Workout preference? (Gym, classes, or at home?)

Just curious about what people like. What do you prefer? Classes at the gym? Doing your own thing at the gym? Or exercise at home? And curious about what has worked for you. For me, I prefer to do classes at the gym and have found it extremely hard to motivate myself at home and feel embarrassed to work out in the actual gym. Classes (body sculpt & kickboxing) have worked for me but only when I stick to them and actually have time to fit them in. I absolutely need to get over being embarrassed. I guess that brings up another question..for those of you who use the gym what's your routine look like? Have you been successful in losing weight/toning up on your own? :]
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Replies

  • julesxo
    julesxo Posts: 422 Member
    I have only ever found success in working out at my own home. I went to a gym a couple of times and did not enjoy a second of it.

    Right now I am in the middle of completing Insanity, I just finished month 1. I have support from others who are currently doing it too which helps!
  • samantha1242
    samantha1242 Posts: 816 Member
    I prefer home or classes. I don't really like gyms.
  • altinker
    altinker Posts: 173
    I've been successful both ways. At the gym, I have had routines where I work different body parts each day and then do some cardio on a machine. That just does not work with my schedule, so I work out at home now. The types of workouts I like are barre and dance-style workouts. So, I rotate through a series of dvds. I love it.
  • That's awesome :]! I'm going to get a copy of insanity and I'm definitely going to have to give it a try but I always have a hard time motivating myself at home. It's worth a shot!
  • NanaWubbie
    NanaWubbie Posts: 248 Member
    I have always struggled with classes at the gym. I can't help but feel somebody has turned a spot light on me and I feel like a fool. I can walk forever.....will walk at a gym on a treadmill but I get bored to tears. I much prefer to hit a green way. Also, if you get a couple of miles from home, you have to walk back. I like to bike....I like the changing scenery, I like the feeling of accomplishment when I have peddled 15 to 20 miles. I also like how once yoy start there is not much choice other than to finish. I like the built in accountability. I like to throw a weighted ball with my husband/kids/friends. I've got a 2 pound ball, and 5, 8, 10, 12 and 15. It's the best way for a female to gain some upper body strength.
  • I was relatively successful with my time in the gym....however the environment killed it for me...too many egos and bad attitudes. So now I prefer to work out from home. Seems to be working so far.
  • Jerrypeoples
    Jerrypeoples Posts: 1,541 Member
    im not disciplined enough to workout at home. would wake up early in the morning and then realize i could still sleep for two hours. then say, ill work out tonight.

    tonight comes and ill watch TV for a few hours then say....ill do it in the morning


    with a gym, they are taking my money. motivation enough for me.

    i tried the body pump classes they had but soon found out that girls in the class didnt find it sexy to watch me dry heave with tears coming out of my eyes
  • Pink_turnip
    Pink_turnip Posts: 280 Member
    I love classes! It's like having a personal trainer, without the focus being solely on me.
  • Pink_turnip
    Pink_turnip Posts: 280 Member
    im not disciplined enough to workout at home. would wake up early in the morning and then realize i could still sleep for two hours. then say, ill work out tonight.

    tonight comes and ill watch TV for a few hours then say....ill do it in the morning


    with a gym, they are taking my money. motivation enough for me.

    i tried the body pump classes they had but soon found out that girls in the class didnt find it sexy to watch me dry heave with tears coming out of my eyes

    have you tried body combat? I tried it for the first time the other day and it kicked my butt!! It was a lot of fun though.
  • csheltra26
    csheltra26 Posts: 272 Member
    Both! I love Turbo Kick class and as an instructor I have access to all the workouts so if there is no class at the gym and I want to get a work out in I just pop in a CD.
    For weights, I prefer the gym because I have access to the heavier stuff there.
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    Any workout I can do is what I prefer but my most consistent and deliberate workouts are at the gym and in classes.
  • csheltra26
    csheltra26 Posts: 272 Member
    I have always struggled with classes at the gym. I can't help but feel somebody has turned a spot light on me and I feel like a fool. I can walk forever.....will walk at a gym on a treadmill but I get bored to tears. I much prefer to hit a green way. Also, if you get a couple of miles from home, you have to walk back. I like to bike....I like the changing scenery, I like the feeling of accomplishment when I have peddled 15 to 20 miles. I also like how once yoy start there is not much choice other than to finish. I like the built in accountability. I like to throw a weighted ball with my husband/kids/friends. I've got a 2 pound ball, and 5, 8, 10, 12 and 15. It's the best way for a female to gain some upper body strength.

    Give the gym another shot - 99% of the people there are focused on their own workout. I love the commraderie that builds with members of classes ;)
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
    I typically prefer doing classes at gyms. I am really lucky because my work will reimburse classes at any gym/yoga studio/etc that I want to go to! So I go to all sorts of classes at many different places... Gyms, spin studios, yoga studios, CrossFit gyms, etc. It's great! For me, classes are motivational. When I do a class, I go HARD and I won't stop or let up until it's over. When I workout on my own, I am sometimes too easy on myself and won't push myself as hard!
  • Guamybear
    Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
    I like them all..just depends on my schedule.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    I would rather just do it at home but it's a big investment for me to get all the equipment I need/ want. My living situation doesn't really allow for it, either. I can't really afford a gym membership either though. I'm just SOL right now. I've been kind of depressed about it for a while but one of these days I will get back to it.
  • tpfoodie
    tpfoodie Posts: 148 Member
    I mix it up. Classes some days, the pool on others, the gym on others. So far the only thing I haven't done is work out in my apartment.
  • djames92
    djames92 Posts: 990 Member
    doing my own thing at the gym for sure. i get to do the workout i want at the pace i want not the workout someones telling me to do at their pace. but for some people that seems to work better because it takes the "i dont wanna do this one" out of the equation. so in my opinion it comes down to if you want to push yourself or have someone else push you
  • Surisaddai
    Surisaddai Posts: 142 Member
    I do not like gyms, but have found that I love bootcamps. They are usually outside and you are competing against yourself. I have been buying lots of groupons and doing a whole lot of different workouts.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I just won't work out at home - at all.

