How Hadi Transformed His Balcony Into A $2,900 Muay Thai and Lifting Home Gym

• Hadi, a father, engineer, and lifting enthusiast, realized his dream of transforming his balcony into a home gym.
• Learn how to create a complete home gym for just $2,900 by following Hadi’s example.

Introducing Hadi and his inspiring home gym, located in the tiny country of Brunei…have you ever heard of this place? Well, this small country looks so beautiful and is located in Southeast Asia near Malaysia and Indonesia.

Hadi is a mechanical engineer in the oil and gas industry, a father and a beginner lifter who is on a mission to battle the dreaded dad bod.

He had never stepped foot in a gym until he started working with a personal trainer at the age of 35 in 2020. His newfound passion for fitness led him to convert his unused balcony into a home gym, which has been in use for almost 2 years now.

Yes! He built walls in his balcony and transformed it into an awesome home gym!

Despite the compact size of his gym, which measures just 100 square feet, Hadi has managed to make the most of his space by utilizing some DIY storage solutions to keep his equipment organized and tidy.

The gym sees plenty of use, with Hadi, his wife, and even his kids hitting the weights regularly.

Hadi firmly believes in the “no excuses” mentality and encourages others to go hard and then go home.

If you’re looking for inspiration for your own home gym setup, be sure to follow Hadi on Instagram @HadiHomeGym, where he continues to share updates and progress on his fitness journey. His bio: Join the “Had Corps” in the ongoing arms race against dad bod and see what can be achieved with determination and a little creativity.

Transforming a Balcony Into a Home Gym

Hadi’s balcony was once an overlooked and underutilized space, but he had a vision to transform it into a full home gym.

To make this dream a reality, Hadi invested around USD10k and had a metal staircase installed so that the gym could be accessed from outside, without having to go through the master bedroom.

The construction process took three months, causing some temporary inconvenience due to the dust and noise. However, Hadi’s excitement and determination remained undeterred, and he spared no expense in creating his dream workout space, including the installation of a huge mirror that he admits cost more than he had anticipated.

Despite the unexpected expenses, Hadi is thrilled with the final result and encourages others to follow his journey from concept to construction on his Instagram highlights.

Hadi’s Workouts – Home and Commercial Gym

Hadi’s workouts are a combination of his home gym and commercial gym. His routine primarily focuses on compound lifts using the barbell, followed by accessory work involving kettlebells, dumbbells, and cables.

For cardio, Hadi prefers Muay Thai and skipping, although he admits to neglecting it at times. Previously, he owned a bike and a treadmill, but their large size and low usage led him to remove them from his home gym.

Hadi continues to attend a commercial gym twice a week with a personal trainer, who assists him with his form and introduces him to new machines. Once a week, the trainer designs a workout routine for Hadi to follow in his home gym. On days when Hadi is unable to visit the commercial gym, he compensates with a home gym session.

As a beginner, Hadi strongly advises getting a personal trainer’s help to provide guidance and accountability during workouts.

Home Gym Equipment

It’s hard to get US brands in Brunei so most of Hadi’s equipment is from generic brands from China.

• Rack: Squat stand $170
• Bench: Adjustable Bench $335
• Barbells:
  • Olympic Barbell $105
  • Hex Bar $155
• Weight Plates:
  • Live Pro Bumper plates pairs 5/10/22/25kg $585
  • Competition bumper plate pair 25kg $220
  • Fractional plate pairs 2.5/1.25kg $45
  • Micro Gainz fractional weight plates 1.25KG $145
• Dumbbells: Hex Dumbbell pair 20kg and 25kg and Threaded Dumbbell Pair 2.5-17.5kg $290
• Kettlebells 16/24kg $160
• Preacher Pad by ABMAT $117 (Portable Curl Bench)
• The Barbell Jack $45
• Gym rings $30
• Weighted Jump rope $55
• Cable pulley system and attachments $175
• Yoga Mat $80
• BLegend Yellow Heavy Punch bag $80
• Resistance bands $80
• Home Gym Led Strips $20
• Yellow Puzzle Home Gym Flooring $30

Total Home Gym Cost = $2,922

Home Gym Photos

Hadi’s balcony transformed into this beauty: