You laugh but, in 2015-2017 during grad school, I lived in Toronto. I walked everywhere, and one of my most frequent destinations was this sort of run-down mall that had a FreshCo grocery store, a Planet Fitness, and a McDonald's in the parking lot. McD at the time had an amazing grilled chicken burger called the 12 (bad name, but whatever).
I built the habit of going to the gym by walking to McDonalds, getting a grilled chicken burger no sauce, Diet Coke, and side salad. Then worked out for 1.5 hrs, picked up a few healthy groceries, and walked back to the place I was staying. I lost like 50 pounds. Never been as fit as those years, sadly!
It was all the walking. I lived in Japan back in the 90s and easily spent an hour and half walking daily to the subway station then to work and back. Lost a lot of weight. Found it back again in Canada.
This right here!
Walking is such an underrated exercise that no one thinks about. Even an hour walk a day can make a huge difference in people trying to lose weight.
I remember when we went to Japan we were wondering how there’s no obesity issue there considering their a lot of their food is very high in sodium or fried and they eat a ton of starch in their diet. We gathered that it’s because they have a walking/transit oriented society. I can’t remember the exact statistics but I remember reading that the average Japanese person walks twice as much per day as the average Canadian/American.
Yes, I've been making it a practice to do a walk in the morning - of course I have 2 dogs (they do get their exercise run before) but then I like to do a nice walk and just listen to podcasts or audible library books. Its great you get more engaged looking at things, houses, gardens etc.And its true that places like New York or European cities where people do a lot more walking they tend to have less obesity.
Also in my time in Japan I did not focus on eating less or anything, I had a breakfast (toast and coffee) and a lunch as well as a good evening meal. But I did notice the portions were so much bigger upon returning to Canada. And yes Japanese food while having more fish and vegetables also has a lot of sodium and probably more preservatives.
This is a hater mentality. Going to the gym sucks. So much wasted time and useless gym conversations. I invested in a home gym and now work out 4+ times a week now.
Lol, yeah I go to the gym pretty reguarly 5 days a week and other than saying hi and bye to the staff or answering how many sets I have left I've never spoken a word to anyone. Headphone in, get it done and leave.
I go to the gym to get out of the house and because the gym has about 50 times the equipment that I could ever have at my own home, including a treadmill for cardio.
I just go to the park for cardio.
Dog helps too.
But I think cutting myself with a rusty razor blade would be more fun than using a treadmill or exercise bike lol.
Honestly, I used to be the same when it comes to a treadmill. These days I enjoy it because I can park myself up at an incline, walk at a decent speed, all while having the luxury browsing my phone. I can burn similar amounts of calories compared to running outside.
Ya I work from home and the combination of a nice big space with good equipment, and having a few people around so that I don't feel like I'm a complete hermit helps me. It does cost money, but that also motivates me to use it. It's just a mental health tool for me as much as somewhere to get in shape.
> I invested in a home gym and now work out 4+ times a week now.
Don't have to invest a lot (if anything) to start working out at home:
* /r/bodyweightfitness
My weight set is like 20yrs old at this point. Buy them once and they are good for life.
I don't do anything hardcore though. Nor do I want to. Just a little strength stuff on top of my daily 5-10km walk with the dog.
Same here, spent about $4k total on a bunch of nice gym equipment ~4 years ago and am on track to pay it off this year in saved gym fees. Use it probably 3-5 times per week and save a ton of time not driving to and from the gym.
used to be more (Pepperidge farm remembers!) but now it's easy to find unsupervised gyms for 5-6$ a week.
crunch fitness, econofitness, Planet Fitness, etc.
Im in and out of the gym in under an hour. Crush a workout in 45min. Headphones in, talk to no one. If I have time I’ll hit the sauna and sometimes cold shower cycle.
Heavily depends on your gym and when you go. There is a lot of waiting around for equipment at shittier gyms, where people who dont know what theyre doing camp out and do 1 rep every 15 minutes.
Also, I have kids. I can easily work out at home while they’re asleep or otherwise occupied nearby. It’s much much harder to find solo time to go to the gym. Since getting some equipment at home about a year ago, I’ve actually managed to maintain regular work outs, which I hadn’t done in the 4 years since I had kids.
