The Pros And Cons Of A Home Gym

Like many people who are thinking about getting fit, you might be considering exercising in a gym. Another great option is working out in your own home gym.

The fact having a home gym is becoming increasingly popular these days, as a lot of people just don’t have the time to go to a box gym, and feel more comfortable working out at home.

Gym memberships tend to be expensive and depending on the time of year or day, can get very crowded.  If you are seriously considering creating your own home gym consider these pros and cons as you put yours together.

The pros

There is a variety of pros to having your own home gym.

• Cut expenses. While it is a fact that that getting a decent set-up for your home gym will cost you from about $500 to $1,000, you will make that money back in comparison to the cost of a gym membership which can range from $600 to $2,000 a year. It pays off in the long run.
• No need to wait. You are the only person that is using your personal gym (unless you allow your family members in as well). This means that there won’t be someone waiting around for their turn and you can use your equipment for as long as you want.
• Privacy.  A home gym still offers privacy to do what you want to do while working out. You can wear what you want, play the music you like listening to, and let out your loudest yell when you hit a personal record. No one is going to mind, and you also won’t have to talk to anyone if you don’t feel like it.
• Save time. With a home gym, you don’t have to commute. All you have to do is walk to your home gym location and start exercising.
• Open 24/7. There are no closing hours for your home gym, so you can exercise whenever you want, even during the holidays as early or as late as you want.
• Easy to store away. When you need your space back, you can easily store the equipment set-up away in your closet, under your couch or in your garage until it’s time for the next workout.

The cons

On the other hand, having a home gym comes with some cons.

• Self-discipline. If you are working out at your own gym, you are left to your own devices. When you drive to the gym, you are definitely going to work out when you reach your destination. At home, you need a lot more self-discipline in order to avoid all the distractions such as spending time on the internet or watching TV, and get yourself to properly exercise.
• Limited equipment. If you don’t have pockets full of money or miles of home space,  you’ll be limited to outfit your home gym with all the different exercise machines, and will have to make use of the ones that you can afford and can fit inside your home/room/space.  Most common pieces of equipment include perhaps a squat rack, bench, barbell, and plates at your disposal, but you will lack more choices such as Nautilus or Cybex machines.
• No spotter. When you work out at a gym, and need to be spotted, you can sometimes find someone around strong enough to spot you as you lift heavier weights.   At home, this can present an issue.  Especially if you workout and live on your own.
• Everything is your responsibility. You are left on your own to deal with the machines and equipment that you have. If anything gets dirty or needs fixing, it’s you that has to address it.
• Takes up space in your home.  Wherever you decide to set up shop you may have limited functionality of that living space due to the workout equipment taking up space.

In summation

Having a home gym provides you with complete freedom and cuts down on expenses in comparison to a gym membership in the long run. However, it also requires a lot more self-discipline and you are on the hook to purchase and/or fix any equipment you own.

Do you have a  gym in your home?

//SHOP THIS POST//