The average garden gym is designed for someone who wants to press a bit of weight, do some cardio and maybe a few squats. When the client is a serious athlete who also trains combat sports, the brief is completely different.
This is a real project. The names are anonymised, the spec isn’t.
What the client came to us with
He trained seriously — both strength work and a combat discipline (jiu-jitsu). He had a plot with usable space between two outbuildings and wanted a module that could hold two genuinely independent training zones — with neither of them being token or symbolic.
The key requirements:
➜ A strength zone built for serious training — not a hotel-style fitness corner ➜ A separate combat sports area with a proper jiu-jitsu mat ➜ Dumbbells up to 60 kg (rather than the usual 25 kg you find in most home gyms) ➜ A cable machine with two independent 100 kg stacks (the typical home unit is a single 70 kg stack) ➜ Cardio kit sourced by the client — kept out of scope to bring the budget threshold down
The solution: a 10×4 m Gym Box
A brief like this needs floor space. We proposed a custom 10 m × 4 m module — 40 m² in total, split functionally into two zones. This sits in our custom-build range (we build up to 96 m² to spec), rather than one of the standard catalogue sizes.
Functional layout
[ STRENGTH ZONE ~30 m² ] | [ COMBAT ZONE ~9 m² ]
by the entrance | rear of the unitThe 30/9 split is deliberate: the strength zone has enough room for a full kit without feeling cramped, and the combat area is set apart so it doesn’t interfere with the machines.
Equipment — above the usual spec
| Item | Typical home gym | This project |
|---|---|---|
| Cable/multi-gym machine | 1 × 70 kg stack | 2 independent 100 kg stacks |
| Dumbbells | up to 25–30 kg | up to 60 kg in 5 kg steps (2.5–60 kg range) |
| Olympic plate loading | ~157.5 kg | 157.5 kg + extra plates up to 200 kg |
| Barbells | 1 | 2 Olympic bars + collars |
| Bench | adjustable | Thorn Fit adjustable |
| Accessories | — | Lifting platform, plate trolley, full cable-handle set |
| Cardio | included | supplied by the client (treadmill, bike) |
The combat sports zone
A dedicated 9 m² space at the rear end of the module:
- A proper jiu-jitsu mat
- A free-standing heavy bag and wall pads (no ring — a garden module isn’t the place for one, and you don’t need it for bag work and ground training)
- Spatially separated from the strength zone, so both areas can be used at the same time without clashing
Finishing
- Training mirrors running 5–6 m
- Wall graphics
- HEX LED lighting — 2 sets
- Air conditioning (cooling and heating, so it works year-round)
- Decorative timber-effect slatted cladding on the front (a clean aesthetic touch)
- Glazed patio doors at the rear — a direct exit straight from the combat zone
Technical specification
| Item | Spec |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 10.0 m × 4.0 m |
| Internal height | 2.80 m (sloping to 2.60 m) |
| Walls | 100 mm EPS sandwich panel, RAL 7016 |
| Floor | Sandwich panel + OSB + PVC flooring |
| Front cladding | Timber-effect slats |
| Door | Glazed aluminium 110×210 cm |
| Windows | 4 × uPVC (3 tilt-and-turn + 1 fixed) |
| Rear doors | Glazed patio doors |
These structural figures are product facts — they’re the same whether the module ships to a plot in Surrey, Greater Manchester or the Scottish Borders. The wall and roof build-up handles the UK climate comfortably; with the AC running in heating mode, the milder British winter is a non-issue.
What does a Gym Box for a serious athlete cost?
A 10×4 m module with this full equipment package (cardio kit excluded, as the client supplied his own): from £27,000 ex VAT, and up to around £30,000 depending on the final equipment list.
That figure covers design, manufacture, the equipment package, fit-out, transport and installation. UK VAT (20%) applies on top; if you’re buying through a limited company, the kit may qualify for capital allowances — worth a quick word with your accountant before you order.
For context, a comparable standard catalogue model — say the 8×3 m strength-focused layout — starts lower, because you’re not paying for the extra 13 m² of floor area, the heavier machine stacks or the dedicated combat zone.
Is a build like this right for you?
If you train seriously, a garden gym fitted out on a budget will stop being enough fairly quickly. It pays to plan the project properly from the start so you’re not back doing alterations a year later.
The key questions when designing a gym for a committed athlete:
- Which exercises make up 80% of your training? → that’s what we spec the kit around
- Do you train alone or with a partner? → it affects the layout and the width of the module
- Are you planning cardio equipment? → it can be split into phase 1 and phase 2
- Do you need a dedicated area for a specific discipline? → like the boxing and combat sports zone in this build
If your needs don’t fit a standard size, a fully custom Gym Box is exactly what this article is about — we design the layout and equipment around how you actually train, not the other way round.
Thinking about a two-zone or custom-spec Gym Box? Tell us how you train and we’ll put together a layout and a quote.
➜ Free, no-obligation consultation — we reply within 24 hours ➜ Get an instant estimate with the configurator