Let’s say that you want to get fit and you want to start on your fitness journey. Now, there are two ways to do it. You can either join a gym or you can have your workouts on your own. Either way, you can improve your health and overall fitness. However, let’s understand what you could get from both options.
If you are somewhat torn between the two options, we’ve made a list of both advantages and disadvantages of working out at home vs. signing up to your gym.
Joining a Gym
Joining a gym can be fun. You’ll get to find a lot of like-minded individuals who are looking to improve their health. Also, there are a lot of gyms today that can give you access to different classes and equipment that you will need for your journey. But before you sign up, here are some of the advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages
- Get all the help you need
Lots of gyms now have professionals who can help guide you from the start of your journey until you can already feel confident to work on your own. Some gyms will offer trainers for free for new members while there are gyms where you can get their services for an additional fee.
- Access to equipment to help weight loss and strength training easier
By joining a gym, you get to access different types of equipment. It also means that you can work on muscle groups easier compared to doing it on your own at home. Also, there is a possibility that you can have an easier time losing calories or log your workout.
Let’s say that it’s raining outside or it is too cold outside making it impossible to run, then a gym is your answer to this problem. You can use the gym’s stationary bike, treadmill, and other equipment to get your cardio workout.
Also, gyms have plates, barbells, and squat racks that can help make it easier to do strength training because you get to load the right amount of resistance on your training.
- Possibly an additional motivation
Some people consider the cost of gym membership an additional motivation for them. It takes around $39 to $50 a month to join a gym. This price is enough for a lot of people to stay motivated and to visit the gym consistently.
Disadvantages
- Not a guarantee that you are going to workout
Paying your gym fees isn’t always a guarantee that you are going to see results. You still have to be motivated and disciplined enough to make the necessary visits. Based on statistics, only 18% of gym members go to the gym regularly. Out of that number, only 49.9% go at least twice a week.
- You may have to schedule your visit
Since the pandemic started, a lot of gyms imposed a limit to the number of members who can use the equipment every hour. And because of this, you will have to plan your workouts. Some gyms want their gym members to make the reservation via the app. It’s an additional hoop that can frustrate non-techy gym users who simply want to make some lifestyle changes.
Home Workouts
Last year, it was reported that a lot of people were searching for home exercise-related searches online. OriGym discovered that there was a 500 to 600 percent jump in the volume of search terms such as “home workout”, “bodyweight exercise”, and the like.
So why is it so popular? You can blame the pandemic for that. As more people spent time on lockdowns, they’ve found a way to still stay active. Before you invest in your home gym equipment, here are things that you might want to know first.
Advantages
- You can do your workout any time
One of the biggest reasons why a lot of people nowadays no longer leave their home to do their workout is the fact that home workouts can be convenient. You can do things at home, plus you don’t need to worry about the long line on popular gym equipment and machines.
- No pressure for beginners
A lot of novice gym-goers tend to get frustrated when they see complicated gym equipment with no one out there to assist or teach them. Also, some are intimidated by other members who are already lifting heavy dumbbells and weights in the gym performing advanced workouts. When you do your workouts at home, you get to do everything at your own pace.
- Apps are available to help you monitor your progress
Nowadays, some apps can help you throughout your fitness journey. Whether it’s an intermittent fasting app telling you when to eat or an HIIT workout app that will give you random workouts for the day, there are a lot of tools that can help you achieve your fitness goals.
Disadvantages
- You’ll have to spend if you want to do resistance training
In case you want to get the same strength and conditioning from an actual gym, just imagine the amount of money that you have to spend on weights and other things. For starters, you will need a squat rack, barbell, dumbbells, not to mention changes in your flooring. That’s thousands of dollars worth of equipment for a home gym setup.
For most home gym setups, kettlebells and resistance bands are usually the most practical options. This allows people to still get some resistance training without spending a ridiculous amount of money and using a large space in their homes. Unfortunately, it is still different from having access to numerous plates and weights.
- Harder to break a sweat in some situations
It is usually harder to break a sweat at home as well in some situations. Without a treadmill and other cardio machines, it’s hard to get the same intensity as you normally would if you visit the gym.
Final Remarks
Whether you want to set up your own home gym or pay for a gym membership, it is always a good idea to know the pros and cons. This way, you can evaluate which option is best for your needs. But overall, you can still improve your health with both setups. It’s mostly a matter of preference.