Gym VS. working out at home

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  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    I'm a spoiled rotten princess who happily commutes an extra 40 minutes a day to have access to all the equipment I could want plus my coaches.
  • jvs125
    jvs125 Posts: 223 Member
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    I've done the gym, and I've done the working out at home. At the moment, I prefer to do it at home because it saves money, it gives me more flexibility with the schedule, and I can workout naked if I want to. I have a spinning bike at home, as well as kettlebells and dumbells. I have a few workout videos and use youtube for inspiration as needed. My workouts change with the seasons - summer I run and bike outside as much as possible and add in some circuit training when the weather isn't great or I'm really short on time. Winter, I take out the workout dvd's and complete training programs like Rushfit, Jillian Michaels, Insanity, P90x... I like giving myself monthly challenges and change it up. The gym doesn't give me all this flexibility. I do miss the gym sometimes for swimming and for spinning classes. Also, I'd like to try out some weight lifting program like Stronglifts one day, but then I'd have to go to the gym because I'm not equipped. So I'd say it depends on what you're looking for in your workout, how much money you want to spend and how flexible your schedule is/how long of a drive is the gym?
  • errollmaclean
    errollmaclean Posts: 562 Member
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    I've worked out at home for years. It's great, but it's easy to get distracted. I think a gym membership would be great because you're there for one purpose. (Although that really just depends on your focus and motivation... I'm typing this right now instead of finishing up my last set of dumbell rows, lol. )

    Positives and negatives to everything, just gotta figure out what you like. I've also found it's cheaper in the long run to buy my own stuff. No waiting for equipment. And I don't really like people, lol.
  • HollieWould1
    HollieWould1 Posts: 68 Member
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    You know what turned me off about gyms? Is the smell! I had a membership years ago and noped on renewing. Plus, I am impatient and HATED waiting for people to get off of equipment and then crossing my fingers that they wiped it down afterwards. Lots of people don't do this so you end up doing it for them.

    I spent less than 500$ on my home gym and I do not care that I have it all in my living room either. If a guest needs to sit down, they will be sitting on my weight bench.
  • GlassslippersAndFairyDust
    GlassslippersAndFairyDust Posts: 518 Member
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    HollieWould1 wrote: »
    You know what turned me off about gyms? Is the smell! I had a membership years ago and noped on renewing. Plus, I am impatient and HATED waiting for people to get off of equipment and then crossing my fingers that they wiped it down afterwards. Lots of people don't do this so you end up doing it for them.

    I spent less than 500$ on my home gym and I do not care that I have it all in my living room either. If a guest needs to sit down, they will be sitting on my weight bench.

    Iol.......my gym is in my living room too. High fiving you right now! :smiley:

  • HollieWould1
    HollieWould1 Posts: 68 Member
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    GlassslippersAndFairyDust wrote: »

    Iol.......my gym is in my living room too. High fiving you right now! :smiley:

    Return high five.

    I got rid of an eliptical for my weight bench and power rack and all. I have to put the rack together tomorrow (gahhh I hope it's easy) and I am going to be arranging some of my indoor plants to hang from the pull up bar to make it pretty when I am not using it. I will just put my hanging house plants outside during that time to get an extra bit of UV. :)

  • GreenValli
    GreenValli Posts: 1,054 Member
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    I use a gym. A new one opened up shortly after we moved here last year. The price was excellent, everything nice and well taken care of, and free session with trainer every 3-6 months. I would not be as diligent working out at home. I get distracted by all the other things that need to get done in the house. Even though it is a good price, just the fact that I am paying makes me go to "get my money's worth". I used to walk for exercise outside but now prefer a gym since I have older relatives that had many skin cancers removed. No choice is best for everyone. It may even change, but exercise is a priority for me.

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  • kristinareisinger
    kristinareisinger Posts: 37 Member
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    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »
    I hate working out at home and will use any excuse to not work out or to not spend as much time working out if I'm at home. Being at the gym motivates me to use the time that I have to do the best that I can. I go to the gym in the morning before work and it's literally two blocks from my office, so I have to drive there anyway. On the weekends I'll sometimes run 3 miles around the neighborhood but more often I go to the other gym near my house that I can put my son in daycare for 2 hours. I love them gym. Home is for relaxing for me, unless I just want to go for a run.

    WORD. I won't work as hard or as long at home as I will at the gym.
  • GlassslippersAndFairyDust
    GlassslippersAndFairyDust Posts: 518 Member
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    HollieWould1 wrote: »
    GlassslippersAndFairyDust wrote: »

    Iol.......my gym is in my living room too. High fiving you right now! :smiley:

    Return high five.

    I got rid of an eliptical for my weight bench and power rack and all. I have to put the rack together tomorrow (gahhh I hope it's easy) and I am going to be arranging some of my indoor plants to hang from the pull up bar to make it pretty when I am not using it. I will just put my hanging house plants outside during that time to get an extra bit of UV. :)

    Love it! I still have an elliptical...lol and a power rack and a stand full of weight plates in my living room. I love lifting, just wish I hadn't waited so late to start. :smile: I have a Marcy with the bench.....best money I ever spent!
  • HollieWould1
    HollieWould1 Posts: 68 Member
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    GlassslippersAndFairyDust wrote: »

    Love it! I still have an elliptical...lol and a power rack and a stand full of weight plates in my living room. I love lifting, just wish I hadn't waited so late to start. :smile: I have a Marcy with the bench.....best money I ever spent!

    I was getting so bored with the eliptical. I ditched it the other day and have been jogging outside instead. My first day of lifting was WAY more fun then the cardio machine.

