Home workouts or Gym memberships
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I prefer working out at the gym. I do run at home on the weekends and will sometimes do a light strength training session with my 10 lb barbells. During the week though it's all about the gym. I leave early and go before work, I prefer driving at that time vs an hour later during rush hour. If I don't go to the gym before work then I'm subjected to Stampy youtube videos playing in the background from my 6 year old while I'm getting ready. I feel like I get a lot more accomplished at the gym, they have a scale, I use their water for showering, their coffee is already made and waiting for me, there's a pool and a squat rack/etc. When I'm home, I'm a bum, when I'm at the gym I'm a badass (or so I like to think, lmao!).
eta: there's also TONS of classes, when I'm in the mood for them5 -
annapage38 wrote: »JoshuaMcAllister wrote: »billutzman wrote: »I prefer working out at home doing beachbody dvds, or on my elliptical, or jogging outdoors.
I figure by the time I would get ready for the gym, find my keys, actually drive there, and start workout, I would be done at home. It is a timesaver st home. Plus in yrs past, the meat heads that think they rule the place hangout at equip and just mentally bother me. I went to a planet fitness once and was impressed with the fact the equipment seemed open and normal folks were there.
What are other folks reasons for preferring gym over home or vice versa?
Walk, run or cycle to the gym and you've saved yourself the headache of finding your keys and driving. (I'll never understand those who choose too drive to the gym then spend 30 minutes on cardio equipment, it's similar to when I hear "I'm just going to jump in the car to take the dog a walk")
I do both, I don't mind training at home but you are very limited to what exercises you can do. The bulk of my training is done in the gym, with the occasional home workout.
PS. Meat heads are in every gym. Focus on your training, not what they may or not be doing. Its usually the latter.
I mean, people are lucky to have a gym close enough to them to walk/run/cycle. I chose my gym because it's a cheap price of £10 pm. I go every day without fail and do HIIT classes - yes I can do them at home, but I love the atmosphere at my gym, the PTs are wonderful and so friendly. I also will use the cardio machines too. You also have to think that maybe the gym isn't in the nicest neighborhood... I 100% would not be happy walking through my gym's area.
There's two sides to every story
This is true. I love my gym and about 95% of the time, I walk there. It's a mile away from my place. However, in situations such as today when I decide to go at 5 am, I drive. It's still dark out and my neighborhood is not horrible, but also not the greatest. Mostly a lot of aggressive homeless people around when it's dark. So that's when I do drive.
During the day or early evening, it's a perfectly fine walk!2 -
Haven't been the to gym in years - no time with work and bike riding. I hate exchanging the limited time I have outside on the bike for time spent inside a gym.1
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Gym. Because its hard to be a meathead at home.4
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I need the motivation of the gym. It's a sacrifice for me to pay for the gym, so it makes me feel that I need to use it to justify the expense. And at home, the couch and TV are there just beckoning for me to make myself comfortable. They're a "great" excuse to skip the workout. My hat goes off to people who are motivated enough to work out at home.
I also have a small place and couldn't possibly do the kind of workouts I can do at the gym.1 -
I used to have a gym membership and enjoyed it for more than a year. Toward the end, I hated to go there so much that I was wasting money on the membership. I believe I hated it because I felt I should be doing more to keep my home and yard clean. Counting the getting ready and driving, the gym was about a 2-hour commitment every time I went. Now I'm trying to get more activity at home, but I must confess I'm not keeping my home and yard a lot cleaner. More time seems to go to websites like MFP now.
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I am a meathead in my own home and can act and be beasty all I want without being judged! Nothing like quick access to shower, food, no waiting, no driving or commute, and no other meatheads in my way!
It took me a year to buy the stuff, I am going to use it and it will never be used as a clothes hanger!3 -
I like going to my small workplace gym, although I sometimes work out at home or outdoors. I also go to a couple of pools to swim. The workplace gym is very economical ($150/year) because it is subsidized. Hard to beat that. Plus, it's like the Cheers bar: everyone knows your name.0
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I love my home gym. I have a big house so space isn't an issue. I have a treadmill, power rack, bar+plates, powerblocks, bench, resistance bands, etc. If I had to drive to the gym I would only go twice a week at most. At home, I get in 5-6 workouts a week, mostly in the mornings before the kids wake up.2
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Both. I love the gym atmosphere so that's where I work out during the week. Home gym on the weekends or days off or days when it's too dangerous to be on the roads due to snow and ice.0
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Whatever works for you is best. For me I find it too easy to procrastinate or get distracted at home. Going to the gym makes me focus on exercising while I'm there. I don't socialize at all at the gym; I'm there to train.1
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annapage38 wrote: »JoshuaMcAllister wrote: »billutzman wrote: »I prefer working out at home doing beachbody dvds, or on my elliptical, or jogging outdoors.
