Why I'm swapping the gym for home workouts
Lysander666
Posts: 275 Member
First of all I should point out that the LAST reason is money. Yes, home is free, the gym is not, but here are the reasons why these days I opt to workout at home with nothing but a mat and free weights after six months at the gym.
- The main reason is machine availability. The gym is just way too busy on week nights. It gets to the point where people are queuing for machines and I can't rest for 60 seconds between sets without someone saying "can I jump in mate?". The benches are NEVER free. Always used up by people. The other night I saw someone come on to the gym floor and they just mouthed "oh my God...." when they saw all the people.
- The instructors. Do they really know what they're talking about? I am told that female instructors aren't great for strength training. I don't know the truth behind this, but what I do know is that the gym has clearly changed their thinking behind how they train people. The same instructor two years ago have me a much better routine than she did this time round because "we don't do it that way anymore". Maybe because people got results too quickly?
- Concentration. This is a very important point. At the moment I am doing a lot of long sets for BW exercises. I find that if I do these in the gym there are just too many distractions. People laughing, messing about, shouting on their phones. My abs routine needs a lot of concentration especially and I can't be done with people disturbing me.
Yes the gym is good for cardio but I live in a nice place and it's no trouble for me to go out for a run by the river after a weights workout.
Those are the three main reasons. I actually love my gym and the location. It's a clean, nice building and the staff are lovely too but I just can't face going at the moment. Home workouts are doing well for me and can be just as demanding. Well.. and the showers and changing rooms are in the same building.
Does anyone else feel similarly?
- The main reason is machine availability. The gym is just way too busy on week nights. It gets to the point where people are queuing for machines and I can't rest for 60 seconds between sets without someone saying "can I jump in mate?". The benches are NEVER free. Always used up by people. The other night I saw someone come on to the gym floor and they just mouthed "oh my God...." when they saw all the people.
- The instructors. Do they really know what they're talking about? I am told that female instructors aren't great for strength training. I don't know the truth behind this, but what I do know is that the gym has clearly changed their thinking behind how they train people. The same instructor two years ago have me a much better routine than she did this time round because "we don't do it that way anymore". Maybe because people got results too quickly?
- Concentration. This is a very important point. At the moment I am doing a lot of long sets for BW exercises. I find that if I do these in the gym there are just too many distractions. People laughing, messing about, shouting on their phones. My abs routine needs a lot of concentration especially and I can't be done with people disturbing me.
Yes the gym is good for cardio but I live in a nice place and it's no trouble for me to go out for a run by the river after a weights workout.
Those are the three main reasons. I actually love my gym and the location. It's a clean, nice building and the staff are lovely too but I just can't face going at the moment. Home workouts are doing well for me and can be just as demanding. Well.. and the showers and changing rooms are in the same building.
Does anyone else feel similarly?
0
Replies
-
Yes I absolutely agree with you. Exactly the reason i am not renewing my gym membership.0
-
Yes! I lost 20 pounds last year without ever stepping foot in a gym. There are many workout DVD's that are really effective. No one ever believes me. It's always..."I don't get a real workout unless I go to the gym, that isnt a real workout". I agree with you 100% your body and some free weights is all you really need.0
-
I used to look forward to going. But now I just want to avoid it. It's not the place, it's not the facilities, it's the people.0
-
Nope, love the gym.
Have no issues at all with equipment availability, and rarely any issue with "crowding".
What's an "abs routine"?0 -
I agree. I have some of the same issues with the gym. Another issue of mine is the the free gym at work doesn't open until 5:30am and I have to be in the office at 7:30am. I have tried going to the gym during lunch and after work, but it is way to crowded at those times.0
-
What's an "abs routine"?
Supersets for abdominal muscle strengthening. It's quite intense and takes several minutes with no break.0 -
What's an "abs routine"?
Supersets for abdominal muscle strengthening. It's quite intense and takes several minutes with no break.
Huh, I thought that's what compound movements/exercises were for.0 -
I like working out at home... every since I got the Wii and other DVD workouts ... besides I feel more comfortable at home...0
-
I think you need a new gym! This is not the case at my gym, but if it was, I would hate it!0
-
I gave up going mainly due to a lack of time but I find the more I do the more I miss the variety of weights and equipment. I have some bits at home but it would cost a fortune to get everything I would have used at the gym. I can't justify the cost of going back though0
-
Your gym sucks. I don't see queues to the machines in mine. On the other hand if you have the money you can open another gym in the vicinity, because you know you got potential clients.0
-
I hate waiting for machines!
So I went halves with my family (who live in the same village) on a running machine, bike, rowing machine etc...Over the last two years it has been more cost effective for me, it's time effective as my office is basically my second home and therefore it makes it easier to slot in workouts around this.
In relation to weights/pilates etc I use online print outs/videos and buy DVD's
Plus I get out into the great outdoors!!!
I know that not everyone can set up this kind of thing and I will have to join a gym when I move in with my partner and pay to attend the quietest gym I can find...To anyone interested it is worth checking Friday Ad's/Ebay and department store sales as Gym equipment is not as expensive as you may think...0 -
That's why I love my "home gym"!0
-
Nope, love my gym. I'd rather be there than home. BUT if I wanted to do all bodyweight exercises and didn't want to swim or use the sauna... well, I'd still pick the gym because there's nowhere in my house you could do a burpee, but theoretically if I had the space then I wouldn't waste my time and money going somewhere else to do the same workout I could do right there.
But yes, I agree that crowded gyms are teh suck. I go in the morning and almost never have to wait - the other day a trainer was hogging up the entire cable setup for his client, but meh, I just did dumbbells instead. And that's pretty unusual.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.3K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 424 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions