introduce
Here are some noteworthy findings for 2024.
Many of the links below will take you to more detailed raw results.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss the results please send me a message – jake@garagegymexperiment.com.
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Who answers these questions?
- Sample size is usually around 1,000.
- 64% are parents
- Probably at least 80% male
- Nearly 75% are between the ages of 25 and 44, and 15% are between the ages of 45 and 54.
- A home gym is the only choice for 44%, the primary choice for 44%, and the secondary choice for 12%.
- 72% followed an exercise program.
- 38% pays program fees.
- 12% have one-on-one coaching.
- 9% run a business out of a home gym.
- “Mixed” is the most attractive form of exercise.
time is money
- 93% of people save time by having a home gym, but only 41% save money.
- The number of people saving money through home gyms is declining.
Home fitness space
- Spaces vary greatly, but most don’t have access to unlimited space.
- 62% said a gym is located in their garage. The basement is the second most popular area.
- Around 8 feet is the most popular ceiling height.
- 62% said that in an ideal world, they would add at least 2 pieces of professional equipment to their home gym.
- See other survey results and analysis
What products do people use the most?
- Barbells and dumbbells are the easiest to use
- The pulley system is the easy “third” to beating the kettlebell.
- See more analysis
Important data of “Made in the Country”
- 38% of respondents typically check the country of origin of a device before purchasing.
- About 30% said it was at least “very important” to buy fitness equipment made in the country.
- Only 4.3% considered it “essential.”
- Not much has changed since April 2021.
- See other ideas
“Creator/Inventor Support” Important Data
- The creator/inventor is more important than focusing on where the product is made.
- About 40% voted it was at least important.
- Fewer people are neutral on this topic than where the product is made.
- See other ideas
What do you value most about a company when purchasing fitness equipment?
- While I think we can all agree that all of these are important values, customer service reputation is the easy winner.
Additional purchasing decision information
- 60% believe community involvement is more important than where equipment is manufactured (up from last year).
- 4x like to see the CEO/Founder’s performance in marketing and non-marketing aspects of the company
- Only 31% said they were less likely to buy from someone they had met in person.
- 55% Are you less likely to buy from companies whose products beat others (see how that changes).
- 80% said physical movement is important to those involved in making equipment.
Instagram has the biggest influence on home gym purchases.
***This question was asked on Instagram, so that needs to be taken into account.
Lack of space and the price of purchasing more equipment are undoubtedly the two biggest issues
| question | Not a problem | Small problem | medium term | big issue |
| Not enough space in your home gym | 10.22% | 24.45% | 33.03% | 32.30% |
| The price to get more equipment is | 9.19% | 26.65% | 34.19% | 29.96% |
| Temperature control is | 34.39% | 29.00% | 22.12% | 14.50% |
| The number of devices is | 26.22% | 42.13% | 25.47% | 6.18% |
| Keeping your home gym clean is | 30.22% | 46.22% | 19.60% | 3.96% |
| Interference during home exercise is | 34.52% | 43.59% | 17.44% | 4.45% |
| The ceiling height is | 45.49% | 28.79% | 14.78% | 10.94% |
| Insufficient lighting is | 43.43% | 34.67% | 16.79% | 5.11% |
| The quality of equipment in a home gym is | 51.57% | 29.65% | 14.55% | 4.24% |
| Worry about making too much noise | 55.84% | 28.83% | 10.40% | 4.93% |
| Warm-up for home exercise is | 63.12% | 27.19% | 7.79% | 1.90% |
| Getting exercise done in your home gym is | 69.40% | 23.86% | 5.65% | 1.09% |
| Equipment ages quickly | 74.77% | 18.51% | 5.26% | 1.45% |
| Exercise safely is | 79.96% | 15.08% | 3.24% | 1.72% |
When placed side by side, 73% said space was more important to them than the cost of the equipment.
“Traditional dumbbells” barely beat adjustable dumbbells and became the choice of most people
also:
- Dumbbells are more popular than kettlebells.
- Later this year, more people will choose 5-100 sets of adjustable dumbbells instead of 5-100 sets of traditional dumbbells due to cost and space considerations.
- More dumbbell data
Only 19% did not have multiple barbells.
- 71% cited grocery/specialty bars as the main reason they own multiple bars.
Safety squat bars, open trap bars, and utility bars are three of the most popular specialty barbells
Power rack data
- When asked where most people are likely to get their power racks, REP (46%) beat out Rogue (36%) – a big change since 2021 (right).
