Gym Membership worth it?

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  • rhtexasgal
    rhtexasgal Posts: 572 Member
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    I know myself too well. If I said I would work out at home, I never would or I would do a half-a$s job of it. However, having the gym as my destination and paying for it, I would go. Since I have to get value for my money, I go as often as possible. Plus, once you become a regular and people are accustomed to seeing you, you get to make friends or at least have people to interact and commiserate with.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
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    I had several over a number of years, but ended up building out our garage as a home gym. It's much easier to go when it's right there and I know I don't have to wait for equipment or deal with a bunch of silly rules, like bans on dropping weights or using chalk, or making you wear pants. Dumb stuff like that.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
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    rhtexasgal wrote: »
    I know myself too well. If I said I would work out at home, I never would or I would do a half-a$s job of it. However, having the gym as my destination and paying for it, I would go. Since I have to get value for my money, I go as often as possible. Plus, once you become a regular and people are accustomed to seeing you, you get to make friends or at least have people to interact and commiserate with.

    EXACTLY. I actually have a nice array of work out equipment at home (assorted plates, dumbbells, exercise ball, ab roller, ankle weights, bands, etc.) but I only use them if I absolutely can't fit certain work outs into my morning gym routine. It's a last resort. Because I know that once I get home I'll be distracted by things that need to be done around the house and won't focus strictly on my routine.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    sunnybeaches105 wrote: »
    I had several over a number of years, but ended up building out our garage as a home gym. It's much easier to go when it's right there and I know I don't have to wait for equipment or deal with a bunch of silly rules, like bans on dropping weights or using chalk, or making you wear pants. Dumb stuff like that.

    I hate it when my gym makes me wear pants. :D
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
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    Depends on...

    Cost
    Your goals
    How often you'll go
    Quality and breadth of equipment
    Hours of operation
    Network access
    Other options available to you
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,288 Member
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    Gym memberships aren't a waste if it suits your needs, fits your budget and you actually use it. I lift pretty heavy and would spend an arm and a leg building the kind of gym at home that I can get for $36.00 a month at my local YMCA. Also, if I have to actually go somewhere to work out, I'm more inclined to get up and do it. There are too many distractions at home for me to focus and get into my workout zone. Also, seeing others working hard to achieve their goals is motivational to me.
  • lessismoreohio
    lessismoreohio Posts: 910 Member
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    For me, yes.
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    SezxyStef wrote: »
    I don't have one and have workout consistently for 3 years.

    I have weights at home with the weight I need and my husband and son built me a squat rack.

    I bike, run, walk, swim. I use fitnessblender.com just bought a weighted skipping rope at winners...

    No gym membership required to get in shape and be fit.

    I wouldn't waste my money to be honest...I thought about it...walked into a gym and the front desk clerk looked at me when I asked for a tour and his response was "cardio is upstairs"...

    I looked at him and said do I look like a cardio bunny to you? he still wouldn't give me a tour and didn't know what a power rack was and pointed me to the smith machine...smh. He is lifter too...

    Unfortunately, every gym is not the same. You would not be treated like that at the gym I attend.
  • AlphaCajun
    AlphaCajun Posts: 290 Member
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    I never thought I'd say this but my gym membership has been worth every single penny. Best decision I've ever made. The people are great, staff and fellow rats..
  • robbyf1971
    robbyf1971 Posts: 83 Member
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    For me I love my gym membershipS (humble brag). I have a YMCA 8 minutes from my home. I also spend 2-3 days a week away from home and there's a Lifetime fitness a 4-iron away from that office. If they weren't so close, it would be tougher.

    Lots of equipment, tons of weights, barbells, safety/power cage, cardio options, sauna that you can do a wide range of activities. I am a believer you need to switch up your workouts every so often. Keeps you motivated.
  • WakkoW
    WakkoW Posts: 567 Member
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    Even if I had a home setup, I think that I would be more motivated elsewhere without anything to distract me (laundry to fold, bills to pay, dishwasher to unload, etc.)

