weighing in - gym membership vs. working out at home

Aug 2nd, 2007 by David Murphy-Colonna | Scroll down for comments

Earlier this summer I came across a dilemma. I looked at myself in the mirror and decided I wanted to start working out seriously. I actually think this happens to a lot of people around summer time. :-\

Nevertheless that wasn’t the dilemma though, that was more of the awakening, the dilemma was deciding whether to work out at home or to join a fitness club or a gym as some would say. This may seem like an easy decision for some but there are many factors one should look at before making their decision to either join a gym, or purchase some workout equipment to be able to work out at home. Here are some of the things you should consider before making your decision.

Take account of your finances.

Since this is a financial blog, I obviously think you should check your financial situation first. Some gyms, can be rather expensive. Depending on how often you plan on going, you should calculate how many dollars per trip to the gym will cost you. For example, if it is 30 dollars a month and you plan on going 10 days in the month, you will be paying $3 per visit to the gym. This is rather cheap in my opinion but this is just an example. After calculating your dollars per trip, think about if it is worth it.

Now look at the other side, how much would it cost you to work out at home. Do you already have some gym equipment? Or do you need to buy it? Do you plan on doing exercises that don’t require any equipment, such as cardio exercises, pushups, or sit ups? These activities cost nothing and can be just as good if done correctly, so take them into consideration.

Running is always free too, so don’t think you need to go out and buy a treadmill right away, especially if it is the summer time. There are many great alternatives for any exercises you would normally do in the gym if you are just trying to stay in shape. Obviously if you want to build major muscle it would be worth it to have nice equipment to workout with though. This brings me to my next point of knowing what you are going to use the gym for.

Is a fitness club necessary for you?

Before you go and spend a ton of money on a gym membership, decide if it is necessary for the type of exercise you plan on doing. If you plan on getting a membership in the summer and all you plan on doing is, running or walking on the treadmill.

Consider going to a park a night, or going for a walk around your neighborhood in the evening. Other than getting your workout in, you can also enjoy some fresh air, and new scenery rather then a conveyor belt.

Then again, the gym also serves as motivation. If you are trying to build some muscle and want to lift weights, you could buy some equipment and it will probably sit in your garage or basement after a few weeks.

Going to the gym can serve as motivation, because once your there you have to focus on working out, without the distractions of your home. If you aren’t a good self starter and get distracted easily at hoe, then getting a gym membership might be in your best interest.
Do you have enough time?

The last, but still one of the most important factors of deciding if a gym membership is worth it, is time. Do you have the time with your busy work schedule, and personal life to get up and go to the gym. Sometimes I find this hard. Don’t just think yes, I have an hour to go work out each day, because dot forget you also have to drive or walk there, stretch out, and that could take up to 20 mins. alone. So just be aware of your time and use it wisely.

If you work out at home it is much more convenient, but like I said you do have to somewhat be a self starter. So get yourself motivated! Instead of traveling to the gym to run on the treadmill you could be leaving your house right now and going on a nice 20 minute jog, so decide for yourself if you have enough time to make a commitment to the gym, and know that there are other possibilities.

I know this really doesn’t leave you with a definitive answer of which one is better, a gym membership or working out at home. But, these are definitely some things to take into consideration. Everyone’s situation is different, and I think based on your finances, what types of workout you want to do, and the time you have available, you can definitely make a pretty good decisions as to whether a gym is both financially and personally beneficial to you.

So take a look at those three factors and you will be okay. I personally have been very active this summer without a gym membership, playing basketball, running, and doing pushups and situps to define some muscle, and I haven’t spent a dime.

These exercises and activities fit my schedule perfectly, and I also enjoy playing basketball so thats a plus. But once it gets colder out I will definitely reevaluate and get a gym membership.

Lastly, if you have never contemplated working out and being active, you should, it is a great stress reliever from the daily grind and often gives me energy afterwards. So after a long day of making money, go out an relieve some stress and enjoy yourself.

David Murphy-Colonna posted this article under Personal Development, Personal Finance, Uncategorized on Thursday, August 2nd, 2007 at 7:00 am You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment or trackback from your own site. View Technorati Linkbacks.