Home Gym vs. um Real? Gym

[Spicy]

I bought some 12.5 dumbbells a looong time ago. I grew out of them a long time ago and I gave them to my girlfriend. Then I bought a 100lb barbell set and I've been messing around with it since. However, now that I've gotten serious about lifting big heavy things. I'm starting to out grow that too.

Would I be better off continuing to buy more and more weights to use at home or should I just nut up and get a gym membership.

Here are some things to consider

I live on a pretty limited income. I get discounts on gym memberships through my work and I could swing the monthly fee if I tried pretty hard.

But I also found some awesome plans on http://homemadestrength.blogspot.com/2011/05/strongest-bench-youll-never-buy.html to build some cheap benches and racks. So the only significant cost to build a sweet home gym would be the actual barbell and weights. Which if I saved my gym membership for a few months I could buy them.

I'm not really looking for universal facts, just your experiences with one or the other and which you think would be better.

edit: to put the real URL in there.

[Raincloak]

A lot depends on your living situation. If you don't have a lot of space, or you're likely to move soon, don't buy a large set of equipment. The virtue of a gym is they store the equipment for you, so you don't have to worry about it. The obvious downside is, you have to actually go to the gym to use it.

I prefer working out at home. To me the hassle of going to the gym is just one more obstacle to getting fit. On the other hand, the weights I use are mostly improvised (body weight, sandbags, buckets of water, etc.) Partly 'cause I'm a cheapskate with very limited living space (no room for a weight bench and no money to buy one), partly because I prefer the more "primal" approach, and partly because if I invest too much in a project, it makes me less likely to actually do it. But some people have the opposite need: they need to make the gym thing a ritual and sink some cash into it, or they won't get exercise. You know which type you are.

[WarriorAmy]

I'm a gym person. My house is full of distractions- not only the internet, but meals to plan, floors to clean, laundry to sort. It's all too easy to get caught up doing 'just one more thing' and procrastinating my workout.

The gym, however, is easier for me. It's part of a solid routine and I feel comfortable there and love it.

I guess my point here is that, just like Raincloak said, you have to figure out what will work better for you.

[shortstuff]

I work out at home. In fact I have only ever been to a gym once, and that was because of my sister - I had spent the night at her place and her gym had some bring a friend to a class for free thing on. I'm guessing to get more people to go. It was a kick boxing class, and I really enjoyed it. Learnt a new exercise and I found myself trying to push myself harder because I felt like I was in a challenge with someone else in the class.

In saying that I don't think I could ever go to a gym unless it was 5 minutes away or for safety reasons. As it is the closest gym is about 15 or 20 minutes and the way I see it I might as well go the exra 10-15 minutes and go to the bigger gyms, and I live on a farm, in the middle of nowhere, so I am pretty safe.

I love being about to just go for a walk or a run whenever I feel like it, or strength train now that I have my brother's weight set. When I first started to run, I felt weird if someone could see me running, the fact I do it at home allowed me to get better at running without other people watching. Before I would walk when other people drove by (which they rarely did) now I either run on the other side of the road or in the bushes, I couldn't care less

Everyone is different though, what works for me might not work for you

[Photobrandon]

I agree that the answer to this question is largely dependent on how much space you have and how long you plan to be there, since moving a big home-made bench set and hundreds of pounds of weights can be a hassle. I'm assuming since you are outgrowing what you have now that you don't have problems finding motivation to work out at home, so that is in your favor.

I currently work out at home, which I enjoy. I don't have to go out of my way to hit the gym, don't have to worry about waiting for people to finish curling in the squat rack, and save oodles of money. However, I am fast approaching the limits of what I have space to use at home, so depending on how happy I am with my physique when I max out on my weights I might have to suck up a gym membership at some point next year.

I guess what I'm saying is if you plan to be where you are for a few years, and have the space to support what you'll need for those few years of growth, go for the home gym...it'll save you money and time. Otherwise, perhaps consider the gym. Also, take a look on craigslist for weights/bar, as you can sometimes score a good deal.

[Mad Rocker]

I currently do it at home, where I'd have to get a bus to the gym or walk several miles down a road that has no pavement and upon which several people have been run over.

