Garage gym project

[BoffinMum]

DS (14) has chronic depression, which has been pretty bad over the last two years (and the subject of some epic threads on here!) Anyway one of the things the consultant particularly recommended last time was upping his exercise as much as possible. So we had a family confab and we decided that turning the garage into a home gym would mean we could really do this, train alongside him, and so on. Now our budget for this is tiny so we can't afford for someone professional to swoop in and do all the sensible things, like insulated and board it, plaster it, put down fancy flooring (although I think we can stretch to interlocking foam squares), decent heating, and so on. However as we live in a fairly mild area climate-wise I think this will be OK and we can probably work around it. I am interested in any tips people have about how to do all this, in terms of the decorating, styling and equipping of the space. (I would like it to look like a branch of Soul Cycle but obviously it will probably have more of an Argos chic).

The PAX wardrobes sound good.

A couple of ideas - have you thought about renting the equipment first to see what he actually likes using? For example you can rent bikes and rowing machines from here. He may hate cycling and love rowing.

Have you tried a session with a mobile trainer? Not to use regularly, but just to get ideas of smaller pieces of equipment. The roll out rope ladders are great for jumping in the holes and running along as a way to get cardio, and could eaily be made safe, by just painting the pattern of the floor, rather than having a rope ladder. Also I really liked boxing against someone holding pads, so if you or a sibling would be happy to train with him that could be another less expensive piece of kit to try.

Things like rebok steps must surely be available from car boots and charity shops.

A computer in there to watch training videos may be useful. dh and ds like 'sufferfest' cycling training ones for the exercise bike.

Well, the day got a lot better. DH and I tidied about 1/3 of the garage, installed an extra kitchen cabinet in the row, ditched loads of stuff, cleaned even more up, put up hooks, put things in storage boxes, that kind of thing. Considering it looked like something off The Life of Grime previously this was a major success.

Then late afternoon I got a message off Freecycle offering us an exercise bike. And a really good one as well! A Tunturi F330! And then, just as I was busy being delighted on the phone to the donor, he offered to drive it all the way over in his trailer, an hour's round trip. A lovely man he was.

So it arrived, and we put it in there, and suddenly DS got wind of its arrival and I found him out of bed, dressed, and sitting on the thing having a go. He had not been up all day. There was a lot of 'This man brought the cycle over for me??' and DS was obviously pretty touched. I might have had a very small cry.

Bit emosh, folks, bit mosh.

Anyway, we are going to press on with the project and see how quickly we can get this up and running properly.

Aftershock, I know someone who used to be a trainer but now owns a gym, but I think he might do a one-off for DS once we've got it up and running if I ask really nicely.

Oh, thats lovely to hear Boffin.

PM'd

oh that's lovely! So glad it's already proven to be a great idea

So glad it's coming together. The bike sounds an excellent find. I hope your trainer friend can do a session. I was going to say offer him cake, but maybe fitness trainers aren't motivated by cake, unlike me!

Have won a rowing machine on eBay now that matches the bike (also good make).

Good news! Has ds been back to the Boffin Gym?

great news !!!

Well, a sound system sent my a lovely MNetter arrived today and DS set it up in there straight away and had another go on the exercise bike, listening to his music, until he got sweaty and everything. It was great.

It sounds like you are doing a fantastic job. For a bit of Soul Cycle chic on the Argos budget have you seen these ?

www.redbubble.com/shop/soul+cycle+posters

www.lifestylemirror.com/beauty/wellness/music-to-work-out-to-workout-playlists-soulcycle-nyc

They are fab, Connie.

Everyone is hard at work on the sorting out and storage side of the project today and I have ordered a treadmill etc (I was nervous about buying that second hand because of the obviously moving parts and safety issues and so on).

I am printing out things to stick up there, like exercise diagrams, and I have made a towel storage unit out of two old wooden wine crates, which I will get DH to put up on the wall somewhere.

I am also bidding on a TV/DVD on Ebay so hopefully we'll have a bit of luck there. I have asked DS to do some research on multi gyms but he's a bit quiet today so this might take him a bit of time until he feels up to it.

