If you’ve ever tried to build a home gym, chances are Cooper Mitchell helped you do it, whether you realized it or not.
Coop is the founder of Garage Gym Reviews, one of the most trusted platforms in the fitness world for reviews, guides, and education around home gym equipment. What started as a niche interest grew into a massive resource for everyday lifters who want to train seriously without stepping foot in a commercial gym.
But behind the racks, barbells, and YouTube videos, Coop is also a dad of six.
Yes, six.
His kids range from eight years old to one-year-old twins, and life in the Mitchell household moves fast. When asked about the hardest part of parenting, Coop doesn’t sugarcoat it.
It’s navigating fatherhood alongside all the other responsibilities he has and still wants to keep having. Work matters. Health matters. Faith matters. But so does knowing when to put each in its proper place.
Building a Life Around Priorities
Coop’s days start early. Around 5 a.m., he’s up reading the Bible and praying before heading into his garage gym for a solid training session. From there, it’s coffee with the kids, work, homeschooling breaks, and afternoons filled with play, Legos, throwing balls, and being outside.
Evenings slow down intentionally. Dinner together. Sharing stories from the day. Family worship that includes reading scripture, catechism, singing hymns, and prayer. Then books, board games, and bedtime.
It’s structured, but not rigid. Purposeful, but lived-in.
When everything hits at once, Coop leans on a principle that guides his decisions. Knowing the difference between urgency and importance. Everything feels urgent, but only some things truly matter. His goal is to give his best energy to what’s important, even when the urgent is loud.
The Weight of Time
Before becoming a dad, Coop suspected time moved quickly. Fatherhood confirmed it. The days are long, but the years are short. That awareness shapes how he and his wife process life together. At the end of long days, they sit in bed and trade stories about the kids. Moments they don’t want to forget. A way of slowing time down by remembering it.
The advice that stuck with him most is one he thinks about often. Be the person you want your children to grow into. Not just someone who teaches values, but someone who lives them.
Staying Grounded
When life gets heavy, Coop resets through prayer, time in God’s Word, and lifting heavy. His non-negotiable for dad life is surprisingly simple. Smile. Exude joy. Be the blessing man.
And when he gets time alone, he keeps it classic. Fine cigars and good books.
Coop’s story is a reminder that strength isn’t just built under a barbell. It’s built in routines, priorities, and showing up consistently for the people who matter most.
You can follow Cooper at @homegymcoop, and find Garage Gym Reviews on YouTube.
