There are several reasons people choose to workout at home, and several reasons other people choose to workout at a commercial gym. If you are just embarking on a new fitness routine, you might not be sure what is the best bet for you. Here’s a few things to consider, contrast and compare before you decide whether you’re going to invest in a gym membership or in equipment for your home:
Cost:
Gym memberships can be costly, and this would be an ongoing expense as all gyms have monthly membership fees. Decide if you can afford the joining fee as well as the monthly fee. Find out if that monthly fee is locked in for the life of your membership or if it is subject to increase in the future. Take this into consideration when determining your budgetary constraints. If you decide to go for the gym membership do some price comparisons before you commit to a membership. If you like the gym and want to join but the price is out of reach, its OK to ask for a discount, and if the answer is no, ask when their next big promotion will be and buy then. If its still out of reach financially, don’t hesitate to walk away. There are other gyms out there, and likely they’ll offer some sort of incentive to get you to buy their membership.
Home equipment is a bigger upfront investment. However, once you’re fully equipped with the items you need to work out, this cost is being offset by the monthly gym fees you are NOT paying. Plus, you save time and treasure by not making that round trip to the gym each day. Even better, you home equipment is always open and waiting for you; no waiting for your favorite machine at the local gym.
Privacy v. Camaraderie:
Here’s a big one. Some people prefer to work out amongst many other people. They find they can feed off the energy of the other people and be inspired or motivated by those around them merely by being in the same space.
However, some people really prefer to work out in privacy. They may feel they’re not in good enough shape to be seen in fitness clothing and would rather get on with it without anyone else’s eyes on them. For these people, the home gym scenario works much better.
Assistance:
Many people choose the commercial gym for their workouts strictly for the assistance they can get by working out amongst others. Spotters, trainers, or just watching others’ techniques are all ways to get assistance at a commercial gym. For those lifting very heavy weights, a spotter is a must. Doing a bench press under a barbell without a spotter can cause serious injury if the lifter gets trapped under the bar or happens to drop it on themselves.
In the home gym set-up you have to be very careful with your weights. When alone, use dumbbells! When your muscles hit failure you can drop them to the side without getting trapped under a bar. There are also no trainers available nor are there other people to watch for technique tips when working out alone at home. However, there’s always the Internet! You can watch videos on YouTube for that kind of technique tips or find yourself an online coach to replace a gym trainer. Still, you can’t get a spotter from the Internet, you still need a real person with you for that.
Hopefully these comparisons will help you figure out whether a home gym set up or a commercial gym membership is the right direction for you.
Good for you for taking the step towards better fitness. You can do it!