We are very, very near completion on the gym project now and in the manner of a makeover show, reveal pictures should be posted sometime in the next few days. You will all be amazed. Just for now I am posting some 'before' shots to get you all in the mood.

All family members have been using it most days and at least every other day. DS2 has been in there a fair bit and I am sure it is starting to make a difference.

What a great idea and it sounds !ike such a positive thing for your son! Looking forward to the 'reveal' pictures!

DH is doing a bit more on the flooring later and IKEA are delivering the final storage cupboard/mirror tomorrow.

DS is in there as I type.

Right, we are 95% finished in there so I thought everyone might like a reveal.

Picture 1 shows the way in with a clipboard made from a wine box lid, and towel/water storage shelves made from a couple of small wine crates. DS1 said, "You don't think the fitness problem for you guys might have something to do with wine, mum?"

Picture 2 shows part of the worktop area with magazines and sound system played. I have also downloaded various fitness leaflets from the Internet and laminated them and stuck them up, to give people ideas about what to try.

Picture 3 shows a repurposed clothes rail used as storage for all out mats and skipping ropes, as well as balls. DS3 got an indoor basketball hoop for Christmas and he plays with that while we are training.

You could just slot a normal road/mountain bike into this to make it useable indoors

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004JO48K6/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1451515013&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165&keywords=bike+resistance&dpPl=1&dpID=412oMYDL5zL&ref=plSrch

Also a rebounder instead of other aerobic machines. Might cost £150.

Punch bag? Gloves

Mat for stomach crunches

Music

Can you both do the couch to 10k programme. Running outside. Go somewhere green as it can be uplifting to see parks/trees/nature.

Looks good!

Now two views of the whole thing, as far as it was possible to take them. The TV doesn't have an aerial but does get wireless from the main house so we use it to watch exercise videos on YouTube and so on. This evening we enjoyed Star Wars yoga for children (yes really!) DD made me do body combat as well. I was able to buy the TV from Tesco with Clubcard points while they still had the boost thing going. The kettle bells are concrete in vinyl covers and work really well while being loads cheaper than metal ones. The exercise bike was free, off Freecycle, and we got the rowing machine cheaply off EBay. I bought the treadmill new off Sweatband because I was worried about things with moving parts being safe. It syncs with iPhones and iPads and you can enter routes and see yourself going along Google maps, which is really cool! The exercise balls, mats and so on are all from Sweatband as well. We had the hand weights and skipping ropes and so on already. The cupboards swallowed up most of the stuff that had been lying around but one of the mirrored doors was cracked so we are waiting for a replacement. Flooring was mission creep, and too expensive, but designed so we can still drive a car into it - it's called Mototile and you fit it like a jigsaw. It takes the chill off the garage and keeps the dust down.

All in all it's just great in there. DS2 Is still learning about what to do and how to train, which I think will take him some time, but DD reckons she knows a personal trainer who can come to give him a session, which I think will help.

Massive, massive thanks to everyone that helped us achieve this.

Gordon Bennett, Boffin, that looks brilliant. What a massively good idea well executed. How lovely to show the pictures. All the best to DS - it does look fantastic, and so good to hear he uses it.

Even DH said he gets a design thrill when he goes in there, and that's not like him at all! DS mainly goes on the bike and treadmill like a mad thing but isn't very systematic and gets a bit bored doing the same things all the time, so we will need to work on that. He does seem to have cheered up a bit though, and while this might be the new medication dose kicking in, I am sure the gym stuff will be helping.

It looks like the drawing !!!
Happy to have been able to help !!

ahhh it looks wonderful!

I was hoping to offload a spin bike (had feeling you were nearish to me in East Anglia) but looks like you are all set

very best wishes for your son, have had a seriously unwell teenager who is currently a very fulfilled and cheerful 20something

Thank you again, Houzz. It was your plans that really made this work, I think. We were especially grateful for them. They were inspired!

We are still in the market for a pull up bar and compact multi gym or bench/weights if anyone has anything like that they don't want. Otherwise I think we have got there with the equipment.

Devil, thanks for that spin bike thought, and I hope it finds a good home.