I couldn't do heavy squats due to my dodgey knee. I've used 2 alternatives and I don't think I'll go back to squats anyway now!
Trainers, dietitians, a doctor, and writers who lift — testing every recommendation in their own home gyms across the UK, US, and New Zealand.
A handful of the people building stronger lives in their garages, kitchens, and hotel rooms — the people we wake up trying to help.
I couldn't do heavy squats due to my dodgey knee. I've used 2 alternatives and I don't think I'll go back to squats anyway now!
That's my gym on the front of the guide. Built it around the $3k list — rack, bench, plates, the lot. Trained every week since, two kids and all.
Was ready to pay for an expensive commercial gym membership. Then I found the $1.5k tier — squat rack, cable crossovers, adjustable bench. Haven't looked back.
Started in my garage with the cheapest setup the guide recommended. Lost 18kg in nine months without ever stepping inside a commercial gym. A kettlebell, a bar, and a cleaner kitchen did most of the work.
The research depth is unreal. I've reviewed a lot of home gyms, and the Build Guide's testing criteria saved me a weekend of comparison spreadsheets.
I Googled leg press alternatives and was so relieved to finally find genuine exercises to replace it without needing a machine!
Been lifting 15 years. Finally built the rack I've always wanted — 4-post, 3×3 steel, the works. Used the $8.5k list as the blueprint and didn't regret a single pick.
The 80/20 list nailed it. Bar, plates, rack, bench. Two years in I haven't outgrown a single piece — just kept adding plates.
Followed the Build Guide tier-by-tier. Six months later I'm lifting heavier than I ever did at a commercial gym — and I never queue for the rack.
This is what I use every time I travel. Having the exercises with minimal equipment is super handy.
The plan was to lose a stone, get out the door more, and stop dreading the stairs. Did all three by month four. Strong Home Gym filled in every blank I'd been Googling for two years.
Tested the $1.5k tier exactly as written — adjustable bench, rack, dumbbells, bar. Two years later, the only thing I've replaced is the chalk.
I built my first home gym in 2009 in a freezing student room in Portsmouth — squat stand, second-hand bar, plates from eBay. Looking back, I spent more money replacing cheap kit that didn't last than I would have done buying the right thing once. The whole site exists so you don't repeat that mistake: better gear, lower lifetime cost, and room to keep building around it. Strong Home Gym is for the parent stealing 30 minutes between school runs, the night-shift worker who can't make a class timetable, and the lifter who'd rather invest once than rent a locker forever. We test the kit. We write the guide. You build the gym.
These aren't marketing values pinned up in a meeting room. They're the editorial floor under every recommendation we publish.
Every claim cites a study, a manufacturer spec, or a logged training session — never a vibe.
Affiliate links are flagged on every page. Brand relationships listed in full. No paid ranking, ever.
Top picks get re-tested every quarter. If a better option ships, last quarter's winner gets demoted.
You should leave each guide knowing how to evaluate the next product on your own. Recommendation is a starting point.
A bar, plates, and a rack outperform a wall of accessories. Every tier in the Build Guide is built on the 20% that matters most.
Five tools instead of one PDF — the same training plan, nutrition tracker, and tested equipment lists the contributors above used to build, train, and stop guessing. Drop your email; we'll send the lot.
We're a small team on purpose. Mike writes, tests, and signs off every guide. Steve runs the in-garage stress tests. That's the whole masthead.
Sports & Exercise Science degree · Featured in Straight to the Bar, Dollarsprout, Redfin
"I built my first home gym in 2009 in a cold student room in Portsmouth. I started this site to give people the research I wished I'd had back then."
Founder of My Gym UK · Featured in Men's Health, Kymira Sport
"I've been coaching since 2004. Every piece of kit we recommend has been put through its paces — not just unboxed."
Mike and Steve write and test the bulk of the gear from the UK. The dietitians, doctor, and editorial team below — based across the US, New Zealand, and the Balkans — review the science, the technique, and the copy before anything publishes. Every guide is signed off by at least one credentialed expert in its category.
Certified personal trainer and nutritionist with a business degree from Missouri State. Writes the nutrition and supplement deep-dives, with a focus on the day-to-day habits that actually shift body composition.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a master's in Nutrition and undergraduate degrees in Biology and Nutrition. Plain-English nutrition explainers — no marketing-funded "superfoods." Featured via Cronometer and partner nutrition blogs.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and CPT based in Cleveland. Master's and bachelor's in food and nutrition from Bowling Green State. Macros, meal-prep, and protein-target guides for everyday lifters.
Registered Dietitian and Certified Personal Trainer. Specialises in nutrition plans paired with progressive strength programming. Featured in Fitwirr and Bistro MD.
Specialist sports and nutrition editor with five-plus years in digital content strategy, writing, editing, and SEO. Fact-checks every claim against the published research before it ships.
Former engineer with a Master's in Technical Sciences and 15+ years in industry-leading content. Runs the hands-on equipment tests and the data-bashing behind every comparison table.
Doctor of Medicine with 30+ years of clinical experience helping patients with lifestyle changes. Reviews every injury, recovery, and over-50 guide. Featured in Healthline, Best Life Online, and Up Journey.
Five free tools — the Build Guide, training program, nutrition tracker, exercise alternatives, and 10 cheap equipment picks. The same bundle the team built their own home gyms with. All in your inbox.
Free PDF
Five complete kit-lists, $500 to $8,500. Every rack, bar, bench and plate researched, ranked and budgeted by the people who actually train at home. No filler. No upsell.