Videos vs Gym

ragan4bama

What are your thoughts on going to the gym versus home work-out videos? I am bored with what I have been doing at the gym but don't really know how to spice it up?

jdhcm2006

Exercise is exercise, whether you do it at the gym or use a fitness video (or even Youtube). You can always look into a few videos or youtube, or you can join some group classes like spin or Zumba.

What are you interested in? What does your exercise plan look like right now? Are you primarily lifting? Are you doing nothing but cardio? A little more info is needed to help make an educated suggestion.

lemon629

I sometimes do videos at home, but I much prefer group classes at the gym. Does your gym have classes?

jeffininer

I can't stand working out at home. Home is my comfort place and I just can't push myself to do anything at home (but that's just me). I love the gym and that is my place to work hard. Does your gym have classes? That makes a huge difference, if you can be in a class atmosphere. You have group accountability (I've made some great friends at the gym that make sure my butt is in class) and it gives a bit of variety.

Christine_72

I don't think it matters. But I know what I'm like.... If I were exercising at home it would be much easier to quit then it would be in a class at the gym. I walked out half way through a class ONCE at the gym, and all the disapproving eyes followed me all the way out. Embarrassment much

lemon629

christinev297 wrote: »

I don't think it matters. But I know what I'm like.... If I were exercising at home it would be much easier to quit then it would be in a class at the gym. I walked out half way through a class ONCE at the gym, and all the disapproving eyes followed me all the way out. Embarrassment much

LOL. I was in a similar situation once in a boot camp style class. I was about to die and wanted to leave but didn't dare because of the peer pressure. At the same time staying in the class was also embarrassing because the participants were paired and my partner was much more fit and athletic than I was! It was awful. Fortunately, after about 20-30 minutes, the fire alarm went off and we all had to go outside! (Someone had burned popcorn in the child care center.) The teacher was going to resume outside, and I thought about staying and finishing the class, but when he said to do lunges from one side of the SOCCER field to the other, I quietly disappeared and drove home. (A lot of people from the class had already left anyway and it was a bit chaotic (there were some people barely clothed who had been showering when the alarm went off!), so it was easy to slip out.)

Thank goodness for that burned popcorn!

Christine_72

Lmao Lemon Thanks for giving me a laugh!

Christine_72

I would freak OUT if I got paired up with someone. My luck he would be super hot and insanely fit!

jdhcm2006

lemon629 wrote: »

christinev297 wrote: »

I don't think it matters. But I know what I'm like.... If I were exercising at home it would be much easier to quit then it would be in a class at the gym. I walked out half way through a class ONCE at the gym, and all the disapproving eyes followed me all the way out. Embarrassment much

LOL. I was in a similar situation once in a boot camp style class. I was about to die and wanted to leave but didn't dare because of the peer pressure. At the same time staying in the class was also embarrassing because the participants were paired and my partner was much more fit and athletic than I was! It was awful. Fortunately, after about 20-30 minutes, the fire alarm went off and we all had to go outside! (Someone had burned popcorn in the child care center.) The teacher was going to resume outside, and I thought about staying and finishing the class, but when he said to do lunges from one side of the SOCCER field to the other, I quietly disappeared and drove home. (A lot of people from the class had already left anyway and it was a bit chaotic (there were some people barely clothed who had been showering when the alarm went off!), so it was easy to slip out.)

Thank goodness for that burned popcorn!

LOL! This is pure perfection!

But OP, I used to primarily workout at home, it's the only way I would workout. I started with Shaun T's T25, then moved onto Insanity, P90X3, and now I'm doing his Insanity Max 30 program.

However, in December, I started to incorporate group classes, such as spinning, yoga, kettlebells, and pole fitness.

In the morning before, I do my Insanity Max 30 video, and in the evenings, I go to whatever class I have scheduled for that evening. The video in the morning gets me pumped and ready for work, and the class in the evening helps me burn off any stress from my workday. It also helps me make connections with other people. I love my pole classes, we all have so much fun together.

Do whatever is going to make sure you stay consistent.

as5811

I don't have access to a gym so I've been doing videos on YouTube. It's helped me from getting bored and there are all kinds of types of exercise to do.

cwolfman13

just working out for the sake of working out and either droning away on cardio equipment or dancing around the living room to some DVD is boring...doesn't really matter whether it's home or the gym...it's boring.

Establish some fitness goals and do your work in support of those goals and fitness becomes a lot more fun...especially when you really start making fitness advances. Put a purpose behind your work...just moving to move is boring as all hell.

La5Vega5Girl

if i planned to work-out at home, i would never do it. there are a million excuses lying around needing to be folded or cleaned. i go to the gym to make sure i get it done!

lemon629

christinev297 wrote: »

I would freak OUT if I got paired up with someone. My luck he would be super hot and insanely fit!

