Inside a Champion's Home Gym: Creating the Perfect Training Space
Building a home gym isn't just about convenience—for some athletes, it's the foundation of their competitive career. This in-depth look at a champion powerlifter's basement sanctuary reveals how a dedicated training space can support both family life and world-class strength development.
The Necessity of a Home Training Space
“If I hadn't had this, I couldn't continue my career,” explains the elite lifter who balances parenting responsibilities with training demands. “This is really important for me, but it's still tough. After a hard day, trying to get your kids to sleep when you're feeling sleepy as well, and then coming down here to train—that's kind of hard.”
The convenience of training at home, especially during late hours when family members are sleeping, provides crucial flexibility for serious athletes with busy lives. However, this setup requires considerate training habits, like carefully placing weights down to minimize noise.
Equipment: The Foundation of a Functional Space
At the center of this impressive home gym stands an ELEIKO power rack acquired before the 2022 World Games. “I think the fairytale will always be the ELEIKO,” the lifter shares, highlighting how quality equipment forms the emotional and functional core of a training space.
Other essential equipment includes:
- A competition bar won through a lifting contest
- A bench that “feels like the roll bench”
- A diverse set of dumbbells ranging from 1kg to 47.5kg
- A functional trainer for accessory exercises
- Specialized equipment including knee sleeves, straps, and bench blocks
The lifter emphasizes the value of investing in quality: “It's a cool thing to have and you can have it for life. It will never be broken.”
Making the Space Personal
What transforms a collection of equipment into a motivational sanctuary are the personal touches. This particular gym features:
- Championship medals, including World Games and Junior World medals
- A “King Medal” awarded for beating the champion of champions at Nationals
- Promotional posters from World Championship events
- Powerlifting history books that provide inspiration and perspective
- A newspaper feature framed on the wall
These mementos aren't just decorations—they're reminders of achievements and goals. “I've always been looking back in the past to see all the greats and really respect the things they've done,” the lifter explains. “I really just wanted to be as good as everyone in this book.”
Family Integration
A truly successful home gym accommodates family life. “When I'm training during the day, my wife can come down here and take some liftoffs. Both my kids can be down here and bench together,” the lifter shares. “It's really a cool family thing.”
The space includes features to keep children entertained and safe while parents train. “The main job for kids is to try to kill themselves,” jokes the lifter, explaining why supervision and child-friendly equipment are essential in a family home gym.
Training Approach
Having a home gym allows for consistent training that mirrors competition conditions. “I try to make things as close to competition as possible. I probably have 85% of my sessions down here,” the lifter explains.
This consistency is crucial for high-level performance, allowing for both intense training and recovery without travel time or gym limitations. The lifter notes that while community training has its benefits, the home gym provides the perfect environment for balancing family responsibilities with athletic goals.
Occasional Mishaps
Even the most carefully maintained home gyms experience wear and tear. After one particularly satisfying heavy deadlift session, the lifter recalls, “I was just so happy and so hyped that I just threw the bar down to the ground and made that big hole under here. My wife wasn't that happy, but I just used the checkbook in the morning to pay for it.”
Creating Your Own Strength Sanctuary
What makes this home gym truly special isn't just the premium equipment or impressive collection of medals—it's how the space serves both athletic performance and personal needs. As the lifter puts it, “The best thing about this whole dream is just to get away from everything else. When I get down here, I can just be in my own zone.”
Whether you're a competitive athlete or simply committed to your fitness journey, a thoughtfully designed home gym can become more than a training space—it can be a sanctuary for physical and mental development that enhances both your strength goals and family life.