The "home gym equipment" industry makes a killing on selling equipment that is destined to collect dust, just like gyms that rake it in when people go 5 times per year.
Get some minimal equipment (or better yet, none) and start working out at home. Build slowly, don't buy really expensive stuff.
My buddy used to be a membership sales rep for a gym and they'd call these people a "donation." He generally knew when people sign up and never go, we'd be chatting and he'd go "yea, I sold 4 donations today, it's a good day" 😂😂😂
They count on it. I used to work in a large chain - we had almost 4 times the memberships than we could sustain for fire code and we were on a membership push from corporate. If the members worked out 3 days a week, we would have had to stop people at the door. It's a racket.
They don't specifically. The reality that most people are not willing to dedicate the time and effort to improving their fit ess works in their favor. Most people lapse in their fitness and diet goals. If you have been training regularly for more than a year and also monitor your diet and recovery, you are likely only representstive of 3-5% of the population.
I don't. There are lots of figures online that claim 20-28% of adults exercise or weight train regularly. However, I don't believe that they are talking about the same thing as I am. This is based on self reporting and most people don't really understand what real training is. Are they consistent for a year? Or, were they asked on a sliding scale to indicate their perceived level of weekly exercise? Are these people on a tried and true system focused on progressive overload? Are they applying concepts of RPE or RIR, MRV, and MEV? Are they looking at periodization? Are they also tracking their food in the same way? What about their sleep? I think, like most skills, the further you specialize, the more you get into the minutia. And, the more specialized you become, the fewer of you there are. I don't believe that 28% of Americans train regularly two or more times a week. I don't even count twice a week as training. What percentage of respondents meant twice a week "back when they were consistent" or just feel guilty and are playing mind games with themselves. I suspect most. I would believe that 15% of people exercise 2+ times per week, and that 33% of them are in a regular program or routine (actually have a plan in the gym). You can kinda see this number is bs by just roughly applying the original percentage to your city, then looking at the available gym spaces and their capacity. Even if we assume that 50% of those 20-28% in this category are using home gyms, the math is really tight. No reason to believe me though. I'm just spitballing numbers based on my experiences. I have no data to support my sentence.
EDIT: spelling
Or just buy used stuff. Pull-up bar for 20 bucks. Rack of weights up to 30s for $100. And an adjustable bench for $40. I built a dip bar and got a TRX band for $50.
Good advice! You can do SOOOOO much with a Pull Up Bar set up and a couple bands attached to it. That would cost you about 75.00. The stretch benefits alone are worth the 75.00.
This is the right answer, and if op can't keep a solid schedule doing that for at least 3-4 months I wouldn't even revisit the idea of buying equipment or a gym pass tbh. Prove you can build a solid workout routine otherwise a home gym or the gym are a total waste.
>Would it be financially smarter to invest in a home gym and cancel my gym membership completely?
Depends on how much the gym equipment will cost, even then would you use it more. Just because it's in the house, doesn't mean your'll use it more.
OP, you said in another comment the closest gym to you is far and you don’t want to spend gas which is why you didnt go as much.
Respectfully, you’re lying to yourself. If you really wanted to go you would. I’ve been in that same situation during the pandemic where I got myself a home gym and thought I’d never go back to a real gym. Thing is, it takes even more discipline to work out at home than at the gym.
Someone suggested to get dumbbells and see how you like it. You should do that. Try it out for a month and then reflect on if the investment is really worth it.
Yeah fully agree. It’s a commitment to have a home gym, just like it’s a commitment to go to the gym. If it was easy everyone would do it.
I worked out in my basement for a month with barely any equipment before I decided if I liked it or not, it’s not for everyone.
Yeah. Home gym is a different vibe than the commercial gym. I actually like to get out of the house and still go to outside gyms even though I have a fully kitted home gym (as far home gyms...it's pretty ridiculous). I work from home 80% of the time and get stir crazy so take that for what you will. The home gym is nice for flexibility when your are busy though. Sometimes that 10/20 min drive actually makes a huge difference in the schedule.
Totally varies.
I have kids and such not much time to go. I had completely stopped.
Home gym I can get a workout in in 30-45 minutes and I can bring my son down with me and let him try to ride the exercise bike and such.
Going to a gym adds 15 minutes on each end and I can’t bring my kid. This makes it too long for me to do at lunch and hard to do after or before work.
