gym membership or buy a treadmill?

LL1894
LL1894 Posts: 21 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
should I spend £55 a month for gym membership with access to a swimming pool? or should i buy a treadmill and have constant access to a workout so i have no excuses not to excercise? what do you guys think I should do? I've been changing my mind everyday for the past week it's making my head hurt, any advice or help with this decision would be greatly appreciated!
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Replies

  • Docmahi
    Docmahi Posts: 1,603 Member
    whichever you think you will do consistently - I've had a treadmill in my basement for years but I never use it, but I go to the gym 4-5 times a week for the last two years because it is way more fun for me

    whatever you will stick with and adopt into your lifestyle is the way to go
  • DianneP6772
    DianneP6772 Posts: 272 Member
    Is the gym close by, or is it on the way - to or from work? In my experience - it has to be very convenient for me to use. If it is, I will, if not - it gets missed over and over - and there you go paying that monthly fee.
  • ShannanG777
    ShannanG777 Posts: 6 Member
    In my experience, actually going to a place dedicated to fitness (the gym) made me work out. Where as having exercise equipment at home... there was always something else I had to do, and I never got around to doing it.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    I work out 3 days/week at the gym and 3 days/week at home. I have a Concept 2 rower at home that I sometimes incorporate into my home workouts. It was worth getting because we use it.

    Anyway, the key is scheduling and doing. If you can't commit, they're both a waste of money.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,693 Member
    If all you plan to do is drone away on a dreadmill...I mean treadmill, then just get the treadmill. A gym is going to provide you with a lot more than just access to a treadmill and a pool. Personally, variety is the spice of life. Not to mention, most gyms have a weight room...resistance training is essential to a balanced fitness regimen.

    For what it's worth, most people who have exercise equipment in their home rarely use it...or rarely use it for long. They usually just end up being really expensive coat racks or places to hang your laundry. At least with a gym membership you can just do month to month...if you find yourself wusing out just cancel...no harm no foul and you didn't drop a grand on a coat rack.
  • megan1869
    megan1869 Posts: 166 Member
    I love having a treadmill. In my experience as long as it is near a TV I am good to go! I pick a series that I really want to watch on Netflix or regular television and make it a rule that I can watch it ONLY if I am using the treadmill... that being said I've had it a long time and also keep a gym membership for when I want to swap it up - my gym includes classes, pool, sauna etc.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    You've had access to walking your entire life. Why do you need a treadmill?
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
    treadmill if you live where the bitter cold month are about to hit us,,,,no excuse to slack off then
  • Ribena145
    Ribena145 Posts: 201 Member
    I agree with the others....go to the gym - more variety. Plus you can always stop your membership if you move for example or want to try another gym (whatever), but that treadmill would have to go with you and who gets to move it? Plus the treadmill loses it's value like a car.....the minute you take if off the lot.....you lose half the value!
  • sasers
    sasers Posts: 146 Member
    I use my treadmill every day. It's nice to be able to use in my spare time, I can do it summer or winter indoors. I can read while I walk. Since my schedule changes all the time, it's nice to have available when ever I need it. I don't have to drive anywhere...I can change my speed and incline settings and don't have to worry about the heat/rain/snow/dogs etc.
  • Lili0817
    Lili0817 Posts: 109 Member
    I say go to the gym where you can get a full body workout and lift weights. They may also have some good classes. For me, I get motivated seeing other people around me workout. I also don't think you're going to get the best workout by just doing a tredmill. It may be OK for cardio, but what about building muscle and getting toned? Only muscle looks good naked :)
  • redladywitch
    redladywitch Posts: 799 Member
    The problem is that treadmills eventually require some type of maintenance or break down all together. That is expensive and not worth the cost of the repairs. I had a treadmill. This happened to me and my treadmill took up a huge amount of room.

    The gym will offer you more options When you're ready, you can lift weights or even join the classes they offer. There is usually a swimming pool. You also have access to personal trainers, yoga classes, and even martial arts classes most of the time.

    I go to a gym now and I love it. I use the treadmill because it's easier for me to use than some of the other equipment. I also use the elliptical machine and the weight room.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    are you going to do anything other than cardio?

    the answer to this = /thread.
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
    You've had access to walking your entire life. Why do you need a treadmill?
    if only it was that simple...its a good thought but as with many things in life...its never that simple if it were we would all be the perfect weight....
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    You've had access to walking your entire life. Why do you need a treadmill?

    If you can actually commit to an activity during entertainment, it's a solid investment. Can watch a show and exercise at the same time.

    And some people live in areas where a treadmill is a much better option at night.

    We had a treadmill for a while that we got for free. Was a good investment at that price. When we got tired of it, we put it on the street and it was gone in a day.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,581 Member
    run outside, it's free and a lot less boring. Still get the membership for access to other stuff if that's what you want to do.
  • griffith5150
    griffith5150 Posts: 123
    Took me awhile to figure out myself but I will do the gym membership, a couple reasons, if I am going to spend money on a gym membership damn than I rather use it than lose out that money. Some reason it doesn't work out that way with me when it comes to be in my house, example would be my Sony PS3 and Xbox 360 they just sit there and I play PC games instead. :frown:
    So I know to myself it just be one really big and expensive paper weight. Also I like the idea of doing weight training or spinning or something else the gym offers over the treadmill.
  • justlast
    justlast Posts: 30
    my treadmill has been a complete godsend, but i'm also really anxious about people seeing me exercise - if you don't have those kind of issues, a gym membership would probably be a better bet.
  • sugboog29
    sugboog29 Posts: 630 Member
    I have a treadmill in my garage and use it minimum of 3 times a week. My answer to you...join the gym, much more equipment there than just cardio on the treadmill. Possibly classes you can join in on, etc. I love my treadmill and when the weather outside is bad I really like it. But to add to my workout I have a ton of DVD's but would love to join a gym. Unfortunately I live in a very small town and we have 2 different ones, the VERY expensive and the reasonably priced one. The reasonably priced one is extremely small and always crowded. Search to see if there is a good gym close to you that is reasonably priced, then go for it!
  • _EndGame_
    _EndGame_ Posts: 770 Member
    You're paying £55 a month for a gym membership that gives access to a swimming pool? Wow... Mines £15 a month, with unlimited access to the swimming pool at my local sports centre. I would say find a cheaper gym.

    I do have a treadmill at home, but as stated above, I recently joined a gym, for a reasonable price, which if I stick to going, will make the treadmill useless, so I'll end up selling it. Don't get me wrong though, the treadmill has been a GREAT buy for me upto now, I just figured going to the gym would be the next step (contemplating going swimming for the first time since I was 13)

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