In Affiliation, Videos
April 21, 2010
A giant box packed with high-end gear is a beautiful thing, but a fully equipped CrossFit garage gym is just as beautiful in a different way. Joe Venuti runs CrossFit Mass out of his 240-square-foot garage in North Andover, Mass., and like so many other affiliate owners, he started collecting gear after being unable to do Linda at the local weight room.
CrossFit Mass is now bursting at the seams after about 18 months of training, and Venuti is at the point where he’s carefully looking at expansion. He isn’t ready to quit his day job, but he is looking at getting a few new trainers to take some of the pressure off him. Either way, several impressive success stories are ensuring that Venuti will need more space in the near future.
Video by Again Faster.
9min 10sec
Additional reading: The Garage Gym by Greg Glassman, published Sept. 1, 2002.
Free Download
Comment
Related Articles
Bend 20 nails for time?
Matt Hathcock’s CrossFit Unbroken is one of a number of affiliates that embraces strongman movements and a few other things you might not see on CrossFit.com. Given… Continue Reading
Joe DeGain is the owner of 810 CrossFit in Grand Blanc, Mich., and part of the HQ Seminar Staff. In this video, he describes how he found CrossFit, brought it into his… Continue Reading
Missed the 2011 Affiliate Gathering in Big Sky, Mont.? Here are the stories affiliate owners and leaders in the CrossFit community shared with HQ media at the event.
CrossFit founder… Continue Reading
CrossFit field reporter Ben Hollingshaus recently traveled to the “City of Broad Shoulders” to find CrossFit Chicago. He interviews the members and takes a tour with Rudy Tapalla, owner of … Continue Reading
17 Comments on “Running a (One-Car) Garage Gym”
1
wrote …
Maryland or Massachusetts? I'm sure it was a typo but we are definitely in Massachusetts :)
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
2
wrote …
That's North Andover, MA
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
3
wrote …
Joe! My man! nice interview!!! Glad to see things going so well over there for ya...I have GOT to stop by and say hello soon!
Daigle
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
4
wrote …
Inspirational man, thanks for sharing. My goals are very similar although a long way away it is nice to see someone make a go of it with such a little space and see such awesome returns.
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
5
wrote …
Your doing everything I want to do!!
Such an inspiration, I love the garage. I think that my garage is smaller........but hay, I will get it working for me asap. I cant wait!!!
Thanks for your info it has really helped me know what I want to do.
Crossfit here I come!!!!! :-)
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
6
wrote …
Thank you.
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
7
wrote …
Great video/interview! Nice Garage Gym.
Too bad this is only available to paid subscribers. There are a number of people (many of which are going through the Fire Academy with me) I would love to be able to share this with.
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
8
EC S wrote …
Venuti rocks!!
Congrats, Joe! Space looks awesome.
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
9
Steven Platek Platek wrote …
Super cool! As a new affiliate running a Garage/Car gym this is truly inspirational. Thanks!
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
10
Keith Wittenstein wrote …
JOE! Great video man! Good to see you're kicking ass in Mass. Stay strong brother! Keep up the good work.
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
11
wrote …
Great video, there is always something amazing about watching what passion and action can create :-)
I would be super proud of such an awesome set-up. Top job Joe!
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
12
Joe Venuti wrote …
Thank you all for the kind words!
Daigle - you still know the secret knock, don't be shy!
Keith - always buddy, always.
EC - large weights, overhead, soon.
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
13
wrote …
Joe:
I was laughing when you talked about trying to do Linda at the local YMCA at 5:00 AM on a Saturday and other guys were still trying to use the equipment you were using. I don't know how many times I went into my gym at 4 to 5 AM when a WOD required a lot of equipment (I know I did this at least 3 times for Linda) to avoid getting in other people's way/and getting the WOD down without waiting on equipment. And then I would still have to tell at least one of the 5 other people in the 20,000 SF gym at that hour that yes I was using 3 bars and 1 squat rack, leaving 8 other bars and 2 other squat racks for them to do their bicep curls. That was what got me to load up my garage too!
Your gym looks awesome and your story is a great inspiration to someone like me that thinks that I don't have the space or time to open my own box. Thanks!
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
14
wrote …
Joe Awesome interview. I'm a good friend of Kevin Daigle. I'd love to stop by some time and check the place out.
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
15
Frank DiMeo wrote …
Nice work, Joe!
We've worked out of a small box for several years, and the people really enjoy it.
Though we have a lot of outdoor space, our small amount of square footage (about 500) works well.
We use an "Open Gym" model which is great.
Best of continued success to you!
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
16
wrote …
great video! hope things work out for you with finding a bigger place. it really looks like you could get more people going that way
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
17
wrote …
great video! hope things work out for you with finding a bigger place. it really looks like you could get more people going that way
Login to reply to this comment
Permalink
Leave a comment