Home workouts or Gym memberships

ArmyofAdrian

Whatever works for you is best. For me I find it too easy to procrastinate or get distracted at home. Going to the gym makes me focus on exercising while I'm there. I don't socialize at all at the gym; I'm there to train.

JoshuaMcAllister

annapage38 wrote: »

JoshuaMcAllister wrote: »

billutzman wrote: »

I prefer working out at home doing beachbody dvds, or on my elliptical, or jogging outdoors.

I figure by the time I would get ready for the gym, find my keys, actually drive there, and start workout, I would be done at home. It is a timesaver st home. Plus in yrs past, the meat heads that think they rule the place hangout at equip and just mentally bother me. I went to a planet fitness once and was impressed with the fact the equipment seemed open and normal folks were there.

What are other folks reasons for preferring gym over home or vice versa?

Walk, run or cycle to the gym and you've saved yourself the headache of finding your keys and driving. (I'll never understand those who choose too drive to the gym then spend 30 minutes on cardio equipment, it's similar to when I hear "I'm just going to jump in the car to take the dog a walk")

I do both, I don't mind training at home but you are very limited to what exercises you can do. The bulk of my training is done in the gym, with the occasional home workout.

PS. Meat heads are in every gym. Focus on your training, not what they may or not be doing. Its usually the latter.

I mean, people are lucky to have a gym close enough to them to walk/run/cycle. I chose my gym because it's a cheap price of £10 pm. I go every day without fail and do HIIT classes - yes I can do them at home, but I love the atmosphere at my gym, the PTs are wonderful and so friendly. I also will use the cardio machines too. You also have to think that maybe the gym isn't in the nicest neighborhood... I 100% would not be happy walking through my gym's area.

There's two sides to every story

I understand the premis of your argument but take into consideration the extra milage, fuel consumption, wear and tear attributed to driving to the gym, not to mention the cO2 damage cause by short duration trips. Calculate that over the year, then tell me it's cheaper to pay $10 a month rather than $20 actually saves you money. I have a sneaking suspicion that it won't.

I haven't always lived within walking distance but I incorporated the trip into my fitness regime. Healthier and heavier in the wallet thanks to it.

billutzman

Jogging, biking to gym sounds easy except not safe on 4 lane highways to get there. A typical jogging pace is what? 11min miles? Do the math, if the gym is 5miles from home, by the time you get there, just turn around and go home. Boom! 2 hrs has passed. Like anyone has 2hrs each day to spend at a gym.

Maybe "meatheads" was too broad. I cant lump every musclehead into that category.

positivepowers

I prefer the gym. My home is where I go to relax, not work out, so I tend to put off working out until it's too late, I'm too tired, the dogs want attention, etc. I hit the gym right after the work, before I get home, so once I get home I just relax. Also, even the crappiest gym is better equipped than my own home could be. Even if I had the money to equip my home I don't have the space.

jmac4263

I prefer the gym. I find when working out at home I don't push myself as hard.... Because I know no one is watching maybe? I have my routines already wrote out so I know exactly what I'm doing for the week or weeks.

I've also made friends at the gym and have the ability to ask for a spot if needed and really push myself. Also this is my time. When at home you can be distracted by others or things you need to do around the house!

lemmie177

I have a barbell set/bench/squat stands stuffed into my tiny basement, so don't really have a need for a gym. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where cardio is easily had outdoors. I'm also an unfortunate control freak and the idea of having to fight for equipment, having to substitute exercises, or dealing with any of the issues mentioned in all the gym etiquette threads here have my anxiety bubbling up.

Downside is that I never get to play with the fancy new gym stuff they're always coming out with. There's a gym a couple blocks from me that literally looks like a playground for adults!

ulcaster555

got all my stuff in my own gym, can go when I want

fitmom4lifemfp

billutzman wrote: »

I prefer working out at home doing beachbody dvds, or on my elliptical, or jogging outdoors.

I figure by the time I would get ready for the gym, find my keys, actually drive there, and start workout, I would be done at home. It is a timesaver st home. Plus in yrs past, the meat heads that think they rule the place hangout at equip and just mentally bother me. I went to a planet fitness once and was impressed with the fact the equipment seemed open and normal folks were there.

What are other folks reasons for preferring gym over home or vice versa?

