I created a bodybuilder’s gym in my garage By Stephanie McNeal
The gym was my second home. I had my basic garage gym set up and a bike for cardio, but I do bodybuilding-style workouts. Machines are important for isolation, and I was leaving my home every day to drive to a gym. When the Air Force dictated that it was our time to move (again), I decided to look for a home based mostly on my ability to build my dream gym. And I did just that. We were lucky to end up back in our home state of Georgia, and I found a home with the perfect detached garage. My She-Shed, as my husband jokingly refers to it. This garage was screaming my name! It was unfinished upstairs and downstairs, with a fully finished bathroom right inside of the garage so it was perfect for potential clients! Once we put in an offer on that house, I started slowly accumulating my equipment. Remember that bodybuilders are NOT powerlifters! Mind to muscle is everything. As an example, I only have a leg extension/leg curl combo machine for hamstrings, but as a bikini competitor,
my glute-ham tie in is important to dial in. I use the seated leg extension to stand at and do standing leg curls. I use the plate loaded cable machine with ankle straps for lying leg curls. I saw great growth in my glutes with a donkey kick machine at the gym, but I can do a single leg press lying slightly on my side in order to get that same movement and perfect isolation. Smith Machine Linda Squats are some of my favorite, but without a Smith Machine, I can use my Landmine and lean backwards against the plates that I load onto the barbell, allowing for the same movement and glute activation. I went with plate-loaded everything because it saved space and money. For example, I got my leg extension/curl machine and my lat pulldown from Amazon for less than $200 each. Bumps in The Road When I was in the beginning phases of building my gym, I saw a Stairmaster for sale for $800 just down 29
