Buy weights or join a gym?
Options
Katterin227
Posts: 105 Member
I want to start lifting, and have been looking at options. There are two gyms I could join, or I could buy home equipment. Any thoughts based on the pros/cons below?
Home equipment pros: most flexibility to work out when I want; childcare isn't a factor because she can just play/watch videos while I work out; eventually the equipment pays for itself compared to ongoing gym fees; ability to work out in the privacy of my own home
cons: most up-front cost; I have a habit of diving into new interests and spending a lot of money on things I don't use for long; safety issues of lifting alone; would have to do some serious rearranging of either the garage (which would be super hot in the Texas summers) or the guest room to make space.
Gym A pros: Close to home; 24 hours; cheapest up front cost; childcare available weekdays and Saturday mornings; access to trainers/other lifters.
cons: Can only work out when childcare is open or I can get someone to babysit; ongoing cost (but cheaper than gym B, and it would take a while to add up to the cost of home equipment); intimidation factor.
Gym B pros: Close to work; awesome, luxurious facility with great amenities including relatively cheap massages; indoor and outdoor tracks if I decide to get back into running instead of/in addition to lifting; could do cardio with boss and coworker at lunch on non-lifting work days; would work out before/after work or at lunch so child care would roll into what I've already got covered rather than needing separate arrangements; childcare available most hours the gym is open if I go on a weekend or other nonworking day; access to trainers/other lifters
cons: significant upfront cost due to high enrollment fee; highest ongoing cost; too far from home to regularly work out on weekends; least flexibility in when I work out; intimidation factor.
Home equipment pros: most flexibility to work out when I want; childcare isn't a factor because she can just play/watch videos while I work out; eventually the equipment pays for itself compared to ongoing gym fees; ability to work out in the privacy of my own home
cons: most up-front cost; I have a habit of diving into new interests and spending a lot of money on things I don't use for long; safety issues of lifting alone; would have to do some serious rearranging of either the garage (which would be super hot in the Texas summers) or the guest room to make space.
Gym A pros: Close to home; 24 hours; cheapest up front cost; childcare available weekdays and Saturday mornings; access to trainers/other lifters.
cons: Can only work out when childcare is open or I can get someone to babysit; ongoing cost (but cheaper than gym B, and it would take a while to add up to the cost of home equipment); intimidation factor.
Gym B pros: Close to work; awesome, luxurious facility with great amenities including relatively cheap massages; indoor and outdoor tracks if I decide to get back into running instead of/in addition to lifting; could do cardio with boss and coworker at lunch on non-lifting work days; would work out before/after work or at lunch so child care would roll into what I've already got covered rather than needing separate arrangements; childcare available most hours the gym is open if I go on a weekend or other nonworking day; access to trainers/other lifters
cons: significant upfront cost due to high enrollment fee; highest ongoing cost; too far from home to regularly work out on weekends; least flexibility in when I work out; intimidation factor.
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Replies
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Build your own home gym - hands down. Got everything I needed from craigslist (bench, power rack, oly bar, weights, dumbbells, etc) all for about 500 bucks. I workout in my garage after the kids go to bed, turn the baby monitor on and I'm good to go. Best decision I ever made fitness-wise. No more smelly people at the gym hogging the squat rack. I can do everything at home. My rack has a lat pulldown and seated row attachment and my bench has a leg curl/leg extension attachment. If you're patient you can find some real bargains. ;)You can still do cardio at work for lunch, or again, invest in a cheap, used one from craigslist. I got mine half off from a Sears outlet a few years ago. It was a floor model so it was barely used. Bam!0
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I vote for home gym as well.
My current squat rack was 50$...my husband made it out of wood...(he is so handy)
Bench was a hand me down and some of the plates too...I have since bought or been given for Christmas etc 4 25lb plates, 4 10lb plates and 4 2.5lb plates...chalk 3.49 for a block so I bought two..28$ for pads under the stuff, 2 bars which were gifts, 1 I had from previous weight lifting...so maybe a total of 250$(which includes gift costs)
My son the welder is making me a power rack (a big metal one) for my birthday with my husband...estimated cost 250$ for metal, 50$ for welding supplies...:drinker:
As well there are really good deals on 2nd hand sites etc (my husband had a chance at olympic set) for 150$ and didn't jump at it...:sad: ...but that being said I saw a new bench for 75$ on Kijiji..
So costs aside I love the fact I can workout whenever I want...might be 6am...might be 9pm. I have a bathroom at my disposal...can get ice water whenever I want...
I don't have any bro's (well my son but he doesn't count) telling me how to lift or give me pointers...
My husband has learned not to goose me when I am doing OHP...:bigsmile:
And best of all I don't get in trouble when I don't put the plates back...:laugh: and I can curse a blue streak if I want and yell and the only one's that get upset are my cats...:bigsmile:
*management is wrapped around my little finger*0 -
I'd go to a gym first to see that you love it and are committed to it. It would be silly to shell out on a bunch of kit you've never used and then never use it!0
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I'd go to a gym first to see that you love it and are committed to it. It would be silly to shell out on a bunch of kit you've never used and then never use it!
Yeah, can you join gym A for a short time and see if it sticks past the honeymoon period, then go for the home gym?