I prefer the gym. I just don't have the discipline to work out at home. I have equipment, and occasionally I will get in an arm workout or abs....but there are too many other things I need to do at home so working out just doesn't get top priority there. But once I am at the gym, I am there. And I will stay as long as I can to get done as much as I can. Just a mental thing I guess.

itsbasschick

JoshuaMcAllister wrote: »

Walk, run or cycle to the gym and you've saved yourself the headache of finding your keys and driving. (I'll never understand those who choose too drive to the gym then spend 30 minutes on cardio equipment, it's similar to when I hear "I'm just going to jump in the car to take the dog a walk")

that's pretty judgemental. i can tell you reasons to drive to the gym -

physical issues. many people who can work out on cardio equipment have injuries, conditions or are just in poor condition and can't walk up and down hills for an hour to get to the gym, then work out and then walk home. lots of people with knee tears are told to ride a bike but not do any strenuous walking (hills and stuff) or biking.

often the closest gyms aren't close enough to walk to. aside from my physical limitations, i don't have the time to walk several miles each way on top of a workout. if i had that much time, driving means i could spend that time working out instead of walking to the gym.

the traffic here and many other places is insane. it can make biking or walking challenging, and in some spots with poor visibility on the road, dangerous.

let's not forget temperature and weather. it gets over 90 here in l.a. for part of the summer, and after walking an hour in 90 degrees, i probably won't even feel well enough to walk home. some people live in places like arizona and nevada - i'd say walking in 100+ degree heat for half an hour or longer each way isn't a great way to start or end a workout. and walking in freezing cold and snow? probably better to drive to the gym or work out at home.

a lot of people have small children that they leave at the gym's daycare or drop off with a friend to watch for the single hour they have to work out.

for those who have no injuries, time constraints or other issues and live close enough, walking or biking to the gym would be great. for the rest of us, driving to the gym or working out at home is what gets us there in good enough condition to work out.

JoshuaMcAllister

itsbasschick wrote: »

JoshuaMcAllister wrote: »

Walk, run or cycle to the gym and you've saved yourself the headache of finding your keys and driving. (I'll never understand those who choose too drive to the gym then spend 30 minutes on cardio equipment, it's similar to when I hear "I'm just going to jump in the car to take the dog a walk")

that's pretty judgemental. i can tell you reasons to drive to the gym -

physical issues. many people who can work out on cardio equipment have injuries, conditions or are just in poor condition and can't walk up and down hills for an hour to get to the gym, then work out and then walk home. lots of people with knee tears are told to ride a bike but not do any strenuous walking (hills and stuff) or biking.

often the closest gyms aren't close enough to walk to. aside from my physical limitations, i don't have the time to walk several miles each way on top of a workout. if i had that much time, driving means i could spend that time working out instead of walking to the gym.

the traffic here and many other places is insane. it can make biking or walking challenging, and in some spots with poor visibility on the road, dangerous.

let's not forget temperature and weather. it gets over 90 here in l.a. for part of the summer, and after walking an hour in 90 degrees, i probably won't even feel well enough to walk home. some people live in places like arizona and nevada - i'd say walking in 100+ degree heat for half an hour or longer each way isn't a great way to start or end a workout. and walking in freezing cold and snow? probably better to drive to the gym or work out at home.

a lot of people have small children that they leave at the gym's daycare or drop off with a friend to watch for the single hour they have to work out.

for those who have no injuries, time constraints or other issues and live close enough, walking or biking to the gym would be great. for the rest of us, driving to the gym or working out at home is what gets us there in good enough condition to work out.

Come on you've gone a bit deep here. I've made a generalization that able bodied individuals shouldn't drive to the gym to do cardio when they quite simply could just go out walk, run, cycle for half an hour regardless of whether they are on route to the gym or go out an run 30 minutes round their neighborhood.

Thank you for including the list of multiple reasons you have to drive to the gym, you've enlightened me.. I'm fully aware that there are going to be exceptions and I'm not judging those. In all honesty, I respect those who have challenges training for whatever reason, at least they are finding the time to get up and active. The point I made and stand by is the number of people who go to gym to do cardio for a duration but drive there instead of running there or running round town but could save time and effort just going out and running, I'm sorry you were so offended by this but I know a number of individuals who do exactly this..

kirstylouisesquire

I prefer to work out at home even tho I would like to try the gym but I don't have any confidence n really shy so that's why I work out at home

KDar1988

I prefer the gym (I have memberships to 2!) I don't have the space for home a home gym and if I did, the equipment I want is super expensive. I like the energy at the gym.

janekenney95

I love both. When I'm away at college I'll go to the gym there, but at home I'll take it to jogging outside, lifting weights, etc. I love home workouts the most because I prefer to do things on my own time, by myself. For people with social anxiety, home workouts can truly be a lifesaver as gyms can make those kinds of people very anxious (ie- myself).

questionfear

I like working out at home. I have a few kettlebells, suspension straps and a pullup bar, which gives me plenty of options. Right now I am following a kettlebell program called Simple and Sinister, so I'm mostly focused on Kettlebell Swings and Turkish Get Ups, with 2-3 days of pushups/rows/negative pullups to balance it out.

