Introduction:
No time for the gym is one of the most common excuses for being irregular at the gym. Time limitation has made us think about owning a few fitness essentials that can help in maintaining personal fitness.
Choosing between the gym membership and garage gym depends on the many factors like what budget you have, space, training intensity and many other things.
What’s the basic difference between getting gym membership vs a garage gym? While the initial investment for garage gym can be quite high but it’s a permanent asset, a garage gym not only savs a lot of travel time but promotes awareness towards personal health for other family members. On the other hand, buying a gym membership will cost between $30-$150 which includes access to high-tech fitness equipments and also connects you to the fitness community. Additionally, you get access to experienced trainers at commercial gyms.
Having a garage gym have its own benefits and drawbacks that we are going to cover in this article, we are also going to compare your home gym with a commercial gym. Let’s get started.
Gym membership vs Garage gym
I have a set of basic equipment at home but I still love to train at the local gym, both are good in their own scenario. Let’s dig deep into different factors to help you make a decision.
Gym membership
Costing:
Membership at the commercial gym can range from anywhere between $15- $250 per month, some of the premium gyms can charge up to $400. This is one of the reasons why many people are planning to have a garage gym.
Additionally, there are commuting costs, parking charges, etc.
Range of equipment
This is one of the biggest reasons the majority of people love big commercial gyms.
Even if you love your Barbell compound lifts (deadlifts, squats, bench press, overhead press, etc), having a range of machines can help you with muscle isolation and range of motion.
Commercial gyms offer a wide range of equipment that can never be bought at home. Additionally, equipments are very high quality which increases the likely hood of better workout.
Commercial gyms contain an extensive range of cardio equipment that can’t be compared with budget treadmills or ellipticals.
Additionally, a large variety of machines and equipment comes really handy to train while sustaining an injury. Long time back, I had a shoulder injury which restricted me from doing the heavy compound lifts, in that case, a variety of cardio machines and muscle isolation equipment worked really handy.
Temperature:
No matter, whether it’s too hot or too cold outside, it’s always nice to exercise at a consistent temperature.
Socialize / sense of community
Gyms are a great source to socialize, I see people joining expensive gyms and boot-camps to expand their friend circle. One of my friends who is a stockbroker used to join expensive gyms, meditation camps, and yoga classes to make new clients (genius approach).
If you are a newbie and still in a process to learn the basics about personal fitness then commercial gyms are the best place to go for.
The gym has got that vibe to push harder, additionally, its a community that supports you to reach your desired goals. When there is a beautiful woman training around, it’s obvious to push harder.
Most people feel motivated by being a part of the community that is focused on better health.
Trainers
I never suggest a garage gym to a fitness noob. Gyms have got trainers to look after your form and technique, you can consult them for different queries.
On top of that, a wide range of exercise machines allows you to target each and every muscle without putting them under risk of possible injury.
The availability of certified trainers is crucial when you are starting your fitness journey.
Knowledge hub
A gym is a place where you meet new people and share your experiences. You get to know about new supplements, diet pattern and workout routines.
Surrounding yourself with other people who are also working hard can really give you a push in the right direction.
No distraction
There can be numerous things around to distract your home workout. There are guests, children, cooking, TV programs, bad weather to divert your focus.
A gym is a place where everyone is working hard to achieve desired goals, you come across many body transformations that motivate you to push harder.
Talked enough about the commercial gym, now let’s get to know some benefits of garage gyms.
Home/garage gym
Cost:
Setting up a home gym can be a costly affair but is the cost really worth it?
A basic garage gym setup will require at least $500 to get the basic pieces of equipment i.e. bench, barbells, weight plates, plate rack, etc. additionally there will be a cost of flooring, lighting, temperature control, music system, etc.
On top of everything, you need to have a good space for a personal garage gym.
Home gyms are never built in a single shot, they always grow month after month. People start with a single barbell and some weight, then they introduce other types of barbell and more weights, then they introduce squat rack, and the process goes on.
In a few days, we are going to cover an article on “how to create a home gym with almost no money”.
