Gym or Home

lisakatz2
lisakatz2 Posts: 535 Member
edited October 23 in Health and Weight Loss
Do you prefer to work out at home, or in a gym?

I'm currently working out at home (going for brisk walks daily, exercising with fitness bands). I'd like to join a gym eventually. I find it more motivating. I find working out at home more challenging because I work full-time at a fairly stressful job and find it easy to head to bed to rest before dinner (my hubs does the cooking).

Replies

  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,437 Member
    edited May 6
    It’s whatever gets you off your bottom.

    I prefer a gym or yoga studio setting, because I can’t slack. There’s also an annoying silent part of me that wants to be the hardest working person in the room. I don’t get that at home.

    If I were to rely on home workouts, they might never get off the ground. Too many reasons to make excuses, too many other distractions vying for my attention.

    However, OTOH, I take a lot of solo walks with the dog and earbuds.

    During the pandemic lockdown, I did make myself do zoom classes. But, they were still group classes with favorite instructors and familiar classmates. And when I travel, I download some of my daughter’s yoga classes to do.

    But again, whatever works for you and gets you moving is the very best plan of all for you.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,327 Member
    I prefer home. I started out working out at home a long time ago. Then I got a gym membership. It was nice to have the extra equipment, but in the long run I realized two things. First, for what I was paying for a gym membership I could put together all I needed for my workout and never have to pay a membership fee again. Second, that I was like most people in that I didn't really make true use of my membership so it was wasted money. I would much rather that through those times where I stop working out that I was not paying for it. I am also by nature more introverted, so the abundance of people, especially when my social energy was low having people around was not motivating.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,203 Member
    I prefer to work out in a rowing shell on the river (at a rowing club), or on a bike on the trail system.

    When I can't do that (serious Winters here), I mostly work out at home.

    I don't have anything against gyms. It's more about going certain places to do certain activities. Obvious example: I don't have a pool, so if I want to swim, I'm going to the Y. I've taken group classes (spin, strength training, yoga, etc.) in the past, and enjoyed that. I've done weight workouts at the Y for various reasons, even though I have some weights at home.

    In Winter, I do like having the basic equipment at home to do the kinds of workouts most important to me, just as a convenience thing. (For one thing, I often choose to work out in the evening when my Y is already closed.) I have a rowing machine (bought in about 2004), a stationary bike (bought during the pandemic to replace my former twice-weekly spin classes), some weights, and other small stuff. I use the rower/bike routinely in Winter, weights somewhat less.

  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,755 Member
    I'm a home workout person. Used to love the gym, but then found I just couldn't convince myself to go. So I started doing it at home.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,992 Member
    Back in the days when I was going to the gym I admit I enjoyed it.
    But, small town life being what it is, the gym was only open a limited number of hours. And not on Sunday.

    I’m a night owl. I’d feel like going to the gym and look at the clock and realize that by the time I got there I would have maybe 45 minutes to exercise.
    And all their group classes will mostly full up, and scheduled for 8 or 9 in the morning.

    Disability has made it even harder, as most of the machines in the gym are now not appropriate for me or my husband.

    Bought a NuStep at the beginning of the pandemic. It’s in our living room. I can exercise whenever I want. Best choice I ever made, health wise.
    I prefer a gym or yoga studio setting, because I can’t slack. There’s also an annoying silent part of me that wants to be the hardest working person in the room. I don’t get that at home.
    My NuStep has a “pace partner” setting where you are accompanied around the digital track by a little red dot. And for some reason it really ticks me off if I let that sucker get ahead of me.
    It’s just a red dot! But I absolutely can’t stand to see it “winning”
    🤣

  • asnell1106
    asnell1106 Posts: 2 Member
    I get a better workout in at home. I have everything I need, where I need it. I don’t have to spray it all down or wait my turn.
    But I do go sometimes with my neighbor, it’s more for socializing and catching up. There’s lot of regulars there and when we haven’t been together in awhile they always ask where the other one is lol
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,205 Member
    I used to love the gym but quit in recent years because I felt I was spending too much time trying to decide what to do next, driving to and from, and WAITING for people sitting on machines staring at their phones instead of finishing their sets. I also developed some chronic pain and lifting heavy + treadmills ended up my triggers. So I’m better off cycling, walking, doing videos with dumbbells at home.