Gym membership or treadmill?

carliekitty

I bought a house and lost my awesome gym that the apt complex had, and the HoA gym here is small and very busy. I didn't feel like spending 40 a month for a gym membership in my new town cause the gyms about 15 mins away. I started running outside and i have to tell you the workout is harder due to hills and wind resistance and i am sooooo much happier. Love being outside. I love the birds singing and the smell of fresh air. Also i know i am not getting covered in those nasty germs gyms offer.

mygrl4meee

I personally rather have a gym membership. I have had stuff at home and just won't use it. I need to be away from home and I treat it as 'me' time.

BiggyFuzz

Gym or both

- you have an outing (escape)

- you get to see how other people workout as well as see some people transform their bodies.

- you can do alot more exercises at the gym (weight training, elliptical, bike or classes)

- you push yourself to train harder than the person next to you

As for both, no need to get an expensive machine a simple stationary bike or basic treadmill is all you need. I live in the northeast so it gets really cold in the winter, therefore, i'm at the gym alot more for 4,5 months.

hope this helps

lydia_the_tattooed_lady

If you use a treadmill, and wear it out. I say get a treadmill and weights and use them. Assuming you NEEEEEED a treadmill.

I have started walking and running outside, and bought clothing for cold and wet instead of a treadmill and I do body weight, sandbag, and lifting workouts. So to say what I would do is to say buy clothing, weights, a sandbag, and get your strength on.

What he said ^^^ it's free, more challenging, and you get FRESH air

DontStopB_Leakin

I'd personally spend money on neither. I lift at home and I run outisde..


However, for you, I'd have to agree with pretty much everyone else. Gym membership.

EatClean_WashUrNuts

BOTH

oldernotwiser

I like Anytime Fitness because I can go there any time of day or night. You are given a key fob to gain entrance and mine is staffed just a few hours in the middle of the day. It's $33 per month and after 1 month your fob will admit you to any Anytime Fitness in the world. You commitment is, initially, for a 1 year contract and after that is month to month.

strongmind_strongbody

There is no question...the gym wins Every. Single. Time. You won't get 1/10th the results from a treadmill that you would get from a balanced program of lifting, cardio, and nutrition. Learn to love the gym...and it'll love you back.

sarahrbraun

I would say get a gym membership. if you have a 24 hour fitness around you you can get a 2 year membership from Costco for 360. then if you feel like relaxing in the sauna, steam-room, jacuzzi you can. plus like others have said there is more equipment, like stair-masters, ellipticals, treadmills, row machines. you can really break up your cardio workouts. oh yeah and you don't have to maintain the machines, the club does.

THIS^^^

if stuff breaks, you can still work out!

If you feel like trying something new, you CAN.

I joined the Y earlier this year basically for the treadmill. After a month i decided to go over and use a few machines in the strength area. About 3 months ago I was inspired by a regular to go over in the free weight area and use a certain leg press. next thing you know I am doing barbell squats!!

A few weeks ago I sprained my calf. it hurt like crazy, and swelled up like nobody's business. The ER doc told me to apply heat after the first day or so. I drug my butt to the Y the day after I got hurt, did an upper body workout ON CRUTCHES, then went down and dangled the injured limb in the whirlpool for a few minutes. I could feel the difference immediately. The next 2 times I went to the Y, I did my upper body work, then I went and sat in the whirlpool for like 20-30 minutes. I did my stretches in there. I fully believe that the reason I was back at 100% within a week is because I was able to use the whirlpool.

Jesea

I have two small boys and a husband that travels for business. We bought a used Treadclimber and stationary bike, and I have a TV and DVD player set up in an area of our basement. I have a few free weights (just got 10lb ones for Christmas), a resistance band, and a jump rope. I also re-purposed a huge mirror we took out of our bathroom, and put down those foam blocks from Walmart. That's my home gym! I use it whenever I can. Sometimes while the boys are at school, sometimes after lunch, sometimes after they go to bed. It just makes more sense for me to have easy access, I tried going to the gym when my oldest was a toddler, but every time I'd get into a rhythm, he'd catch something from another kid in the babysitting room and we'd be out for two weeks.

Stdavis53

Get yourself a Sole F80 treadmill and you can still afford to get some weights at home as well! I had the same decision to make a few weeks ago and I am extremely happy with my decision!

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

I'd say gym. You can do a bunch of different exercises instead of just running or walking and I know for me, I associate being at home with relaxing and I would be super unmotivated to work out at home. When I go to the gym I'm going out and doing something and I'm motivated.

crystalflame

Gym. The yearly fee is worth it for the squat rack alone. Like others have said, try running outside - you don't really need a treadmill.

runfatmanrun

I would invest in some dumbells or kettle bells for home use, buy a nice new pair of running shoes and run outside. I can't stand the treadmill and don't typically care for the gym.

SeaJenni

I've had an unused gym membership for years. I could've had a really nice treadmill instead; and I would have used it, too. I love the treadmill. Also, I live in a small town and don't need the whole town talking about how they saw me running, as if that were some type of news. However, it really depends on what you think you will use.

mathjulz

At $300 a year, you could go to the gym for 6 years before you've paid as much as the $1800 treadmill costs. And you get so much more than a treadmill - even if you just use treadmill, elliptical, and a few weights. (If it's $400, it's about 4.5 years)

Ask yourself 2 things - will the new treadmill last you at least 4 years? And, if you get a gym membership, are you as likely to go in and use it as you would be to use a treadmill at your house? (I'd probably use the gym membership more, but there's lots of people who get one and then use it for a month or two). Now may be a good time to take advantage of the new year's deals a lot of places offer!

BeingAwesome247

For me personally, I'd want an at home machine.
I don't have time for the gym and I'm more comfortable working out at home.

This is ENTIRELY up to you and YOUR PREFERENCES. Everyone has their own personal feelings but this is ALL ON YOU.

ruperthumphrey

I live about 35 minutes from a gym. I use to have a gym membership at a big chain that is here in Canada, Goodlife, and I really loved it. For me though, was the cost of gas to get there. It is not as though I could drop in on my way after work. I really liked the fact that there was so many options that you could do at the gym. I have a treadmill and elliptical and a huge weight machine at home, plus a few other things..the bonus to that is there is, is that I am only five minutes away from my gym. So time may also be a factor. When I had my gym membership I also could not go when it was about dinner time as I would never be able to get any machines, you had to wait for them. So I didn't like that. And don't go on the machine for more than thirty minutes..that was the limit if the gym was full. At home I can go on machines as long as I want. So for me, I loved the gym in the fact that you were hanging out with like minded people, so that was kind of motivating I guess. There was also negatives. At home, I suppose the only negative for me is it is in the basement, I wished I could work out upstairs. We do have a nice gym room downstairs, but my daughter is occupying it for now. When it is better roads I take to the outdoors. Love it!

dsjohndrow

I do the gym because I like to mess around.

I would easily have stuff at home if I could afford to. The gym for a family is $600 a year. I have taken a few classes (which are extra), used the pool, used the outdoor pool in the summer, lift weights, run the circuits, used the treadmill, elliptical and the spinning bikes. So, it's a good experience. And I made a few friends in the class that I run races with. In the end, I hate to go there, but I still do.

Yogi_Carl

If I were you, I would go to the gym for all the reasons stated many times above - you get away from the home, into your own mental and physical space, if equipment breaks down it gets repaired into your membership and maybe they have a sauna, hot tub, coffee bar etc so there is a wind-down social side of things as well.

If you were me, you would buy a set of resistance bands, a pull-up bar and a couple of kettlebells and walk or cycle outdoors to work and back. That's all I need along with my daily visit to the yoga mat.