Limited equipment
An average garage gym contains very very limited equipment, it’s only suggested to the folks who already know how to train.
Training with limited equipment can be quite difficult for fitness newbies.
Convenience
Whether you are an entrepreneur or a professional executive, convenience does matter in today’s world. With a hectic schedule, it really gets difficult to invest time in traveling and getting ready for the gym.
Additionally, garage gyms provide you the convenience to workout at any possible time, it’s your property and you can decide to workout anytime 24*7.
Hygiene
If hygiene is your top priority then a garage gym should be your best bet. Most of the commercial gyms are not so hygienic and we all know why (tip: sweat).
Freedom
Are you someone who likes to have freedom of listening to a favorite music track, freedom of throwing weights around, freedom of training in pajamas? A garage gym is for you.
Promotes family health
Why did I start with a basic home gym setup? Primarily to promote my whole family into personal fitness.
Whether it’s your mom, dad, spouse or kids, it’s always good to have access to some fitness equipment at home, it makes them more aware of personal fitness.
My brother’s kid started with some bodyweight workouts and daily cardio at the age of 12 just because he saw me working out daily.
Protect your girl from as*holes
As*holes are everywhere, no matter how much you deny it.
A garage gym will give your partner a personal space to start the fitness journey. Workout with a partner within a personal space is not only good for health but the health of your relationship as well.
Regular maintenance
It’s one of the drawbacks that you need to be aware of.
Most of the people buy themselves a home gym setup but never spend enough time in the maintenance.
If you are buying gym equipment (especially cardio machines), then you will be required to periodically service them else they won’t work for more than a few years.
Socialize and party
Did you ever go to a gym party where everyone snorted pre-workouts and trained like a madman?
Its really fun, those party-training sessions are usually complemented with huge post-workout meals that are prepared in the backyard itself.
Lets recap
| Gym Membership | Garage gym | |
| Advantages | – Cheap – Range of equipment – Temperature control – Better Ventilation – Trained Trainers – Community – Socialize | – Convenience – One time setup cost – Hygiene – Freedom – Family health – No travel time |
| Limitations | – Travel time – Lacks Hygiene | – High Cost – Regular maintenance |
What should you choose between?
Starting a Garage gym and Enrolling for Gym Memberships have their own sets of benefits and drawbacks, you should be making a decision in accordance with your likes and dislikes.
Consistency is the biggest gamechanger. No matter whether you enroll for a commercial gym membership or start your own garage gym, you will see the gains if you stay consistent with the journey.
Apart from a workout, there are few tips that need to be taken care of to get the beach body look.
Determining your macros:
Abs are made in the kitchen, we all know that; still, most of the people have no idea about their body’s macro requirement.
Your body’s Marco requirements are different according to your goal, body type, and metabolic rate.
Consulting a certified nutritionist and discussing your future goals is the best way to make a consistent process.
Choosing healthy food
Most of the people are continuously binge eating unhealthy snacks. If you want to bring changes to your both then you need to restrict the consumption of unhealthy food, start cooking your own food, stop relying on processed food, read the food label carefully before purchasing, choose whole fruits instead of drinking juice, etc. these are some of the basic tips to start your fitness journey.
Keeping protein intake high
Aminos are essential for muscle development and strength gains, they also play a crucial role in keeping the metabolic rate high.
Fats are not bad
Many people have been trying to eliminate fat from the diet, it’s not the best practice. Fats play an important role in regulating hormones and other body functions.
Fats are also important for the production of testosterone levels which is a crucial male hormone that assists in muscle building and maintaining a healthy metabolic rate.
Cycling your carbs
Not many people do this. We recommend swinging your macros with a cycle of lower- and higher-carb days.
Going low carb will stall the progress after losing a few pounds, but learning the “art of carb cycling” will help in experiencing a continuous drop in fat percentage.
For three days straight, eat 10 calories per pound of your body weight. Let those calories come from one gram of protein per pound, 0.5 gram of carbs per pound, and the rest from fat. On the fourth day, bump the calories up to 15 per pound and the carbs up to two grams per pound. (Let the rest of the calories come from fat.)