He wasn't particularly hot, but he was certainly very fit. I was probably the least fit person in the class. To make matters worse, we alternated (like I would do lunges across the room to him, then he'd do lunges across, and so forth). He was much faster than I was, so I had hardly any time to rest between exercises. Plus, I felt guilty because I knew I was holding him back. We were a definite mis-match!

That is the only time I skipped out because a class was too hard. I do once in a rare while leave class early for other reasons, though, like if I have an appointment or something like that. I try to remember to tell the teacher in advance, though.

Christine_72

Omg I love the way you write! I can picture it all

ThatMouse

Frankly, I feel like a trained monkey doing workout videos. I torrented legitimately purchased P90X and, while I like the exercises, I felt really really stupid listening to the dude and flailing about. I'm also someone who finds group exercise classes that aren't martial arts, yoga or just everyone doing a list of exercises on their own to be unbearable. I would rather be stuck with teaching a horde of irritating little yellow belt children than do a step or dance-fitness class.

I'm not sure why, but that's just how I am. I really love the gym, by contrast. Give me a mostly empty gym at 6AM and I'm happy to just go around doing my thing or trying out all the new equipment. Last weekend, I went with a friend of mine to a big rec centre in her area of the city and they had all sorts of cool stuff that we just spent two hours trying out. The track had a hill built into it, there were all sorts of strange stretching contraptions, they had competition kettlebells (surprisingly easier on the forearms than the Russian-style I have at home), a heavy bag, a combatives room with mats, machines my gym didn't have and, the crowning jewel in my eyes, a pair of gymnastics rings that I spent a good ten minutes on hanging upside down.

Maybe there are some pieces of equipment you've never used before, like TRX bands or something. Or maybe there's a new group class, or a routine that you haven't tried before. While I follow Stronglifts and an HIIT protocol, about once a month I take a day off my regular routine to just try something new or just cycle through machines. At my old gym, we had a tire and sledgehammer, so if I had a particularly stressful day, I'd just go in and throw my regular routine out the window in favour of wailing on that tire and giving my back, shoulders and core a good workout.

BoutThatBass

I think they're both good in different ways. You can definitely access a greater variety of workouts through videos than most people have access to at their local gym, and that can be a lot of fun. At the same time though, there's a risk to working out on your own at home, especially if the video you're following is an activity you've never done before and/or is particularly complex - at the gym there are trainers and staff on hand to intervene if you're using equipment incorrectly, which you're missing at home. For example, you can really hurt yourself with something like kettlebells if you've never been properly trained in how to use them, so it's not something I'd jump into just through video. On the flip side, if you're shy about potentially looking silly in front of people, a video can be a great way to try out something new in the privacy of your own home (it's how I first got familiar with Zumba).

At the end of the day, exercise is exercise, and what's "best" is whatever is going to keep you motivated and moving. Sure, you might burn more calories or get toned quicker or whatever doing one thing vs. another, but if the "better" workout is something you're not into, you're not going to stick with it, and you're not going to get the benefits.

shadow2soul

ragan4bama wrote: »

What are your thoughts on going to the gym versus home work-out videos? I am bored with what I have been doing at the gym but don't really know how to spice it up?

It's really personal preference. I haven't been in a gym in years (last time was before I gained weight). For awhile I used video games like Just Dance, Dance Central, Your Shape, and EA Active 2.0. Currently I am using workout DVD's and have a little collection growing.

I have nothing against gyms. I just haven't been able to afford a membership. I'm actually excited that my husband is considering getting a YMCA membership for us with tax returns. The day care and the pool are the 2 features I'm looking forward to the most. However, even if we get the membership, I will probably still use DVD's from time to time. I get bored easily and have to change things up to keep interested.

Amanda4change

I prefer going to the gym, aside from all the cool equipment (including this amazing outdoor training setup) they have childcare. If I workout at home my son will get under foot.

cincysweetheart

Exercise is exercise no matter where you do it… but personally, I LOATHE working out at home. I get bored. I feel extremely self-conscious. And I have no f-ing clue what to do! Plus home is full of distractions and excuses. Going to the gym eliminates all of those excuses and distractions. Plus there is equipment there that I will never have. Plus there is free access to the fitness trainer who can TELL me what to do. Plus it's full of people doing the exact same thing… so I don't feel so self-conscious. And even if someone was judging me… it's not like it's anybody I care about… so what do I care? I'm a gym rat through and through. It's my happy place.

Sued0nim

Switch up your goals and your music and it doesn't matter

I have a PT once a week which helps

today I have zero motivation to do anything - but I have a weekly session booked so I hope to 'buy in' some of his today to see me through the rest of the week

richjones1968

For me it`s definitely at the gym or a club or class. Occasionally I run cross country on my own just to enjoy the solitude and tranquillity but the rest of the time having that pre agreed time makes it so much easier to get up and go- and classes and clubs are a social environment - good for support but also just good to spend time with friends .
Even if I`m just doing weights on my own, once I`ve made the trip to the gym I`m not going to pack up without doing a decent amount.