- The Rogue is the best choice for a folding rack.
- 84% said that in a perfect world, they would have a 3×3 rack with 1-inch holes.
- Posts 4 and 6 have the same level of interest – much more than the post 2 rack.
- 30 inches depth is preferred.
- 72% of people are willing to pay more for the right color.
- 23% showed strong interest in all-in-one racks
- See more analysis
Rack-connected vs. standalone?
- This survey examines some of the options available to home gym owners, either as rack attachments or as stand-alone machines.
- Take a closer look at #
smith machine data
- 60% believe the Smith machine will grow in popularity in home gyms.
- For most home gym owners, a fully rack-mounted option sounds best.
- (see more analysis)
In 5 years, who will be the most popular supplier of home gym strength equipment?
- Since 2021, REP votes on this issue have increased fourfold, while Rogue votes have dropped by half.
Biggest challenger to REP/Rogue in 5 years?
- This poll was conducted twice, and the Titans were easily at the top both times.
Considering the cost, where are you most likely to purchase your entire home gym?
Special machines and rack accessories are currently more popular than cardio equipment and special bars.
Interest in technology entering the home gym space is rising.
| What are your thoughts on technology entering the home gym space? | 2023 | 2024 | % Change |
| big fan | 10.58% | 16.73% | 58% |
| fan | 15.77% | 17.12% | 9% |
| neutral | 55.96% | 47.57% | -15% |
| keep me away | 17.69% | 18.58% | 5% |
in addition:
- 47% use technology to improve their health.
- 22% said a fitness technology caught their attention in 2025.
- 40% believe that companies like REP or Rogue will need to incorporate advanced technology into certain products to stay ahead in 10 years.
- View more technical analysis
Trust rating of 9 companies
- Rogue easily earned the highest trust level, but no one scored more than the 7% “high trust level.”
- Overall trust levels do not appear to be high.
| company | high | medium | low |
| rogue | 68.54% | 27.63% | 3.83% |
| represent | 57.88% | 36.76% | 5.36% |
| black widow training | 44.64% | 31.73% | 23.63% |
| fringe movement | 23.68% | 49.12% | 27.19% |
| steel bell | 14.86% | 51.06% | 34.08% |
| titan | 10.06% | 54.81% | 35.14% |
| GetRXd | 9.43% | 47.87% | 42.70% |
| Wear fitness | 5.20% | 46.10% | 48.70% |
| Professional fitness | 2.63% | 19.04% | 78.34% |
Strength Sports – Interest Level
Who dropped the best product in 2024?
- REP and Rogue dominate the 2024 product launch category.
Some special machine#s
- 70% of people place a dedicated machine in their home gym.
- 70% of people place commercial fitness equipment in their home gym.
- In an ideal world, 62% would have at least two.
- View other dedicated machine data
More specific device preferences
- 64% think REP is the best bench for home gym (view survey)
- 68% of people think the Rogue is the best barbell for a home gym (see analysis).
- The Rogue Echo Bike is the simple air bike option for most people (see image).
- The Concept2 rower remains the top choice for most rowers.
- REP Open Trap Bar is the top trap bar that most people would choose (see results).
- As mentioned before, REP is the top “power rack choice.”
- The leg curl/extension machine is the go-to lower body specialty machine.
- “Functional training machine” is the top choice for “Preferred Professional Machine Selection”, but it’s close.
6 Trends in the Home Gym Community
- The Changing Impact of the Home Gym Community: The home gym community is now driven by everyday gym owners sharing insights online, creating a grassroots approach to fitness trends and equipment recommendations.
- “Mini commercial gym” in home space: Home gyms are evolving into small commercial gyms with state-of-the-art equipment such as Smith machines, pulleys and specialized strength equipment to provide a complete workout experience.
- “Buy once, cry once”, but you can still save money: Home fitness enthusiasts focus on durable, high-quality equipment while looking for smart ways to save money and build their dream facility.
- The real motivation: Convenience over cost: Convenience has surpassed cost savings as the primary reason for building a home gym, providing seamless exercise that fits your busy life.
- Home gym as a lifestyle and hobby: Home gyms have become a personal hobby, with owners investing in aesthetics, upgrades and optimization to create a space they are proud of.
- Diverse home training methods: Home gym training methods are becoming hybrid, combining strength, cardio and functional fitness to prioritize health, longevity and diverse fitness goals.
Relevant
