Taking good care of one’s health is something that can never be taken for granted and exercising contributes significantly towards that purpose. Whenever the word ‘exercising’ pops up, most of us start planning about getting a gym membership to attain our fitness goals. Isn’t it?
But is joining a gym really worth it or relying on home-based workouts can be equally effective? This post will answer that question for you. So without further ado, let’s proceed.
Your fitness goals
Whether you should join a gym or not is largely dependent on your fitness goals. If just staying fit and active is your goal, you won’t necessarily need to hit the gym. For that purpose, you can rely on performing exercises that utilize your body weight as resistance (like pushups, pull-ups, etc.), or you can resort to activities like spot jogging, brisk walking, cycling, etc. Playing any outdoor sport for a few minutes a day is also a great option to keep one’s fitness levels in check.
On the contrary, if your fitness or training goals involve attaining a specific kind of physique, or injury rehabilitation, joining a gym can serve you in your best interests. This is because when you train in a well-equipped gym, not only do you get to train with a variety of exercising equipment but you also have the option of exercising under the guidance of trainers and experts. This in turn allows you to attain your goals effectively and efficiently.
Your time constraints
Your daily routine and lifestyle will also influence your decision to join a gym. If your daily routine involves hectic schedules of work, joining a gym would enervate you rather than take your fitness levels to the next level. In such a scenario, relying on home-based workouts to keep yourself fit and active would serve to be more fruitful.
Pros of joining a gym
Greater number of options
When you go to a gym, you get the opportunity to train yourself in various styles of exercising such as weightlifting, cardio, cross-fit, etc. So if you want to build muscles, you get access to dumbbells, barbells, and machines in the gym. On the contrary, if you are someone who wants to lose extra pounds, a well-equipped gym provides you with a plethora of options to work on your cardiovascular health.
Ambiance
The ambiance of well-equipped modern gyms can motivate anyone to train in his/her full capacity. When you go to a gym, you get to see numerous people who are sweating it off to earn their desired physique. This indeed acts as a motivating factor that pushes you to train harder. Moreover, the rock and metal music which is usually played in modern gyms also gets you in the zone to train like a gym freak.
Focus
When you go to a gym, you go there with a purpose. Training in a gymnasium keeps you away from distractions that may arise during home workouts. When people work out in a gym, they usually have a tendency to ensure that the time they are investing there doesn’t get wasted and hence they train with more focus and intensity.
Cons of joining a gym
Membership fees
It doesn’t matter whether you go to a well-equipped gymnasium or a gymnasium that has a basic exercising setup, you have to pay a decent amount of money for your gym membership. This in turn adds up to your monthly or yearly expenses. For instance, if you go to Gold’s Gym which is by far the most renowned gym chain in the whole world, the Gold’s Gym membership price for a year would cost you a fortune.
Greater chances of injury
Training in a gym can expose you to numerous probable injuries. Whether you lift extremely heavy weights or execute the weightlifting exercises in a compromised form, your body tends to be in a risk zone. Usually, this thing doesn’t happen with home-based workouts.
Can get demotivating at times
When you train in a gym, you exercise alongside numerous people. At times, this can be quite demotivating as you will be training around people, some of whom will be in excellent shape and can give you unrealistic physique goals.
Pros of home-based workouts
It is convenient
Working out at home neither requires you to necessarily wear gym clothes nor does it require you to drive or walk to reach the gym. Home workouts allow you to train at your comfort and convenience. This further helps you to focus more on your workouts and fitness goals.
It is cost-effective
The best part about home workouts is that they are cost-effective. If you train at home, you won’t have to pay any amount for your exercise sessions. That way, you not only save your expenses but also get a great workout in the comfort of your home.
It is hassle-free
Going to a gym would require you to do certain things beforehand. For instance, you will have to get your gym bag ready, clean and fill up your water bottles and shakers, carry your yoga mat or lifting belt, etc. On the contrary, if you train at your home, it tends to be a hassle-free affair.
Cons of home-based workouts
Monotony
Home-based workouts often tend to become monotonous in the long run. With limited exercises and training equipment, you don’t get a variety of exercising options that you would otherwise get in a well-equipped gym.
Can be distracting
When you work out at home, you usually have many distractions alongside. For instance, someone might be knocking at your door, or you may get an urgent phone call, etc. These things obstruct the flow of your training session and make it less effective.
Limited space
Home workouts don’t require you to have plenty of space for exercising. But if you are planning to install training equipment like a treadmill or an elliptical trainer at your home, inadequacy of space may act as a hindrance for it.
Why is it not necessary for you to join a gym?
Going to a gym doesn’t guarantee that you will attain your fitness goals. Your consistency and dedication have a lot to do with it. So if your training goal isn’t concerned with building popping muscles or attaining the fitness levels like that of a professional athlete, going to a gym would be redundant for you. Instead, you can rely on a plethora of home-based exercises to keep your body fit and athletic.
Relying on home-based workouts not only saves you time and money but also instills a sense of comfort that doesn’t usually come with working out in a fully crowded gym. Nevertheless, you will have to be fully committed to your fitness goals if you want to achieve them through home-based workouts.
Final Words
So that brings us to the end of this post. We are sure you would have figured out whether you should be joining a gym or not. Before you make that decision, be crystal clear about your fitness goals as doing so will significantly contribute towards their attainment.
