Building a $7,500 Backyard Home Gym: Isaac’s Inspiring Journey

In a world where busy schedules, long commutes, and crowded gyms have become the norm, Isaac, a 27-year-old Costa Rican fitness enthusiast and finance planning expert at Experian, decided to take matters into his own hands by building his own home gym in his garden.

With a budget of $7,500, he aimed to create a space that would not only benefit him but also his cherished wife. Isaac built an amazing rain-proof 194 sq ft home gym.

Weathering the Challenges: Building an Outdoor Gym

Understanding the importance of protecting his investment, he meticulously planned for weatherproof covers, ensuring that rain or shine, his gym would remain pristine. Costa Rican weather can be unpredictable and they’re used to heavy rains, that’s why Costa Rica is so green.

Recognizing the value of versatility and space efficiency, he wisely opted for a power rack with a pulley system and a smith machine combined. This ingenious choice allowed him to maximize the utility of his limited space while ensuring a wide variety of exercise options.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Isaac RM (@isaac_rm20)

Isaac’s advice

Start with the essentials.

He recommends acquiring a power rack, high-quality barbells, plates, and dumbbells as a solid foundation for any home gym. By prioritizing these fundamental tools, you can kickstart the fitness journey without feeling overwhelmed by an excessive array of equipment.

Isaac knew that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the same principle applied to his home gym. He encourages aspiring gym owners to start with the basics, gradually adding more equipment as their passion and dedication grew. This incremental approach allowed him to fine-tune his workouts, exploring new exercises and gradually expanding his fitness horizons.

Understanding that heavy weights could damage his beautiful house floors, he stresses the significance of investing in high-quality gym rubber flooring.

Home Gym Photos

Home Gym Equipment

• Rack: Power rack with attachments
  • Safety ropes
  • Dips Bar
  • Pull Up bar
  • Storage for plates
• Barbells:
  • Olympic barbell
  • 60 inch / 1.5m barbell
  • EZ bar
• Bench: 1 foldable bench + 1 bench with preacher and leg extensions/leg curl attachment
• Pull down/ row machine
• UFC Standard Heavy Bag (176 lbs – 80kg)
• TRX Suspension Trainer
• Wall mounted pull up bar with sandbag hook
• Jump Ropes: Speed rope and 3lbs weighted rope
• Weight Plates: 2x 45lbs, 4x 25lbs, 6x 10lbs, 2x 5lbs, 2x 2.5lbs 3 handles iron covered in rubber plates
• Ab wheel
• Perfect Push up handles
• Full rack of set of DBs from 5lbs to 50lbs
• Pair of 25lbs kettlebells
• Pair of 35lbs kettlebells
• Gymnastic rings
• Boxing gloves for men and women
• Boxing pads to train
• Resistance bands
• Sony Soundbar with base
• Home gym 2mx1.5m mirror

Total Home Gym Cost = Approx. 4M Costa Rican colones which are around $7.5k (both structure and gym equipment)