    I'm a cheapskate, so paying for the gym ($12/month) forces me to go, and once I'm there I love it. I love that they have all the equipment I need in one location (not clogging up my space at home), and I love getting out of the house (since I work at home). I used to go to a gym with classes included in membership and I LOVED their yoga class, but it was too expensive, so I moved to a cheaper, no frills gym. The other way I love to work out is outside in nature on dirt trails in the hills.

    I despise running on sidewalks and roads in neighborhoods, though. When I see people doing it I cringe and wonder how they can stand it! (It's probably a combination of ugly suburban scenery, too many past interactions with creepers hollering at or chasing me down with their cars and the hard surfaces damaging my joints.)
  • I feel like working out in my apartment is EXTREMELY limiting mainly because of space but also because of the carpet.
    Does anybody have this problem to or am I just imagining it's harder with carpet? haha
  • OspreyVista
    OspreyVista Posts: 464 Member
    I prefer home work-outs. However, I have never tried a class, so I won't say that It wouldn't happen, I actually do want to try it. I personally do not like working out in front of anyone. It's an irrational fear I guess, that I've always had. I get anxious if I have to work out around anyone, and sometimes that can even include my fiance. I'd rather just do you tube video's and run on my treadmill. I don't believe I need a machine to tone and strength train, so I get hand weights to do so. Besides, driving an hour to a gym that is decent and worth the money, is not worth the extra 2 hours when I can spend those 2 hours on extra exercise, or on homework.
  • katiefridley
    katiefridley Posts: 151 Member
    I am a student, so I get access to our state of the art recreation center for free (if you want to look, http://www.kent.edu/recservices/index.cfm). When i am at the gym, I usually run on the indoor track. They also offer classes as well. I bought an unlimited $40 pass for the whole semester as usually take Zumba, Yoga, and Power Pump classes.
  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
    Home. I work at a large community center that has a very very nice fitness center in it. I get free access to that, and to all classes. But I don't like it. I like to wake up, eat breakfast, exercise, shower, and go about my day. Working out at home fits that.
  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
    I feel like working out in my apartment is EXTREMELY limiting mainly because of space but also because of the carpet.
    Does anybody have this problem to or am I just imagining it's harder with carpet? haha

    I can't imagine not working out on carpet.
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
    I prefer the gym and classes. I am horrible if I am left to myself at home. The couch looks way to comfortable for me to workout once I get home, it calls my name.
    I never thought I would turn into such a "gym rat" but I found the perfect gym for me. It's a smaller gym, less crowded than a lot of the chains (although it is a chain). When I started, I paid a little more than some other gyms, but it is a perfect fit for me. I was never intimitated, even 100 pounds ago. So, of you are thinking of joining a gym, try out several, most will give you a free week if you ask. Find one that is convenient and "fits" you. I also try new classes all the time, Groupon and Living Social are great places to find coupons for deals on classes.
  • justmarie
    justmarie Posts: 59 Member
    I work out at home and the gym. When I am not in mood to go to the gym, I work out at home. I use 10 Minutes Solution: Pilates to work out and I love it! Their work out routine is easy and fun. Of course, I have been doing their work out for about a month so I am somewhat bored with it already. I already ordered this DVD called Breathless Body the other day and will get the DVD this Thursday. Can't wait.

    As for the gym, I go there twice a week. I like to use their treadmill so I can do sprints. I also sometime use their machines for weight lifting...just to tone up my arms and legs. I am thinking about quitting the gym soon, but I don't know when. I am just afraid that I may get bored with working out at home one day and end up not being a member of the gym anymore.
  • hdlb
    hdlb Posts: 333 Member
    Gym. I can never seem to get into working out at home - the DVD's are so boring, and I have 3 kids and a puppy...not exactly a prime exercise enviroment.

    I belong to a gym, and have a trainer. 3 days a week I do cardio on my own, 2 days a week I weight train with the trainer. I've never done a class, and I have no desire to ever do one. All the classes are included in my membership, it just doesn't sound fun to me.

    Once the snow melts and its above freezing, I'll start running outside instead of at the gym. We have lots of forest trails that are fun for running.
  • lesliemk
    lesliemk Posts: 382 Member
    I lift at home, I do most of my cardio at home too, unless I'm out on a run. I do teach a fitness class 1x a week tho at my church's gym!
  • allie491
    allie491 Posts: 91 Member
    I prefer the gym. It forces me to burn more calories and work out longer than I actually want to (i.e well, I'm already here, might as well hop on that bike).

    I've never been a group fitness person and don't dig classes. Although, it has crossed my mind recently to try one.
  • jreeves628
    jreeves628 Posts: 123 Member
    I like to mix it up to keep it interesting. I go to the gym, go running, yoga on youtube, zumba class or dance with my Xbox Kinect. If I do the same thing everyday I get bored quickly.. I try to do something everyday.