    Plus, it keeps my bathroom clean since I shower there most days. I've even gone to the gym just to shower and get ready so I don't have to worry about cleaning my bathroom and all my stuff is in my gym bag anyway.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,404 Member
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    In the beginning I set my gym up with cardio and weight machines. I found myself gravitating toward moving small boulders, sprinting and jumping outside than moving a machine. I found better results too. I then added the barbell to the gym so I could lift and track my strength progress. I still find myself wanting to sprint to a boulder than be inside a gym.

    Disclaimer: California climate and traffic are major factors for me. If I were to move back to Manhattan, I would join a crossfit box or Chelsea gymnastics.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    WakkoW wrote: »
    Even if I had a home setup, I think that I would be more motivated elsewhere without anything to distract me (laundry to fold, bills to pay, dishwasher to unload, etc.)

    Plus, it keeps my bathroom clean since I shower there most days. I've even gone to the gym just to shower and get ready so I don't have to worry about cleaning my bathroom and all my stuff is in my gym bag anyway.

    haha yup however I do those things on my rest between sets...unless it's DL day and then I just sit.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    My gym membership is worth it because part of my workouts are in the water. I swim laps and do water aerobics so I need access to a pool. I would make no use of a membership at a gym that was only weights and machinery, so that would not be worth it to me.
  • Wilbur_NOLA
    Wilbur_NOLA Posts: 120 Member
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    WakkoW wrote: »
    Even if I had a home setup, I think that I would be more motivated elsewhere without anything to distract me (laundry to fold, bills to pay, dishwasher to unload, etc.)

    Plus, it keeps my bathroom clean since I shower there most days. I've even gone to the gym just to shower and get ready so I don't have to worry about cleaning my bathroom and all my stuff is in my gym bag anyway.

    I have a full home setup which includes a smith/squat rack with multi position bench, olympic bar w/ plates, a pull up/dip station, and treadmill, but I have much better workouts when I go to the gym. When I workout from home there are way more distractions and I feel like I rush through things and take short cuts. When I go to the gym, I take my time (so to speak) and even do a little extra.

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    I have two gym memberships so definitely worth it to me.
    Work one is dirt cheap and means I can use my lunch break for exercise so less impact on my precious "me time".

    One near home has a much higher standard of equipment and far bigger range than I could afford/justify and fit in my house or garage.
    I also quite like the discipline and concentration that being in the right environment brings.
  • dawn_noelle29
    dawn_noelle29 Posts: 114 Member
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    I fell in love with OrangeTheory Fitness - it has absolutely 100% been worth it! It's motivating, it's a great environment, and it has made me feel better than I have ever felt in my life.
  • AigreDoux
    AigreDoux Posts: 594 Member
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    I was a member at a YMCA in the city we used to live in. It was close to my house, but I had trouble going more than once or twice a week. With two little kids, a full time job, and a husband who works long and unpredictable hours, it just didn't work that well. They even had childcare included, but I couldn't pick up my kids from daycare then go drop them at the gym daycare.

    In our new house there isn't a gym particularly close by. So I have been working on setting up our own gym in a spare bedroom. It's working out really well, and I exercise 5-6 mornings per week before my kids and husband get out of bed. I don't waste time driving. I sleep in my gym clothes, wake up, put my shoes on and start. Then I go right from the workout into my own shower and get ready for work. So much simpler.

    But yeah, if I lived in an apartment or small house, or didn't have kids, things would be much different.
  • Btheodore138
    Btheodore138 Posts: 182 Member
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    Depends on the gym and the person. For me, my gym membership was the greatest thing ever. It's within walking distance where I live, has free childcare from 5-8 pm (I have two toddlers), and a really great Zumba instructor who makes things fun. I look forward to going and I hate off days now. My gym is also month to month and no contract, which is another plus since I'm moving out of state in 2 months.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    Personally, no it wouldn't be.

    My main priority is endurance running, so I put the miles in on the road and trail.

    For resistance training I'll do bodyweight or TRX. Run out to the park and do a bodyweight circuit, then run home. 10K of running plus the circuit. Or I'll stick the TRX into a Camelbak, run out to the woods and set up on a tree to do a circuit using that.

    But that works for me.

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