Do I NEED To Join A Gym?

No need for a long term gym contract.

I currently work out at home as I have a fully equipped gym and I have begun "walk-jogging" on a nearby trail. I do not, as a rule, like gyms because they make me feel self-concious (SP?) and claustrophobic. However, I may start using the one where I work (hospital) when the days get shorter. We only have one vehicle and between our 2 schedules running the trail in daylight will be virtually impossible most of the time.

That said, if you don't want to join a gym, you don't have to. If you're just starting you can pick up a set of adjustable hand weights at Wally-World for about $40 or just start with body weight exercises. I can recommend several cardio DVDs if you'd like. If you do want to join a gym check and see if there is one you can use at a hospital, or if you're near a university check there. Where I am both options are super cheap. At the hospital, for employees, its $3 a year. $10 for nonemployees.

I definitely sympathize with and understand the gym users who keep their memberships as motivation. I've started taking running clinics with the Running Room for exactly the same reason. That sense of obligation sure goes a long way towards getting me up off my butt.

I workout at home now. I presently am doing Jackie warners 10 by 10 which is free weights and jump rope and running either outside or treadmill. I was at the gym up until I got a treadmill for my house, now I dont go at all. I would rather invest in my own equipment and have the option to workout whenever. when I was at the gym I couldnt get there till 7:30 pm, and childcare was only till 8 plus childcare wasn't that great either. I also do alot of dvds normally . I ride my bicycle in the neighborhood or walk. I will b starting insanity next month where u dont need any equipment. I say if ur not highly motivated yet join a YMCA where u r not stuck in a contract and it is based on ur income, and keep in mind this is a lifestyle so u should invest in home eguipment so there is never an excuse not to workout.

Gym neg- cost, childcare's normally arent that great, hours r not always convienent, gas cost, other people.
gym pos- has childcare, fitness classes, I enjoy some of the machines better for certain moves, trainers

Short answer: no need for a gym. Key is to find out what would motivate you to workout.

Gym Pro: Some people find that paying and/or having to drive to it is motivation to workout. Specific machines and other amenities depending on facilities (swimming pool, etc). If beginning, help from a trainer could be a good thing

Gym Con: Cost, and added extra expense that could be done without. Requires more prep time (driving both ways, etc)

Home pro: No cost ( if using weights then a one time expense in Craigslist or Wmart). Very little prep time. Convenient. Plenty of material to use as guidelines widely available (online, smartphone apps, etc)

Home con: Need discipline. There are more distractions that could easily veer you off working out.

I love the gym!! I can modify and change my workouts, work with all kind of free weights, get in the treadmill and row machine, and use all the equipment that I don't have at home. Being in a "fitness" environment really motivates me and gets me out of the house. I could never have at home all the equipment available at the gym.

I did JM DVDs at home and I found it really difficult to get motivated; I had to push myself to push “play. But we need to do what is best for us, and what keep us motivated to keep exercising. For my it is the gym, working out at home is not fun for me.

Have you try to local YMCA or a community center in your area? My girlfriend works out at the YMCA because since she is not too "consistent" with her routines she didn't want to join and pay a gym membership.

I really want to get back into my fitness program (have 60 LBs to lose) but I'm very hesitant to join a gym, mostly because of the cost. Is it possible to get the same types of workouts/results by working out at home?

I'd like to hear both the pro's and con's. Do you workout at a gym or at home? if at home, what types of exercises do you do? If at a gym, whats the benefit versus working out at home in your opinion?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read and respond

Nobody NEEDS to join a gym but if you want to get the best results possible you should join a gym. Unless you can get a fairly equipped weight set with a half rack and whatever cardio videos you want to get (Insanity, PX90, etc) then yeah you can do it at home.

Personally, I find that a gym helps when it comes to group fitness classes - I get more motivated, I work harder, I work out for longer.

However, I am also very lazy. So if I'm tired or rushed it's easy to let the gym slide.

I've been having great success with circuit-style workouts at home, using small free weights and body-weight bearing activities. I found the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred a great starting place and motivator - you can find it for free on youtube (I watch on my ipad).


As others have said it's really about what works for you!

I love going to the gym and I dont mind paying the monthly dues and I will not work out at home Im just not motivated to do it at all!!! I need some accountability.But to each his own,for some it may not work that way.

Thank you everyone for your responses! I think at this point I am motivated all by myself, I dont need the gym for motivation... just wasnt sure that an 'at home program' was going to be as beneficial. BUT, now I have decided, yes- it is! Ive seen some pretty amazing success stories on MFP... and alot of them were people who did it all on their own, without a gym membership!

I think thats exactly what I am going to do. I've seen several people remark on how successful they were with P90X... so I think I will give that a try!

Thanks again to you all... it was a great help in making my decision!

If I can make one other suggestion, if you want to be in a "group" setting and in some cases get classes at little or no cost, check out meetup.com for fitness groups. One of my groups has trained instructors that give the Insanity classes for free (unless you're a trainer taking the class), if I want to do Zumba, I'm in a group that it's $8 a class so I can go as I please, and I'm in a walk/jog/bike group that meets once a week to walk/jog/bike at local parks. Some of the groups will make arrangements with certain studio for an introductory class for a low cost too, I took a kickboxing class for $10, the studio that I dance out of hosted a meetup group for bellydancing for $10, one group even did a pole dance class. One group I'm in does volleyball once a week ($2) and about once a month we have a kickball game (also $2) There's no commitment, you just rsvp to your group that you're going and you go, if you don't want to, can't, or can't afford to, then you just don't rsvp or rsvp no. I will caution that some of the groups do charge an annual fee to be in the group (the most that I've seen is $10/year) so check that out.