We all have our own fitness goals.
Some want to build their muscles and get a ripped physique. Others may simply want to lose weight and stay in shape.
Whatever the goals are. We all know that exercise is critical for our overall health and well-being.
But then as we start chasing our fitness goals, comes the age-old dilemma - “Should I join the Gym or should I start working out at Home?”
This never-ending debate is never going to conclude with one answer.
The path you will need to take is always going to be dependent on your goal, personality type, residing location, budget, etc.
Thus, instead of adding to your confusion, we thought of helping you make the best decision.
In this article, let’s take a look at what benefits working out at the Gym vs Home offers and how you can decide what suits you more.
Benefits of Joining a Gym
Well, these places are designed for workouts. So they naturally become the most ideal arenas for accomplishing your fitness goals.
Compared to doing exercise at home, there are certain aspects where gyms get an edge.
Let’s take a look at the 5 benefits of joining a gym.
1- Easy To Stay Motivated & Disciplined
The number 1 thing that will make you quit your fitness routine is going to be the lack of motivation. Don’t underestimate this excuse.
When you have no one to push, no one to inspire, and no urge to hit the floor, it’s very easy to start telling yourself reasons about why it’s ok to skip the routine for a few days.
This may easily end with you giving up your fitness goals.
Going to the gym regularly will prevent it from happening. You will not only be pushed by your trainer, but also by your peers.
Need to stay disciplined and the friendly competition will keep you motivated and on track.
Not to mention the membership fees that you need to pay in advance. Reminding yourself about the hard-earned money that you put in the gym fees will keep you motivated as well.
2- Access To Professional Guidance
The ability to take instant help from a professional gym trainer or coach makes gyming more valuable than home workouts.
Of course, you can watch expert fitness videos on YouTube or buy an online course. But having physical guidance and personal attention is just irreplaceable.
Your gym trainer can help you point out mistakes that you might be doing while performing the sets. He will also show you the right postures or steps to follow to increase the effectiveness of your exercises.
If you have no proper understanding of a certain exercise and in case you attempt it in the wrong way, it may not only reduce the effectiveness of the exercises but also have adverse effects on your physique.
Not to mention the support you might need to do some heavy lifting. Your gym trainer or even your peers will be more than happy to provide it to you.
3- You Won’t Get Bored
When you have good company, be it at the gym or anywhere else, where’s the chance of getting bored?
Having an environment full of motivated people who want to get in shape and have their own challenges to overcome, things can get pretty interesting.
Also, the activity of getting ready for the gym, the travel, your gym costume, the random music in the background will keep you engaged.
If you happen to be an outspoken and extrovert person, you might end up getting a bunch of good friends.
And how can we miss the gym selfies? Having them with your buddies is more fun, right?
4- Access To Heavy & Expensive Equipment
Now, this is useful. Working out where you don’t need to compromise on your regimes and don’t need to use some alternative hack instead is always convenient.
It also intensifies your workout, increases effectiveness, and makes your life easier.
Thinking about cardio today? You have a treadmill, rowing machine, stationary bicycle and so much more at the gym!
Want to train your muscles? There are dozens of weight variations, cable machines, benches, and so on.
You probably cannot buy and make space for all of this at your home.
5-Affordable Initial Investment
This could be debatable. Of course, there are gyms that ask you to pay for half-yearly or annual membership fees upfront. But still, most of the gyms have a monthly membership model as well.
You get access to almost all the heavy expensive equipment on day one by just paying a small monthly fee.
If you have to make the provision of the same at your home, you might need to sell your fortune.
Thus, at least for the initial days, the gym membership seems like an affordable option. In case you feel like discontinuing and opting for some other way of exercising, there will be nothing to lose.
Benefits of Home Workout
Though gyms are specially built for working out, not many prefer to join them. Be it the fear of irregularity, nature of your lifestyle, or maybe no good option near your residence.
