Five years after I left corporate America and two years after I opened my first personal training studio, my business partner retired. I purchased his share of the business with money from my savings. A month later, COVID hit. Gyms were required to close their doors. Many gyms never reopened. Thirty percent of fitness studios nationwide closed permanently. Gyms in Seattle, like mine, were hit even harder.

I couldn’t train clients in my gym during COVID, but I wouldn’t abandon them. Staying healthy was more important than ever – for my clients and for myself – during quarantine. I loaned out dumbbells and kettlebells to clients who didn’t have their own equipment and couldn’t buy any because of pandemic-driven shortages. I created new, online workouts and trained people from home. I met clients in the park, so we could workout while maintaining social distance.

Pre-pandemic, I hosted a free group-workout class in my studio every Sunday morning. We were a small, vibrant community. In an attempt to replicate that community during COVID, my wife Jen and I turned our garage into a makeshift gym. Then, one Sunday morning, we invited our Facebook friends to join us – virtually — for a group workout.

Mike Harms bulding his gym; photo by Jen Myers

Lesson #1: Starting Small

Our “Garage Workout” was barebones. I backed the car out into the driveway. Jen and I put down a couple of exercise mats on the cement floor. We used an old paint can to prop up the exercise timer.

All the exercises were bodyweight movements that required no equipment. Anyone who wanted extra resistance could fill up a backpack and use it as a weight. Each movement could be modified to make it easier or harder, to accommodate a wide range of ages and abilities.

We laughed a lot. “Dad jokes” flew. Garage Workout was a hit. Over time our audience expanded beyond our friend group and gained a global following. Our workouts brought together a supportive community, at a time when isolation and loneliness were at all-time highs. I’ll always be grateful for that group.

Garage Workouts were a turning point for Jen and me. As the pandemic wound down, I realized that I preferred working from home, instead of driving the hour-long commute to my gym. Jen and I decided to build a new gym — in our backyard. It would serve two purposes: A professional training studio for my business, and a personal gym for working out together.

Lesson #2: The “Dream” Team

Designing and building anything was outside my comfort zone. Fortunately, I had Jen’s support and unwavering enthusiasm. Jen helped me visualize the end result, instead of obsessing over the details. This, in turn, allowed me to envision all the incredible ways that the gym would improve our lives.

We started with a modular design then customized it to fit our goals. A top priority was lots of windows, to allow plenty of light. We also wanted an indoor/outdoor gym, to take advantage of the mild Pacific Northwest climate. The builder we chose has an online tool that allowed me to visualize different design options, without requiring any actual design or drafting skills.

When we purchased our home, the backyard contained a dilapidated greenhouse, and a quaint but rundown tool shed. Both of those structures needed to go, to make room for our dream gym. Jen and I did the demolition ourselves, which saved us a good bit of money. Plus, swinging a sledgehammer and prying away old roof tiles was a great workout.

I knew what equipment I wanted inside the gym. The setup would be a similar, smaller version of my Seattle studio. I sold my Seattle equipment at a discount, to a young entrepreneurial trainer who was getting his business off the ground. My former business partner had done a similar favor for me. I was happy to pay it forward.

I chose a great local company to provide most of my new equipment. In addition to supporting another small business, this decision provided a cost-saving benefit: Free shipping. The weights, bars, and storage for my new gym approached 2,000 pounds, so free shipping was an important money saver. The guys even helped unload the gear from their truck into my gym, which was helpful on my (and Jen’s) back. Two good resources for home gym equipment and inspiration are Garage Gym Reviews and Reddit.

Inside the Harms backyard gym; photo by Mike Harms

Lesson #3: Engaging the Community

Building the gym took about three months. I knew that construction would be noisy so, as a courtesy, I dropped off personal notes to my neighbors. I explained what was happening and included my contact information.

This turned out to be a sound marketing strategy. People were excited to see the finished project. Jen and I hosted an open house when the gym was complete. Word of mouth spread. Today, most of my clients are from the neighborhood.

Four days per week, Jen and I start our day with a morning workout together. After we finish, I swing open the back gate to welcome my personal training clients. Our gym is an investment that’s yielding long-term benefits — to our fitness, our longevity, and our community.

The series “Tales from a second career” will report on people who have taken their career in a new direction later in life. Sometimes for financial reasons and other times to follow a dream, the people highlighted in this series will provide inspiration and a blueprint for changing your life.