And I'm not complaining, doing it at home is great, but I'm coming close to outgrowing the weights I have here - plus I'm moving, so I'll hopefully be joining one when I do move. Bonus: it's about 5 minutes walk away. The major disadvantage is the cost, since one year of gym membership would pay for a fair amount of decent equipment that you then own forever. The gym will be a better solution for me, but it depends on what you feel is most viable for you.

[BeckyBuckeye]

I'm a gym person myself. Now part of that is living in a fairly small apartment with an included fitness center, but mainly it's the routine of it, similar to WarriorAmy. I get distracted at home too easily, so even when I do move to a bigger place, I'm likely to keep paying for a gym membership of some kind. But, echoing everybody else, it's about knowing yourself and your situation.

[Rooks]

Personally, I prefer working out at home, and with a set of PowerBlocks (I hunted on Craigslist for almost a year to get a good deal on a set) and a bench you can do almost anything.

However, I realized if I wanted to get into Squats and Deadlifts, I'd need to go to the gym. I signed up for a Snap Fitness and it's been good so far. Very cheap when you factor in the deal I get from work when I go 12 times per month (only like $20 a month).

To me, I'd say try out a gym, but if you are looking for the on cheap, check out ones without showers, or locker rooms, etc. (i.e. like Snap Fitness). They cut costs by doing that so it's a lot cheaper then some of the bigger name gyms.

[Spicy]

Wow. Thanks for the advice everyone. I didn't even think about moving and carrying the 80+ lb rack pieces up stairs in july since that is apparently the only time I ever move. I think ill get the gym membership for the whole family so I can maybe convince my girlfriend to start lifting too.

[161803398874989]

At home, nobody curls in the squat rack.

At home, you never have to weight for the bench to be free.

At home, the bench is never sweaty.

At home, you always get the best bars.

At home, you have equipment that YOU want, not the gym owners.

If you have the space, definitely go for a home gym.

[msuroo]

At home, nobody curls in the squat rack.

At home, you never have to weight for the bench to be free.

At home, the bench is never sweaty.

At home, you always get the best bars.

At home, you have equipment that YOU want, not the gym owners.

If you have the space, definitely go for a home gym.

With the exception of your last point (which I remedy by just bringing my own) - I literally never run into any of those problems at my gym. Plus:

At the gym, the wife never nags you to do the dishes.

At the gym, the baby never needs a diaper change.

At the gym, you're never distracted by the sofa and reruns of Seinfeld.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still working on getting my home gym together, but there's more to it than "do you have the space."

[Spicy]

With the exception of your last point (which I remedy by just bringing my own) - I literally never run into any of those problems at my gym. Plus:

At the gym, the wife never nags you to do the dishes.

At the gym, the baby never needs a diaper change.

At the gym, you're never distracted by the sofa and reruns of Seinfeld.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still working on getting my home gym together, but there's more to it than "do you have the space."

Hah! I just ran into that one this morning. I woke up at 7 thinking that no one else in my family would wake up that early, as soon as I got dressed and touched the door knob my daughter woke up and needed changed then breakfast then wanted to play. Took me two hours to start my workout. Looks like tomorrow I'm getting up at 6.

I'm counting the days until my daughter wants me to buy her a tiny set of dumbbells so she can play too. She already tries to lift my barbell.

[161803398874989]

Don't get me wrong, I'm still working on getting my home gym together, but there's more to it than "do you have the space."

It literally never even has occured to me that I could sit my ass down on the couch while I was going to workout.

[Animalben]

I have a fairly modest set up at home, squat rack, bench, 100kg olmypic barbell set, 16kg kettlebell, punch bag, pull up bar, lots of fields around, skipping ropes BUT I think I prefer going to the gym if costs allow. My reason for this is that it's a motivation and distraction thing. At home, the interenet, plenty of games and TV on demand distract the shit out of me, or if the workout isnt going as well as I want it's "oh well I can stop now and do some later (yeah right)"

Even though the gym is full of tredmill bunnies (no bad thing really) dicks curling in the squat rack or having every single weight around them on their 100th bench press set I still find I work better in the gym

If working out at home is going well for you, I would suggest doing it there, even inviting mates around to join in and who knows, pitch in for new gear (prowler anyone?) but it's a very individual thing.