    Don't feel bad. I am starting at 40. I too wish I didn't start this late.
  • GlassslippersAndFairyDust
    GlassslippersAndFairyDust Posts: 518 Member
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    HollieWould1 wrote: »
    GlassslippersAndFairyDust wrote: »

    Love it! I still have an elliptical...lol and a power rack and a stand full of weight plates in my living room. I love lifting, just wish I hadn't waited so late to start. :smile: I have a Marcy with the bench.....best money I ever spent!

    I was getting so bored with the eliptical. I ditched it the other day and have been jogging outside instead. My first day of lifting was WAY more fun then the cardio machine.

    Don't feel bad. I am starting at 40. I too wish I didn't start this late.


    :) Better late than never!

  • demoiselle2014
    demoiselle2014 Posts: 474 Member
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    The only time I successfully worked out over a long period (6+ months) at a gym was when I told myself that I didn't have to work out, I just had to go in to use the steam room and sauna for my back. Once I got there, I usually did quite a good workout as well. But that was a gym 45 minutes away downtown. When I had a membership in a gym across the street (literally), I never went. The facilities weren't nice enough to tempt me, and there was a crazy guy I'd sometimes be alone in the weight room with who made me nervous.

    I liked having a 3 month groupon at a yoga studio, but the 45 minute trip to get there and back made taking an hour class a time suck.

    Now, I put my gym money towards dance lessons with my husband, and work out at home or outside. I find I work out much more this way (though I've only been doing it for two months). Often 1-2 hours per day of activity (plus dancing several days per week). It helps that I work from home, so I have lots of time available here.
  • Dead_Darling
    Dead_Darling Posts: 478 Member
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    I work out at home between Monday to Friday and on Saturdays when I'm staying at my boyfriend's place for the weekend, I go to the gym near his place and then go for a 4 mile walk afterwards. The walk is lovely during the summer because it's near fields, so everything is in full bloom.

    I don't mind the gym because it's generally quiet and I can turn up the music on the radio as loud as I want to! It is only a 5mins drive from his place, so there's that convenience. It can be a bit costly, but just last weekend the gym manager's offered to give me a 20% discount to what I usually pay, so I'm tempted to take up that offer.

    My brother bought a set of weights and dumbbells years ago, and along with my Zumba dvds and Youtube, I can get a decent workout in everyday. I'm looking to buy more dumbbells and plates for him, because he lifts quite often, and I'm guessing that it's getting a bit too light lol

    I'm just as focused working out at home as I am in the gym, but the overall benefit for me is that at home, I don't get that horrible self consciousness feeling.
  • Soundwave79
    Soundwave79 Posts: 469 Member
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    I've invested alot of money in home workout equipment over the years so I have no need for the gym. I certainly don't have everything the gym provides but enough to accomplish what I want. It's ridiculous how expensive stuff like dumbbells are. On sale you can get them for about $1 a pound at places like Walmart or Dicks Sporting Goods. When you start getting into the 50-100 pound range of dumbbells it becomes a very expensive investment. But it's also a once in a lifetime purchase so it's worth it for me. I prefer cardio that doesn't involve me droning away on a machine. I mix it up between Insanity, T25, P90X. I particularly enjoy the MMX type videos. Or I just get in some road work and go on a long run. When it comes to weight training I love the fact that I don't have to share, can do power/drop/progressive sets without pissing off other gym members, can grunt as loud as I want. Yes I get some eye rolls from my two teenage daughters but hey.. I can live with that. :)
  • Timorous_Beastie
    Timorous_Beastie Posts: 595 Member
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    I work out at/from home. I lift weights and run outside. There's a handful of days each year when I wish I had a gym membership - when it's really hot or cold or icy or torrential downpours - but overall, I exercise more consistently when it's just a matter of walking out the door to run or going to the spare bedroom where I keep my weight bench, rather than driving 20-30 minutes each way to get to the gym.

  • cadillaccowboy
    cadillaccowboy Posts: 15 Member
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    Personally I would opt for going to the gym as I know that I would not have the motivation to do it at home. I am fortunate to live within five minutes walk of a brand new gym with lots of new modern equipment and I have also persuaded my neighbour to join so we go together three times a week. She has also started swimming there too and so I have plucked up the courage to buy a swimsuit and I am going to try swimming too - haven't swum since having a mastectomy ten years ago so I need a bit of encouragement! However set all that aside, if you have the determination and equipment, you can save money by exercising at home. Whatever suits you best, as long as you DO IT!
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
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    I love going to the gym, when I would try to get a workout routine started at home, I would always fail. The TV and the couch always seemed to win. I also don't have any room to dedicate to workout space. It also motivates me when I see someone else working out really hard at the gym. After over five years of having a gym membership, I don't think I could ever go back.
  • lucyholdcroft363
    lucyholdcroft363 Posts: 124 Member
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    I adore the gym. The environment, the people, the classes, the motivation and a cheeky sauna after! My home is for Netflix and running.
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
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    GlassslippersAndFairyDust wrote: »
    HollieWould1 wrote: »
    GlassslippersAndFairyDust wrote: »

    Love it! I still have an elliptical...lol and a power rack and a stand full of weight plates in my living room. I love lifting, just wish I hadn't waited so late to start. :smile: I have a Marcy with the bench.....best money I ever spent!

    I was getting so bored with the eliptical. I ditched it the other day and have been jogging outside instead. My first day of lifting was WAY more fun then the cardio machine.

    Don't feel bad. I am starting at 40. I too wish I didn't start this late.


    :) Better late than never!

    I started at 39 :) and love every minute of it.
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
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    I go to the gym because I don't have the space for an olympic lifting set in my house. If you can do the workouts you want to do at home, then I don't see a reason to unnecessarily spend the extra money.

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