Stuck at Home?  Advantages and Disadvantages of Gym Memberships vs. Home Workouts.

With the current state of affairs in the world, no one is able to visit their local gym.  We are all hoping to get back to “normal” as soon as we can.  But while we are “stuck” at home, this is a great time to consider the amount of money you pay each month for your gym membership and weigh it against purchasing your own equipment to workout at home.  Here is my breakdown of the Pro’s and Con’s of gym memberships versus owning your own workout equipment.

GYM MEMBERSHIPS – THE COST OF WORKING OUT.

There are many advantages to belonging to a gym.  We feel we are part of the community, we see some of the same people at each workout, the wide variety of exercise equipment makes it easy to get a full body workout.  The mix of workout machines and free weights, spin class, yoga, personal trainers to help if you are a beginner, the lap pool and sauna are all very appealing.

However, the cost of gym memberships continue to rise and ultimately you are leasing the gym and will never own any of the equipment.  Gym’s have one business model – Sign up as many clients as possible, lock them into long term contracts.  They know that there is a certain percentage of clients who will stop coming to the gym after a few weeks or months and they are locked into paying the term of the contract.  The gym is only profitable based on the number of memberships it sells.  Take a look at how much you have paid for your gym membership in the last year, two years, five years.  Add it up, pretty scary, Huh?

Some people avoid gyms for self-conscious reasons.  They may be beginners at working out and feel intimidated by the people, the multitude of machines and the free weight area.  Not understanding how to use certain machines or equipment can be very defeating to someone new to working out.

Personally, I found myself very motivated to go to the gym when I first signed up.  After some time I stopped going as often as I had planned.  Most people make excuses about the time it takes to drive to the gym or when I go after work it’s too crowded and I can’t get on any machines, etc.  Let’s face it, once we are off the stay at home rule, it is not a good time to be going to the gym.  Just my opinion.

Home GYM’s – Is the Investment Worth It?

I love my home gym for many reasons.  One of the biggest advantages is I can workout whenever I want.  I invested in my home gym two years ago and I LOVE it!  I open the garage door on warm days and blast my favorite music and there’s no waiting for the weights or the equipment.  I can dress any way that I like and not feel like everyone is staring.  It really is very stress free and I am motivated to workout all the time.

The amount of equipment you need will depend on where you are in your fitness journey and goals.  You can start with very minimal equipment and a small amount of money.  Basic equipment would include a few low weight dumbbells, a yoga mat, sit-up pad and a jump rope.  You can tailor many home gym workouts with just your own body weight.

If you are serious about your fitness goals and plan to make it a life style, then you may look to spend a little more money and purchase weights, barbells, kettle bells, weight bench and rack system, etc.  I would recommend starting small and as your fitness develops adding the specific equipment you need to continue to meet your fitness goals.

Wherever you start with your fitness budget, it will end up costing you less than your gym membership.  If you purchase quality equipment it will last for years.

The best advantage of owning your home gym is, its in your home.  This makes it very easy for me to workout during the day or evening, also you don’t have to get dressed up to go to the gym and I can workout whenever it fits my schedule best.  Research has shown that you are more likely to stick to your fitness goals if you have a home gym because its harder to make excuses.

I’m not a germ-a-phoebe, but one thing I don’t miss about working out at the local gym is having to share equipment with other people.  We have all seen that guy or girl workout and then leave their cooties on the bench or the bar handles.  GRODY!

A few disadvantages of the home gym is that it is in your home.  Life can hectic with kids, work schedule, household chores, and sometimes you don’t feel like working out.  Just like going to the gym, you have to have the discipline to motivate yourself to workout.  I know for me, I feel guilty if I see my gym equipment and I haven’t worked out in a day or two.  I always feel way better after working out.

Depending on how much equipment you want, it can take up a lot of space.  I have dedicated most of my garage for my personal gym and I love it.

If you don’t have a lot of room, remember you can always workout in your driveway or yard.

CONCLUSION – Only You Know Whats Best For You.

Most people who purchase home gyms are serious about their fitness goals and tend to stick with it over the long term.  Start with some basic equipment and set your fitness goals and budget the money that you would pay to the gym membership to upgrade and build your dream gym.

If you are on the fence about building your own gym, stick with your gym membership and slowly over the next year buy some equipment to supplement your gym workouts and see if you prefer working out at home.  It takes time to build up your home gym.  Its fun looking for new equipment and watching your dream gym materialize.

Write down the cost of paying for a membership and add up what you will pay over the next three years.  Don’t forget to add in the gasoline and the time you spend in the car.  Your time is also money.  You can take this amount and purchase your own equipment.  Another tip is to look for deals on preowned equipment.

Whatever you decide, I hope this article was helpful in your decision.  Good luck with your fitness goals.