[msuroo]

It literally never even has occured to me that I could sit my ass down on the couch while I was going to workout.

Good for you, here's a cookie.

For some people, just going to the gym is a pretty big motivator. Just because you have better discipline doesn't make a home gym the best option for everyone with enough space.

[161803398874989]

Good for you, here's a cookie.

For some people, just going to the gym is a pretty big motivator. Just because you have better discipline doesn't make a home gym the best option for everyone with enough space.

Oh, crap. I phrased what I was saying wrong. I meant "while I was working out" rather than "while I was going to workout".

[andygates]

Seriously? I'll check forums between sets if I'm training at home

(hell, I tweet between sets even at the gym)

Space and money are obvious considerations. Cats underfoot during squats are one other. For me, it's the "going to a trainingplace to do trainingstuff" mindset, which I don't every get at home.

[Elastigirl]

Good for you, here's a cookie.

For some people, just going to the gym is a pretty big motivator. Just because you have better discipline doesn't make a home gym the best option for everyone with enough space.

If you do have a home gym, get a timer. I time between sets, otherwise, I do sit "just for a minute" that oddly becomes 10 minutes.

[Templar]

At home is my pile of sand/bulgarian training bags, 337# tire, 125# concrete bar, pullup bar, rings, 55# kettle bell, and 40# vest. Saving for a 260# set of bumper plates and a Rouge beater bar.

At my CrossFit gym I get competition and coaching.

At the YMCA I have a pool, heavy set of bumper plates, and a rowing machine. And all the regular gym stuff.

At this point I need all three just to feel like I have done a proper pair of workouts in a day.

[Spicy]

If you do have a home gym, get a timer. I time between sets, otherwise, I do sit "just for a minute" that oddly becomes 10 minutes.

I run into that quite a bit. Especially since I found this place. My computer is in the same room as my weights, so between sets I'll sit down to read for a minute and then end up reading the whole article.

[Germaine]

Personally, I've been to a gym 2 times in my life and doing very well. Of course those 2 times were not the only times in my life I had a workout .

All you need is a set 2 of dumbbells, 1 bar, several cheap weights (because lbs are lbs and it doesn't really matter what label you have), a bar you mount in the hallway or someplace it fits in to to pull-ups and (I recommend that) a 16 kg kettlebell. Maybe you want to purchase an abwheel what isn't expensive at all or you are into bench presses and you'd like one of these. Look for used ones or go for a simple cheap one. Got mine new for 100€ in Germany and it does what it's supposed to do: hold the weight and don't break. The used ones go for cheap money and are solid as they origin from people who worked out serious but don't have space/time/health anymore for that.

From my point of view the home gym is the better choice financially in a long term run because machines are for pussies and bodybuilders.

But for most people the financial aspect does not really counts because a gym membershit ain't that expensive (for most people). It's rather a question of your personal attitude towards your training. If you tend to get distracted easily or you are needed when you're home then a gym membership might be the better choice. If you are disciplined and there are fewer distractions at home you should go for home gym.

[Razor]

I'm only doing a gym membership instead of buying a dumbbell set because the gym gives me unlimited yoga and tanning bed access.

[Luthorcrow]

This is really a question of cash and space. I am an apartment dweller so the question is moot for me. But if I had a garage and cash to buy a good power rack and olympic barbell set then yes home would rule. The only adavatage of gym is its cheaper in the short term and eye candy.

[Razor]

eye candy.

Beware, eye candy also comes with curl-bros. No matter how a hot a female gym-goer is, I can't focus on anything else when I see somebody swinging their weight, curling in the squat rack, or doing an exercise with 1/4 ROM. Or dropping weights.

Unless you meant eye candy by all the equipment. I always get excited seeing a hundred dumbbells lined up in a corner begging to be played with.

[Guest ApptivGames]

No gym will get my money unless it's a rock climbing gym. My garage is where I workout, and my iPad is my trainer. I've got a very minimalist setup- a small set of weights, a couple medicine balls, a stability ball, and a pullup bar.

That's it.

Between P90X, P90X2, Insanity workouts, and Power Yoga routines- I'm in the best shape of my life, and I pay nothing to anybody to get there. Quite proud of that!