Hi, I’m Joe Gray

I go by Gray Matter Lifting, that Garage Gym Competition Guy, r/Homegym Mod, and a bunch of other names in the home gym community. I have been lifting from my garage since 2013, alongside my wife, my daughter, friends and family… as I’ve chased down a 550lb Squat, 370lb Bench, and 630lb Deadlift.

Hopefully I can take some of that experience and help you track down your home gym goals.

Gray Matter Lifting

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Check Out Our Recent Reviews

We’ve been reviewing home gym equipment since 2017. Our camera gear, video editing skills, and overall abilities have changed since then. But the goal of helping you pick the right piece for your home gym hasn’t.

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We’ve partnered with over 30 different home gym companies to save you money on barbells, power racks, benches, programming, supplements, apparel, cable attachments, and more!

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We Review What We Use

(and abuse)

Our reviews take months to put together as we aim to find out every last detail to help you make a better decision.

Making a bad decision on a piece of equipment is frustrating. Let us handle the dirty work.

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Barbells

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Benches

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Racks

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Cable Attachments

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Cardio

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Plates

My Wife

The “Normal One”

My wife has been lifting consistently for close to a decade, but she more enjoys what her workouts do for her, than the workouts themselves. Her feedback adds a females point of view as well as someone who is very “first impressions” prone. If she doesn’t like it right away, its hard to fix that relationship. She is no slouch, with a 210lb deadlift and 300lb+ Hip Thrust.

My Daughter

The Kiddo

Audrey has been in the gym since we brought her home from the hospital. That environment has made her the most knowledgeable 9 year old when it comes to home gym equipment. She’s tested every Nordic Bench, Adjustable Bench, Cable Attachment, and more. Her feedback and ideas sneak into our reviews as well, because many of you are sharing your space with the entire family. She does Ninja Warrior, plays Soccer, Basketball, and Flag Football. And she is a whiz at school. She also Deadlifts 114lbs.

Tatty

The Video Editor

By profession, I’m a motion designer and video editor. By obsession, I’m a home gym enthusiast who loves digging into equipment design and solving training problems with clever DIY mods. I’m also a husband, a dad, a pop-punk connoisseur, and I train with one goal in mind: bringing all the groceries in on a single trip. Tatty has been editing our YouTube Videos since June of 2025.

Mr Adorable

The GGC Admin

Christian has been a participant and coach with the GGC since 2021. With over 20+ years of athletic experience along with being a full time stay at home dad, part time personal and group fitness trainer, and a part time beef cattle farmer, he brings a unique understanding and perspective to the lifelong benefits of strength and endurance training. His passion is to help others find a movement modality that bring them health and joy in movement. Christian has been handling various admin work, social media prep, and content for the GGC since early 2026.

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Want To Put That Home Gym To The Test?

Check Out The GGC

We run a Virtual Powerlifting Meet called the Garage Gym Competition (GGC). We’ve given away over $100k in prizes since 2018. Donated more than $25k to Non-Profits. The entire event is FREE to participate, and you get free coaching feedback, training tips, and a supportive community to help you chase down your goals in the gym.

  • Joe is a straight shooter

    If he doesn’t like something, he says it. If he loves something, he says it. This level of honesty helps hold equipment makers accountable. His best content: the deep-dive comparison videos (best benches on the market, etc). More of those, please.
    Brad

  • He Uses It

    The Gray Matter Lifting newsletter provides reliable product reviews from somebody who actually lifts heavy and takes the time to put the products through their paces before reviewing. It’s also a great way to get updates on the GGC and other garage gym related news.
    Mr Zain

  • Its Personal

    I really appreciate the personal touches at most of the newsletters. While others are strictly business, having you incorporate your family and personal life to an extent makes you more “human?”, “normal”, and relatable. Hearing about your endeavors with your daughter’s sports teams or lifting with your mom, to how you’re excited to go on a kick ass vacation makes the newsletters feel more like hearing from a friend who is super knowledgeable with gym equipment, but also has normal life grinds. As a full time stay at home dad and juggler of 3 part time jobs, I appreciate knowing I’m not alone.
    Christian

  • Not A Sales Pitch

    Joe provides very thoughtful reviews and not just sales pitches. Puts together a lot of helpful guides, like giving direction on which cable attachments make sense first. Has always been very responsive to questions and feedback.
    John

  • Detailed

    The Newsletter has been the most insightful and detailed source for this committed fitness enthusiast.
    Greg

  • Must-Watch

    What I love about these reviews is the total objectivity. The deep dives into gear like the Iron Neck and premium Nordic benches gave me the exact insights I needed to separate what I actually need from what would just be a ‘toy’ in my gym. If you want to understand the real-world utility of high-end fitness gear before spending a dime, these reviews are an absolute must-watch.
    Aldo

  • Gimme More

    This is the kind of quality content we need more of
    SleepEatLift

  • My man!

    Standing O for such comprehensive reviews
    RogueCrusher

  • Helped Me Out

    Man this is just a great review! Think you kinda helped me make the decision to try this Thanks for the review
    Portfoloio Management

  • He’s a really nice man

    This newsletter is written by a regular guy with a home gym and a passion for sharing knowledge with anyone willing to listen. He has a passion for finding good quality equipment that is (mostly affordable) but, more importantly, does what it’s supposed to do and does it well. I believe every home gym owner has at least one or two purchases they wish they hadn’t wasted money on, and Joe tries to help you avoid that. Plus, he’s a really nice man.
    Maureen
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The Gray Matter Lab

Check Out The Evolution Of Our Home Gym

Our space is a little different than others, because we review equipment and I train athletes of all shapes and sizes. But we continue to try and maximize our 2 car garage, even parking the car in it!

See what We Are Reviewing Next

The Review Pipeline gives you an inside look into what we are working on RIGHT NOW in our gym. If you are part of the Newsletter, you even get to vote on what we do next, who we work with, and what equipment, guides, and comprehensive comparisons we tackle.

Check Out The Review Pipeline
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