I figure by the time I would get ready for the gym, find my keys, actually drive there, and start workout, I would be done at home. It is a timesaver st home. Plus in yrs past, the meat heads that think they rule the place hangout at equip and just mentally bother me. I went to a planet fitness once and was impressed with the fact the equipment seemed open and normal folks were there.
What are other folks reasons for preferring gym over home or vice versa?
Walk, run or cycle to the gym and you've saved yourself the headache of finding your keys and driving. (I'll never understand those who choose too drive to the gym then spend 30 minutes on cardio equipment, it's similar to when I hear "I'm just going to jump in the car to take the dog a walk")
I do both, I don't mind training at home but you are very limited to what exercises you can do. The bulk of my training is done in the gym, with the occasional home workout.
PS. Meat heads are in every gym. Focus on your training, not what they may or not be doing. Its usually the latter.
I mean, people are lucky to have a gym close enough to them to walk/run/cycle. I chose my gym because it's a cheap price of £10 pm. I go every day without fail and do HIIT classes - yes I can do them at home, but I love the atmosphere at my gym, the PTs are wonderful and so friendly. I also will use the cardio machines too. You also have to think that maybe the gym isn't in the nicest neighborhood... I 100% would not be happy walking through my gym's area.
There's two sides to every story
I understand the premis of your argument but take into consideration the extra milage, fuel consumption, wear and tear attributed to driving to the gym, not to mention the cO2 damage cause by short duration trips. Calculate that over the year, then tell me it's cheaper to pay $10 a month rather than $20 actually saves you money. I have a sneaking suspicion that it won't.
I haven't always lived within walking distance but I incorporated the trip into my fitness regime. Healthier and heavier in the wallet thanks to it.0 -
Jogging, biking to gym sounds easy except not safe on 4 lane highways to get there. A typical jogging pace is what? 11min miles? Do the math, if the gym is 5miles from home, by the time you get there, just turn around and go home. Boom! 2 hrs has passed. Like anyone has 2hrs each day to spend at a gym.
Maybe "meatheads" was too broad. I cant lump every musclehead into that category.
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I prefer the gym. My home is where I go to relax, not work out, so I tend to put off working out until it's too late, I'm too tired, the dogs want attention, etc. I hit the gym right after the work, before I get home, so once I get home I just relax. Also, even the crappiest gym is better equipped than my own home could be. Even if I had the money to equip my home I don't have the space.0
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I prefer the gym. I find when working out at home I don't push myself as hard.... Because I know no one is watching maybe? I have my routines already wrote out so I know exactly what I'm doing for the week or weeks.
I've also made friends at the gym and have the ability to ask for a spot if needed and really push myself. Also this is my time. When at home you can be distracted by others or things you need to do around the house!
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I have a barbell set/bench/squat stands stuffed into my tiny basement, so don't really have a need for a gym. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where cardio is easily had outdoors. I'm also an unfortunate control freak and the idea of having to fight for equipment, having to substitute exercises, or dealing with any of the issues mentioned in all the gym etiquette threads here have my anxiety bubbling up.
Downside is that I never get to play with the fancy new gym stuff they're always coming out with. There's a gym a couple blocks from me that literally looks like a playground for adults!
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got all my stuff in my own gym, can go when I want0
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billutzman wrote: »I prefer working out at home doing beachbody dvds, or on my elliptical, or jogging outdoors.
I figure by the time I would get ready for the gym, find my keys, actually drive there, and start workout, I would be done at home. It is a timesaver st home. Plus in yrs past, the meat heads that think they rule the place hangout at equip and just mentally bother me. I went to a planet fitness once and was impressed with the fact the equipment seemed open and normal folks were there.
What are other folks reasons for preferring gym over home or vice versa?