In such cases, working out at home remains the best option. But it’s wrong to assume that working out at home is a second alternative to going to the gym.
In many ways, working out at home proves way more convenient and enjoyable than the gym routine.
How? Let’s take a look at the 5 benefits of working out at home.
1- Save Money
While gym membership fees can seem like a small investment in the beginning (given that you only pay for a month, to begin with), it can keep getting more expensive as you continue.
Having your own home gym equipment can save you money in the long run. The initial cost might seem slightly higher, but it will prove way more affordable than going to the gym.
Also by home gym equipment, we don’t mean to invest in a huge treadmill or cable machine. A simple resistance tube that is priced cheaper than one month of your gym membership can get your full-body workout effectively done.
As you go ahead - you can gear up with other essential equipment like a pull-up bar, stackable dumbbells, etc. that are versatile and come at an affordable price as well.
Also, there’s no rule to have any equipment for a home workout. You can get creative and work out using your own body weight.
2- Save Time & Stay Consistent
Getting ready for the gym and traveling back and forth from your place takes up a lot of time.
Also, did we count the additional time it might take to find the parking space for your vehicle, line up to take a shower, and wait for your turn on the equipment?
This results in frequent skipping of your workout routine if you get late or feel tired.
Working out at your home avoids all these hassles and keeps your workout schedule tighter resulting in more consistency.
All you need to do is take a break from your daily routine, take a shower, change your outfit & start working out!
No travel, no traffic, no cues.
3- Flexibility & Freedom
By flexibility, we mean in all ways.
You can wear what you want. You can work out where you want.
And, you can listen to your favorite workout music as well!
You don’t need to abide by certain rules. You don’t need to stick to particular timing. You can work out even on the days or times when gyms around are closed.
While this is an advantage of working out at home, it can also turn into a disadvantage.
Too much flexibility & freedom may lead to a lack of discipline. So you need to learn to manage yourself in such a scenario.
4- More Privacy
You may either have social anxiety or simply feel uncomfortable while working out in public places. You may even have a habit of getting too self-conscious leading to failure in utilizing the gym environment properly.
This might result in an ineffective workout regime, thus not commendable results.
In such a case, a home workout is an excellent way to bring out your full potential.
You will get the much-needed privacy at your home which will help you to stay focused on your exercise and free from distractions.
5- Maintain Hygiene
We all know in what state people work out at the gym.
They are exhausted and profusely sweating. And that’s ok as it’s a natural sign.
But given that everyone shares the same floor, same changing rooms, and same equipment, it’s not hygienic at all.
Also, we’ve seen the recent pandemic where gyms were asked to shut down due to the spread of disease.
While such things do not happen frequently, still one can get bacterial or viral infections from each other while working out in close proximity and sharing the equipment.
But as we promised you in the beginning, we are not here to contribute to your confusion. So, let’s directly jump to the conclusion.
When Should You Consider Joining a Gym?
You should consider joining a gym if and only if -
- You have a professional goal like preparing yourself for a sport or for some fitness/bodybuilding competition.
- You easily get bored being alone.
- You need external motivation to push yourself ahead.
- You’re an extrovert and need people around you.
When Should You Consider Working Out at Home?
If you don’t have the above goals or issues, working out at home is going to give you the best results. So, you should consider home workouts if -
- You know how to keep yourself motivated and disciplined.
- Privacy, flexibility, and hygiene are your priority.
- There is no good gym in your nearby locality.
- Most importantly, you are ready to invest a small amount of in-home fitness gear.
Start Working Out Today
As we saw above, a home workout can be extremely rewarding and practical if you simply stay motivated, disciplined, and get yourself the right fitness gear to intensify your regime.
It will not only take care of your safety and hygiene but also will ensure that you stay consistent in your routine.
We have awesome fitness gear at our store to encourage fitness enthusiasts to take their health seriously and make working out at home a fun activity. Do check out, pick your favorite one & start working out today!