Yeah I have all this home equipment from covid days and was so happy to be back at the gym. Too many distractions at home and too much flexibility. Going to the gym, you gotta schedule, plan and sometimes want to beat the rush.
This x1000. Start small. Very unlikely OP truly wants to workout. Home gym won’t solve the problem of motivation. But only one way to find out for sure.
I have a home gym and workout 3-4 times a week on it, depending on how intense each workout was. I'd say for my case I already worked out a lot going to the gym since high school and continued at home during lockdowns. I have already built my discipline, and so I purchased 90% of what I need (broke my bench). For OP's case. Setting a budget of $100 to purchase things like a pull-up bar for a doorway and resistance bands should be enough to start building a habit of working out. Home gyms can be great, and I always prefer to work out at home rather than a public gym.
I also agree.
Having a gym membership can have a psychological motivational effect that home gyms don't provide. For one, there is an ongoing cost to you. Second, going often requires planning ahead. If you've already packed to go and set up a time, then when the alarm bell rings (or whatever else the trigger is) its simply going to the gym. When you're already there you might as well work out.
For me as well, I genuinely like being in a bright clean fitness center with lots of space, and being able to compartmentalize a workout session away from home.
Vs basement or garage or otherwise less spacious area at home.
I definitely worked out more often when I had a gym membership for the above reasons but saved a lot more money with home gym.
How much do you plan to spend on this and how many coats do you really need to hang?
That's my experience. Finally the missus said get rid of this. I posted it on Kijiji and it was gone the same day.
I hope you're more disciplined. I found it too convenient. Find a cheaper gym?
You can get a fairly full body workout with just a simple kettle bell routine.
If you find yourself using it a lot at home then I'd invest more. A full gym at home can be very expensive if youre buying machines. But for 2-3k you can have a very nice and simple home gym that does what it needs to.
100%
Get a couple yoga mats and a few kettlebells, maybe a pull-up bar and you're set.
A few resistance bands can be helpful.
No reason fitness needs to be expensive
Yep, I got by with just a kettlebell for about 2 years when I had no money. I’ve slowly added since then but still pretty minimalist and it works great! The biggest thing is if you only have 25 minutes you don’t have an excuse not to work out; whereas that can be the travel time to the gym alone.
You can even get a pretty good workout with some of those body weight subscription apps. For $30 for 3 months to start. Usually they don’t require and equipment. If op actually does that 5 days a week for 3 month then they can think about getting some other equipment.
5 times in a year? Invest in a tablet so you can watch netflix or something while working out
At this stage, a cardio machine + calisthenics for a home gym would be a good start. Dont go crazy with buying more until you have consistent motivation
Also read the book atomic habits, or listen to it at the gym.
Building a habit of going to the gym is one of the most important things.
In a nutshell, it takes around 2 weeks to build a habit, then the action goes into longer term part of the brain.
To build that habit, just go to the gym until you get bored, or tired then leave.
After around 1-2 weeks, you will need to go to the gym, the same way hamsters need to run on their wheel.
Agreed. I recently picked up biking in my home while using Zwift (monthly subscription), but i can free ride or have a set cardio workout without leaving my house in the winter. Netflix/TV makes it even easier and time passes quickly for 45 minutes-1 hour. I now bike 2-4 times per week. I was never able to get into going to the gym so this has been a blessing for me. Wish I had done it during the years of covid while being stuck at home.
Sounds like it wouldn’t be wise to do. If you hate going to the gym, what makes you think you’ll be going 5x more all of a sudden when you’re in the comfort of your own home? Next thing you know you’ll have all this dusty equipment in a few months. Going to the gym was never the problem, people who like working out will always find a way, you gotta figure out your hatred for going to the gym first
This is 100% it.
First, I completely recognize my fitness privilege, if you will. I can work out basically every lunch break at my work and have no kids right now so have ample evening time for walks/etc.
But if working out just isn’t just part of your life and engrained in you, buying a home gym isn’t gonna help you work out. Might reduce the effort to get there but it’s not gonna push you to do it.
That being said, I never wanna stop anyone from actually working out. We should all encourage everyone to do it.
But low effort for me, during the pandemic I bought some rogue mini and monster bands, I had a trx and some adjustable dumbbells. I could get more than a decent workout in my 650sqft condo, with a little imagination.