Also, you can sell you stuff on Craigslist but you can never get the gym fees back. I've belonged to a gym for a very long time, but I'm moving soon and hoping to allocate some space for working out at home soooon!0 -
I'm a home gym person. Bought all mine off craigslist and FB classifieds. I have about a $4000 home gym for less than a grand. Includes 3 different benches, About 500lbs of weight, Oly bar, & dumbells, and the bowflex adjustables with a rack, a weight machine, a power rack/smith machine/ all in one as well as various other pieces and mirrors too.
If you hold out for the pieces you want on craigslist something always comes along, AND if you decide you aren't going to stick with it, you can usually recoup your investment reselling back on craigslist.
I love the ability to work out whenever and not worry about waiting on something or other people telling me crap I don't want to hear. I also dress however I want, and plug in my phone and listen to my own music without dealing with an ear piece. I take my kindle down to the basement/gym too and then if I question my form I pull it up on you tube real quick.0 -
I'd go to a gym first to see that you love it and are committed to it. It would be silly to shell out on a bunch of kit you've never used and then never use it!
Yeah, can you join gym A for a short time and see if it sticks past the honeymoon period, then go for the home gym?
Yeah, that's what I'm going to do - I signed up online with gym A last night and will go this afternoon. I definitely see the advantages of a home gym, and assuming I'm still lifting in a month or two, I'll start combing through Craigslist. Thanks for the feedback!0 -
I'd go to a gym first to see that you love it and are committed to it. It would be silly to shell out on a bunch of kit you've never used and then never use it!
Yeah, can you join gym A for a short time and see if it sticks past the honeymoon period, then go for the home gym?
Yeah, that's what I'm going to do - I signed up online with gym A last night and will go this afternoon. I definitely see the advantages of a home gym, and assuming I'm still lifting in a month or two, I'll start combing through Craigslist. Thanks for the feedback!
Good idea! And the good thing is you have plenty of time to look for good deals on Craigslist. I just bought a bench with rack, oly bar, and 255 pounds of plates for $180 from a guy on Craigslist. All I really need now is a power/squat rack. I don't see myself needing any more plates for quite a while, since even my deadlift won't be up to 300 pounds for a long, long time.
Hope you enjoy lifting!0 -
Ack, I totally glossed over the fact that you said you wanted to *start* lifting. If that is a case, and you're a total newb, disregard my advice. Join the gym, make sure it's something you can see yourself doing for a long time. Then invest in a home gym.
My bad!0 -
I predict you will get addicted and want to start looking for home gym equipment soon! :bigsmile: But best to try it for awhile to find out!
Personally I like the gym. My problem is that we live out in the country so it's a drive to get there. I go when my son is in preschool, and take my daughter to the day care. I like having different equipment available and sometimes do classes for cardio or use the treadmill or track. The weather here is not good here for exercising outside a lot of the time.
I am transitioning to a home gym for weights since my DS will be riding the bus next year so I won't have to drive and can stay home. It is nice to exercise in the privacy of my own shed.0 -
I joined a gym because we don't have the space for the rack at home (am surprised at how many do have the room just on this thread - where are you putting them??).
The gym has the benefit of giving me some distraction-free time just for me, a range of other equipment if I ever get interested, free classes to try out new exercises, a sauna(!!!) and advice from professionals.0 -
II have a habit of diving into new interests and spending a lot of money on things I don't use for long.
This sentence stuck out to me the most. I certainly hope this won't become the case when it comes to lifting/fitness. That being said, I would try and find a gym with no enrollment fees or cancellations fee i.e. one you can join and pay month to month, and cancel whenever you want without $ penalty. See how you feel after being in a gym a while then make your decision as to whether or not you continue at a gym or start building your gym @ home.
Personally, I hate working out at gyms, and I work at one! I love, LOVE my home gym! No lines, the music is always kickass, it's close (right downstairs), and it's open 24 hours.
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I prefer the gym... it is my getaway from being around kids all day. As well as I live in NYC in an apartment and I don't think the downstairs neighbor would appreciate me dropping 200lb deadlifts on her ceiling. :laugh:0
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II have a habit of diving into new interests and spending a lot of money on things I don't use for long.
This sentence stuck out to me the most. I certainly hope this won't become the case when it comes to lifting/fitness.
I certainly don't intend to give up on fitness, but whether lifting weights at home is the way I can best stick with it is something that remains to be seen!
I've done two workouts at the gym so far and am pleased with how things are going. I was there at a pretty peak time today (early evening after work, much more crowded than Friday at 4) and didn't have a problem getting the equipment I needed. The biggest inconvenience is the time spent getting there and the cost of childcare, but once there, it's all going well.0 -
If you buy a squat rack, you can nearly eliminate the risk of hurting yourself while working out alone. You can also buy the bulk of the equipment on craigslist for pretty cheap. If you hate it, you can also sell it on craigslist pretty easily.
I have something like this: http://www.discountonlinefitness.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e9eac4083af1bf3e0366a14280110ed/i/n/ins-olympic_squat_rack_wo.jpg
Technically, you're only supposed to squat in it. However, I pull my bench ($25 on craiglist) under the front bit and do my bench presses with the horizontal bar as a safety backup. I also do my overhead press while standing in the rack. The only thing I can't do standing in the rack is the deadlift.
Weight plates, bar, and locking pices: $150
Bench: $25
Squat rack: $250
Pads for the ground: $50 (the only thing we got on amazon because we needed to cover a big space)
Total: $475
I would probably be able to sell it all on craigslist today for $250-300 if I wanted to (I don't).0