I prefer the gym. I just don't have the discipline to work out at home. I have equipment, and occasionally I will get in an arm workout or abs....but there are too many other things I need to do at home so working out just doesn't get top priority there. But once I am at the gym, I am there. And I will stay as long as I can to get done as much as I can. Just a mental thing I guess.1 -
JoshuaMcAllister wrote: »
Walk, run or cycle to the gym and you've saved yourself the headache of finding your keys and driving. (I'll never understand those who choose too drive to the gym then spend 30 minutes on cardio equipment, it's similar to when I hear "I'm just going to jump in the car to take the dog a walk")
that's pretty judgemental. i can tell you reasons to drive to the gym -
physical issues. many people who can work out on cardio equipment have injuries, conditions or are just in poor condition and can't walk up and down hills for an hour to get to the gym, then work out and then walk home. lots of people with knee tears are told to ride a bike but not do any strenuous walking (hills and stuff) or biking.
often the closest gyms aren't close enough to walk to. aside from my physical limitations, i don't have the time to walk several miles each way on top of a workout. if i had that much time, driving means i could spend that time working out instead of walking to the gym.
the traffic here and many other places is insane. it can make biking or walking challenging, and in some spots with poor visibility on the road, dangerous.
let's not forget temperature and weather. it gets over 90 here in l.a. for part of the summer, and after walking an hour in 90 degrees, i probably won't even feel well enough to walk home. some people live in places like arizona and nevada - i'd say walking in 100+ degree heat for half an hour or longer each way isn't a great way to start or end a workout. and walking in freezing cold and snow? probably better to drive to the gym or work out at home.
a lot of people have small children that they leave at the gym's daycare or drop off with a friend to watch for the single hour they have to work out.
for those who have no injuries, time constraints or other issues and live close enough, walking or biking to the gym would be great. for the rest of us, driving to the gym or working out at home is what gets us there in good enough condition to work out.
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itsbasschick wrote: »JoshuaMcAllister wrote: »
Walk, run or cycle to the gym and you've saved yourself the headache of finding your keys and driving. (I'll never understand those who choose too drive to the gym then spend 30 minutes on cardio equipment, it's similar to when I hear "I'm just going to jump in the car to take the dog a walk")
that's pretty judgemental. i can tell you reasons to drive to the gym -
physical issues. many people who can work out on cardio equipment have injuries, conditions or are just in poor condition and can't walk up and down hills for an hour to get to the gym, then work out and then walk home. lots of people with knee tears are told to ride a bike but not do any strenuous walking (hills and stuff) or biking.
often the closest gyms aren't close enough to walk to. aside from my physical limitations, i don't have the time to walk several miles each way on top of a workout. if i had that much time, driving means i could spend that time working out instead of walking to the gym.
the traffic here and many other places is insane. it can make biking or walking challenging, and in some spots with poor visibility on the road, dangerous.
let's not forget temperature and weather. it gets over 90 here in l.a. for part of the summer, and after walking an hour in 90 degrees, i probably won't even feel well enough to walk home. some people live in places like arizona and nevada - i'd say walking in 100+ degree heat for half an hour or longer each way isn't a great way to start or end a workout. and walking in freezing cold and snow? probably better to drive to the gym or work out at home.
a lot of people have small children that they leave at the gym's daycare or drop off with a friend to watch for the single hour they have to work out.
for those who have no injuries, time constraints or other issues and live close enough, walking or biking to the gym would be great. for the rest of us, driving to the gym or working out at home is what gets us there in good enough condition to work out.
Come on you've gone a bit deep here. I've made a generalization that able bodied individuals shouldn't drive to the gym to do cardio when they quite simply could just go out walk, run, cycle for half an hour regardless of whether they are on route to the gym or go out an run 30 minutes round their neighborhood.
Thank you for including the list of multiple reasons you have to drive to the gym, you've enlightened me.. I'm fully aware that there are going to be exceptions and I'm not judging those. In all honesty, I respect those who have challenges training for whatever reason, at least they are finding the time to get up and active. The point I made and stand by is the number of people who go to gym to do cardio for a duration but drive there instead of running there or running round town but could save time and effort just going out and running, I'm sorry you were so offended by this but I know a number of individuals who do exactly this..0
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