Planning to get more kettlebells and a jump rope, and I think I'll be set.

I like home workouts because it limits my excuses. I can claim I don't have time to get to the gym, but it's hard to claim that when all I have to do is get out of bed and walk downstairs. Since I work and my wife stays home, I like to give our son breakfast and hang out with him in the morning, so I usually start my workouts after he's eaten, and I work out in the living room while he's watching TV. He likes to copy what I'm doing or "help" by cheering me on. My coworker even gave him his own teeny 5lb kettlebell so he could feel included. (He's not quite 3, so just holding the kettlebell for a few minutes is a big feat for him).

heatherheyns

I prefer the gym. For one, I have kids, and I love the break I get from them. It's a bit of me time while they are entertained in the child care. Also, at home, it is easy to see other things I need to do and either out off my workout or stop early. At the gym I get to focus only on my workout without distractions. A gym is totally worth it for me.

DanyellMcGinnis

I prefer home. I have turned my basement into a gym. I have a treadmill, free weights, kettlebells, a cage/cable/Smith machine combo (which was a bear to put together but that is a separate issue), a set of Olympic plates, an enormous collection of DVDs, bands of all sorts, yoga mats, mini-trampoline, step benches for step aerobics, stability balls, etc., etc.

But, I don't like working out around other people. Plus I never have to share equipment or work in on some apparatus or other. And I have the money and dedicated space for all this stuff. It won't be the same for everyone.

kmbrooks15

Here's the great thing: there are so many gym and non-gym options for exercise. Each person needs to find what works for them as an individual. It's been interesting to read people's different reasons for their choice of workout locations.

deluxmary2000

fitmom4lifemfp wrote: »

billutzman wrote: »

I prefer working out at home doing beachbody dvds, or on my elliptical, or jogging outdoors.

I figure by the time I would get ready for the gym, find my keys, actually drive there, and start workout, I would be done at home. It is a timesaver st home. Plus in yrs past, the meat heads that think they rule the place hangout at equip and just mentally bother me. I went to a planet fitness once and was impressed with the fact the equipment seemed open and normal folks were there.

What are other folks reasons for preferring gym over home or vice versa?

I prefer the gym. I just don't have the discipline to work out at home. I have equipment, and occasionally I will get in an arm workout or abs....but there are too many other things I need to do at home so working out just doesn't get top priority there. But once I am at the gym, I am there. And I will stay as long as I can to get done as much as I can. Just a mental thing I guess.

Ditto. I work twice as hard at the gym. If I'm home, I'm tempted to quit early.

MyFreakingNameIsScott

I'm a fairly quiet person in general so I prefer home. It's been said previously that getting ready for the gym is motivating and it's easy to stop at home. Although I agree with the latter, I also use that as motivation and pushing through that pause on my own, motivates me. All I have at home is a heavy bag, treadmill, dip machine (not sure why it's a "machine") a 35lb. dumbell and just received a pull up bar. I use the heavy bag for cardio and have hardly touched the treadmill since I went that route. The majority of what I do is body weight but I would be lying if I didn't say I would love weights for my legs. My leg strength sucks.

AliceDark

I love my gym. I go early in the morning, so there's a small group of regulars who are all friendly. Even if I had the space for a rack and a bench at home, nobody would stop by and offer words of encouragement, or be available for a quick spot. I wouldn't be seeing the awesome things that other people are doing, which pushes me to keep going. I just enjoy the company of other meatheads.

Sumiblue

I used to workout at a gym with friends but more and more I ended up there waiting for them & rushing through my workout when they didn't show. When I got serious about lifting I turned an extra bedroom into my weight room. Found a power cage, bench & weights & ive never looked back. It's easier for me to workout at home since I have a 4 yr old. I workout 5-6x/wk & the commute is like 60 seconds

AmyRhubarb

Home for me. I just get up, put my workout clothes on and press play on my laptop. Nobody in my way, no one using the equipment - I don't even have to brush my teeth.

Took me awhile to collect the weights I have, and at the moment I don't have the space for full barbells, but I get by.

soph268

I like the gym, the atmosphere there helps keep me motivated plus I have an instructor who sets monthly goals with me and pushes me that little bit further... Members also get use of the spa too so after the gym and swimming I like to treat myself! Haha