Having a desire to exercise is something most of us can relate to, but oftentimes the practicalities of a regular fitness routine act as obstacles preventing us from acting on our intentions. For that reason, it’s important to plan regular workouts into your weekly schedule ahead of time. A key component of this is deciding where you will workout, either at home or at a gym. Both are great for different reasons and neither will hinder you in achieving your fitness goals, but which works better for you will depend on your personal circumstances and personality.
Let’s outline the pros and cons of both home-workouts and joining a gym:
Joining a Gym
Advantages
Variety: At the gym you have almost endless choices for how to do your workout
Commitment: It’s true that the more you have invested in something, the higher your motivation is likely to be for making it a success. Having a membership fee leave your bank account every month is a fantastic incentive to get yourself in shape.
Motivation: It’s easier to push yourself when you’re surrounded by others working up a sweat themselves. When surrounded by an atmosphere of energy and hard work, you are likely to challenge yourself in your workout far more than if you are on your own at home.
Concentration: Once you’re in the gym, there’s very little there to distract you. At most gyms, there’s nothing much to do apart from exercise, so once you’re there you have little choice but to do a workout.
Advice: Going to a gym also gives you access to expert advice about your health and fitness. Whether you’re unsure about how to do a particular exercise, or need help creating an entire fitness regime to meet your goals, most gyms have staff on hand to offer you expert guidance whenever you need it.
Disadvantages
Cost: Gym memberships cost money, a lot of it! Most gyms allow you to pay monthly, but the cost still adds up and you usually need to sign up to a six or 12 month commitment.
Inconvenience: Gyms are usually in convenient locations and found in almost any and every town and city, but they’re still not as accessible as working out in your living room at home. The time involved in getting to and from the gym adds extra time to your workout and make it more difficult to fit exercise into your day.
Overcrowding: Gyms are busy places, especially at peak times, and this can mean your workout being prolonged as you wait to use machines and equipment.
Home Workouts Advantages
Cost-effective: There are no monthly fees when you workout at home, and you can equip your home-gym surprisingly cheaply. Dumbbells, exercise balls and even larger machines can all be bought cheaply from large stores or second-hand websites.
Convenient: When your home is also your gym, you have the freedom to workout whenever you so desire. You’re not bound to opening and closing times, or restricted by transport practicalities. You can also wear what you like, so there’s no requirement to get kitted out and pack your bags before you exercise.
Variety: While gyms packed with state-of-the-art equipment, your exercises are still restricted by what is available. When your gym is at home, however, you have the freedom to take your workout outside when it’s nice out and use the limitless space to run, walk or cycle to your heart’s content.
Disadvantages
Excuses: Unless you’re incredibly self-motivated, it can be almost impossible to workout at home without being distracted. The lack of effort required to facilitate your workout means that it easy to convince yourself to finish your workout early or not put in your maximum effort.
Space: Obviously working out in your home is going to require you adapt your routine from what you might do in a gym (unless you have an extremely large space and rich variety of equipment). You may also need to compete for space with family members.
Conclusion Ultimately, where you work out will be determined by your personal preferences. If you’re extremely self-motivated and require flexibility with regards to when you exercise, perhaps working out at home is more suitable for you. However, if not being self-disciplined enough is preventing you from achieving your fitness goals, then joining a gym can be the ideal way to force yourself to commit to regular exercise. In the end, wherever you work out, the most important thing is that you stay active regularly and you find an exercise program that works for you. Have fun!
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