s well laid out, it’s organized, and it’s just overall an awesome space. I’m personally excited to see their journey through, and I invite you to check them out also.
I’d like to thank Matt and Michelle for sharing their journey, their home gym, and a list of their equipment with the community!
You can follow and stay in touch with Matt and Michelle on Instagram @whomovedmydoughnut.
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