The $10,000 Home Gym (And A Special Giveaway)

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Today’s Health Upgrade

• The $10,000 home gym

• The Pump Club home gym giveaway

• A protein bar worth eating

• How long does it really take to build a habit?

Fitness 
The $10,000 Home Gym

Last year, we started the “build your home gym series.” It started with a home gym that you could make for less than $100. Then, we shared the $1,000 home gym and a $5,000 option. 

Today, we’re putting together the high-end home gym option: The $10,000 home gym. 

To create all of these home gym options, we consulted with Cooper Mitchell (Coop) — the creator of Garage Gym Reviews — because he has helped millions build home gyms. His reviews are fantastic, and his passion for assisting people to find good options for their homes and budgets is something we respect.

If you’re saving up to build the ultimate home setup — while still being somewhat mindful of space — here is everything you need. 

Rogue FM-HR Functional Trainer: This eats up half the budget but also allows the owner to have a full squat rack setup, lat pulldown, low row, and functional trainer all in one compact unit. It's also as good or better than any stand-alone as well. Rogue Fitness makes a lot of equipment, but this is their magnum opus. 

Strength Co Plates: Strength Co makes incredible plates with an incredible story of a US Military Vet turned commercial gym owner doing whatever it takes to get weight plates to his members during the pandemic when gym equipment was sold out. They make every size imaginable. They're made in the USA with tight tolerances, good pricing, low shipping cost, and thin enough that you could load up 1,000+ lbs on a single bar.

Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2: Despite testing and reviewing every bench on the market, I have two of these benches in my garage gym. Fully modular design, lots of attachments, nothing compares...and they're half the cost of most other high-end benches. These sell out fast and are frequently on back-order.

REP® x PÉPIN™ FAST Series™ Adjustable Dumbbell: The best adjustable dumbbells on the market, without question. It provides 120 pounds per dumbbell, expandable from 85 pounds, amazing knurling, nearly indestructible design with the ability to quickly change. You won't miss commercial gym dumbbells.

Freak Athlete Hyper Pro: This muscle producing machine features nine different stand-alone machines in one: GHD, Nordic Hyper, Leg Extension, Leg Curl, Back Extension, and more, all in one device. This is the current lower body king for home gym owners.

Rogue Ohio Power Bar - Stainless Steel: The best value power bar in the world, but in beautiful, corrosion-resistant stainless steel. The knurling on this guy will make you sad every time you touch a barbell at a commercial gym. It's that good.

GoRuck GR1: You might not expect this in a home gym, but we can’t imagine any workout routine that doesn’t include the GoRuck GR1. Better than a weighted vest, this ruck is perfect for weighted bodyweight exercises, loaded carries, walking and hiking, and making you stronger and anti-fragile. It’s a staple of the Pump Club workout routines.

Free Giveaway
The Pump Club Home Gym Giveaway

But wait, there’s more!

In the spirit of the new year, we will buy three members of Arnold’s Pump Club a new home gym. 

One winner will be sent the $1,000 home gym.

Another winner will get the $5,000 home gym. 

And one more will win the $10,000 home gym. 

To be clear, this is not a sponsored giveaway. We are buying these items and shipping them to the winners. 

How To Win

This is simple, and you don’t have to buy anything. 

Step 1: Subscribe to Arnold’s Pump Club. If you’re getting this email, you should be covered. But if you unsubscribe, you’re no longer eligible. 

Step 2: Spread the word on social media by tagging two friends on Arnold’s post about the giveaway. 

We want to spread the gift of fitness, and what better way than to make it easier than ever to train at home?

Good luck, and thank you all for being a part of the positive corner of the internet! We’ll announce the winners in February. 

Together With David 
Finally, a Protein Bar Worth Eating

For two years, The Pump Club has avoided recommending most protein bars. Why? Because the majority are glorified candy bars with subpar nutrition packed with sugar and empty calories, or they taste so bad that choking one down feels like punishment.

But we know the truth: life is busy, and protein bars are convenient. If there were one that met our standards—superior nutrition, enjoyable flavors, and ideal macros—we’d share it with you.

Well, that bar is here. Meet David. They call it “the final protein bar.” We just call it a protein bar that we actually enjoy and delivers quality nutrition that can support any health goal. 

David is unlike anything we’ve seen before in the protein category.

• 28g of protein, 150 calories, 0g sugar. With 75% of its calories from protein, it’s 50% higher than the next closest protein bar.

• Complete Amino Acid Profile: A blend of diverse protein sources creates a perfect 1.0 Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS), making it ideal for muscle building and overall health.

• No wasted calories: Hit your protein goals without loading up on unnecessary calories, sugar, or fillers.

David has our approval if you struggle to eat enough protein and need a convenient option. Whether in a pinch, traveling, or needing an on-the-go protein boost, David delivers everything you need without compromise. You can check out all their bars here.

Mindset
How Long Does It Really Take to Build a Habit?

Building better habits isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency. But how long does it take before a behavior becomes automatic? New research analyzed 20 studies to uncover the truth about habit formation, and the answer isn’t what most people believe.

Spoiler alert: the “21-day rule” is a myth. According to the research, the average time it takes to build a habit is anywhere from 60 to 150 days — but you can create a habit even quicker with the right approach.

This is the most updated timeline for habit formation. Previously, a study of 84 students found that it took an average of 66 days for people to develop healthy habits. It’s the same study where the popular range of 18 to 254 days came from. However, this new study offers more data to provide a more accurate timeline. 

The newest study analyzed healthy behaviors such as eating more nutritious foods, exercising, taking supplements, and drinking water. The scientists found that the time it takes to build a habit depends on the behavior, your environment, and how consistently you practice it.

If you play your cards right, you can build a habit in as little as four days—or it could take up to 335 days. 

If you want to move quicker, a few variables can help speed up the process. 

1. Consistency is Key: People who performed the behavior daily formed habits faster than those who practiced less frequently.

2. Environment Matters: Supportive environments—like setting reminders or making healthy choices visible—accelerated habit formation.

3. Don’t Let Slip-Ups Sidetrack Progress: Missing a day or two has little impact on long-term success as long as you resume the habit and are not too critical of your mistakes. 

The biggest takeaway is that habit formation is highly personal. So, if you’re not building a habit as quickly as a friend, don’t quit. Your timeline might be different, and you could be doing everything right — but it might take a little longer before it becomes automatic.

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell