Which Is More Beneficial: Training At Home Or Training In The Gym?
So you’ve decided that you want to get into shape? One of the first problems that puts many new or experienced trainees into a bind is the decision on whether they want to purchase a membership to a gym, or invest in some equipment to create their own home gym. Each choice offers its advantages, and each has it’s own disadvantages.
One thing that you have to consider first, is what kind of person you are, and what you are looking for in a place to train. The decision of a beginner will be different than the decision of an experienced and dedicated fitness buff. You may be ok with some free weights and a treadmill, while someone more experienced may want a wide range of machines to work with as well. We’re going to take a look at the practical advantages and disadvantages of choosing to workout at a gym or at home.
Cheaper in the Long Run
Believe it or not, getting your own home gym is cheaper than membership at the gym when you look at it over the long term. A year’s membership at the gym costs anywhere from $300 to $600, depending on the gym.
That’s just a membership for one year. Having your own home gym will pay for itself after just a year, depending on how big you want it to be. Resistance bands cost about $25, 100 pounds worth of dumbbell weights cost less than $100, and a basic treadmill will cost between $500-$1000. You don’t even need a treadmill, as you can come up with plenty of creative ways to get your cardio in such as circuits, HIIT training, sprints, stair walking, etc.
If you decide to get something more elaborate, a basic weightlifting rack, set of olympic weights and a basic bench will set you back anywhere from $500-$1000, depending on where you get them and if they are new or used. With this type of setup you can recreate just about anything you can do in a commercial gym..
More Likely to Commit to Your Workout?
Having a home gym means that you don’t have nearly as many excuses to skip your workout. Going to the gym can sometimes be something that you procrastinate.
It may conflict with your schedule, you may sit down on the couch after supper and not want to get up again. And if you don’t want to go to the gym, your mind will come up with all kinds of excuses, making it that much more difficult to become consistent with a training plan.
Having your own home gym gives you all kinds of opportunities and possibilities to work out and ultimately puts 100% of the responsibility of getting fit and staying fit in your hands.
There are no excuses for not working out anymore when you own your own gym….
Additionally, when you spend a lot of money to buying something up front, you are more likely to use it because you know how much it cost you. Gyms on the other hand, although in totality is more expensive than a home gym, it is broken down to small payments that are passively taken out of your account, so people forget about them. Believe me, as the owner of a commercial gym, you wouldn’t believe the amount of people who step through my doors, buy a membership, and then I don’t see them again until they cancel it 6, 12, or 18 months later.
Time and Convenience
Think about all the time you spend getting to and from the gym, or the time spent waiting for your favorite piece of equipment. Although exercising is great for the body and the mind, quite a bit of time can be wasted just getting in a workout at a commercial gym.
You also have to sign-up for contracts with your fitness trainer and always worry about adjusting to each others available times. By working out at home with or without a trainer you’re able to make your own schedule without relying on someone else.
In addition to saving time, having a home gym is convenient. If you want to just work out for a short 5-10 minutes during your break, you can do that. If you want to have one workout a day, you can. If you want to have 6-7 short workouts a day, you can. It doesn’t make a difference in terms of convenience, because your gym is right there in your own house. It’s a lot easier to be consistent when your gym is located at home.
Don’t Feel Self-Conscious
A lot of people who are first starting out at the gym will feel extremely self-conscious. Beginners feel that everyone at the gym is judging them and feel uneasy because of their current level of fitness. Of course, these worries are often in the head because the vast majority of the people who go to the gym do not care what you do with your time at the gym. Truthfully, most people are way to preoccupied with themselves to even notice what you’re doing. But with a home gym, you don’t even have to worry about this aspect at all if it is something that concerns you.
Freedom
When you have your own home gym, you can do whatever you want. You don’t have to follow gym rules like 20 minutes max on the treadmill during peak hours or no deadlifting. You get to do whatever you want, however you want, whenever you want. There is no one around telling you what you can and can’t do.
Below is a couple shots of my home gym, as well as some shots of my commercial gym. I do about 95% of my training at my home gym at the moment.
The Takeaway
Deciding whether to join a gym or construct your own home gym is an important first step that you need to determine when starting out on any new fitness and fat loss journey. Weighing the pros and cons, as well as how they fit into your lifestyle are important considerations to take into account as you do this.
Where You Should Start
Interested to find out how I can help YOU achieve your fitness and fat loss goals while still living your life? Check out my 28 Day Fat Shredder Program which has helped hundreds of busy parents just like you shed pounds and pounds of ugly, oozing bodyfat while still enjoying the foods and beverage that they love.
