It’s winter, the holidays are all over, and maybe it’s time to get into (or back into) shape. One of the biggest decisions to make can be where and how you plan on doing that. Each individual has different goals, motivation, and confidence when starting out. Some people will be more comfortable working out at home, whereas some may not be able to consistently exercise without the commitment of a gym to go to. There are definite benefits to both options, and below we will break down each a little further to hopefully help make the decision a bit easier.
The Gym
Joining a gym is usually one of the first moves people make when they’ve decided to get in shape. Some people enjoy working out in a gym setting because once they’ve gotten to the gym, there is nothing to do other than getting their workout in. Many times, being around other people who are also working out can be motivating as well. At a gym, there’s most likely a much wider range of equipment for you to use, which can offer more options for the types of workouts you can perform. Additionally, many gyms offer classes and group exercise options as well, such as spin, zumba, or yoga, which can be a fun way to get moving.
There are also a few reasons why joining a gym isn’t for everyone. Some people may be a little self conscious, or embarrassed due to their lack of experience. This is a perfectly normal emotion, to which there are still several options to exercise. Hiring a trainer from the gym for the first few sessions isn’t a bad idea, as they will be more experienced, and can help get you started on a routine. There also may be an issue with the gym being crowded, or the busy atmosphere may be too much for some people to focus on their workout. Another thing to consider would be the extra time it takes to travel to the gym, as that could become a major obstacle in consistently getting exercise. The biggest drawback to joining a gym for some, could also be the membership fees. Paying the membership may be motivating to make some people want to utilize what they’re spending their money on. For others, it might just not be in their budget for an extra monthly bill.
After looking into the positives and negatives of joining a gym, let’s investigate the option of working out at home, and see how the differences may be better or worse for certain people.
Home
Exercising at home can provide many freedoms you cannot possibly get from a public gym. For starters, it’s YOUR house. You can pick the music you work out to, you can take as much time on an exercise as you would like. You won’t have to worry about sharing machines or weights. Time is very important for some people as well. The hours of your home gym fit your schedule, not the other way around, so if you like to workout at odd hours, your gym will be open for you. No monthly fee might be a draw for some people.
On the other side of that, the upfront cost of acquiring all the equipment you need to workout at home may be high depending on what will be required for the type of workout you will be doing. Simple workouts may only require resistance bands, which are fairly inexpensive. On the other hand, weight training equipment could easily send the price into the thousands of dollars. Another obstacle exercising at home can present is motivation. Some people may find it too distracting, as there may be other things on their mind that they would like to be doing at home instead. Once you’re at the gym, there is little else to do other than workout. Friends can be very motivating as well, but it may also be difficult to workout with a friend at home. Space might be too limited for multiple people, and having a consistent workout buddy can be very helpful to keep moving.
There is no right or wrong decision when deciding where to workout. The decision to exercise for whatever reason is a step in the right direction, and hopefully this short breakdown laid out some detail on which option would be best for you.