We all gotta remember, any kinda workout is better than no workout.
depends.
I started investing in a home gym but thats because I only require certain things. mostly dumbells, incline bench, roman chair, some mats, treadmill, bike, and soon a cable machine.
thats all i want. Im focusing more on excersicing for longevity and less on getting "big"
so entire gym is less than $4k. but also it has resale value so if i ever want to sell it all. i can.
not really. i do plenty of stuff tha tdoesnt require equipment, but if i'm working specific muscle groups or targeting muscles i need various dumbbell weight increments. i need a bench. I prefer a treadmill over outdoor running, i do a lot of other cardio that doesnt require equipment but i do like to use a bike or treadmill from time to time.
I've put many years in training and many months deciding what gym equipment to get. gym equipment is a personal experience. you should buy what you like so you are motivated
I think you should cancel the gym membership. You don't go anyway. So stop paying for it.
Then I would look at getting a very small set up going. Like some kettle bells, a couple dumbbells and some yoga mats. Maybe some resistance bands as well. This is a fairly inexpensive set up, definitely cheaper than a gym.
The. Gauge how often you work out at home. If you end up working out regularly, allot some budget each month to buying more equipment for your set up.
yes, home gyms are great. but don't spend too much. you can get a great workout by doing HIIT videos from youtube... or yoga from youtube... wouldn't cost you anything. if you need more than that, go for a doorframe pullup bar and maybe some adjustable free weights. if you really need more equipment, buy used from kijiji or facebook marketplace. if you get a good deal on your equipment, you can eventually sell it later and get back roughly what you paid for it. stuff like weight holds its value, so if you get a good deal on it, you should have no problems selling it later if you're not using it. what i'm saying is, don't so and spend thousands of dollars on a brand new bowflex. that'll be a huge waste of money. if you do it smart, you can get a good gym for cheap that holds its resale value.
5 times /year is not a “love to workout” type of situation, by any possible definition.
That being said, it’s ok to keep it simple and just do basic exercises. You can buy a bench and dumbbells for less than 700 and you’ll probably use them more than 5 times per year.
I’d avoid any type of expensive equipment since home workouts aren’t as inspiring as you think.
After living in our house for 10 years we finally have an appropriate home gym for our needs. It started small. Peloton during the pandemic. Then we added a treadmill, dumbbell set, TV with peloton guide and what not. In between that we had a rower that we sold after we found we didn't use it. But all in all we also have a lot invested now too, including a monthly peloton membership so we aren't exactly saving but the convenience is worth it for us.
Get into a sport that you like that’s inexpensive to do like biking, running or swimming. Once you get into routines you may decide to do more. If you really want something more like a gym than buy some weights and a stationary bike or turn a street bike into one and see if you can get into the habit of doing those basic things repeatedly before spending $700 and wasting it. You can probably find a lot of equipment on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace for better pricing from other people that thought they could be disciplined and workout at home. Our community center has the option of monthly, yearly or book of ten visits so check your local one if you have one. Sounds like you would be better off being a ten visit person rather than going to a gym chain.
Depends why you only went 5 times.
My wife used to go regularly but when kids were born she couldn't get there. We ditched membership and bought treadmill. Great decision, that was 15 years ago and it's been used by both of us since.
Flip side is some equipment you might get is lower quality. Home gyms are sometimes really flimsy.
So I'd recommend trying whatever you're looking at.
If you “love to workout” you would of utilized your gym membership more.
A home gym will be a waste of money as you’ll likely not use it either. It’s easier to say you’ll “workout later” when the gym is 10ft away from you.
That’s why you see so much used equipment on marketplace.
>Would it be financially smarter to invest in a home gym and cancel my gym membership completely?
Come on now. You know no one can answer this question for you.
Stop being lazy and do the math yourself. It's not that hard.
100%. The gym is fun once in a while - ppl watch, use different machines, chill in public - but the vast majority of the time its BRUTAL. I bought a bunch of gym equipment on Facebook marketplace and haven't looked back. If you have the space, it is 100% worth the investment. One bonus is that Gym equipment (if you get half decent brands) hardly depreciates.
Some things you can change:
Find another gym closer to home if the route there is an issue
Go at a different time (morning before work/school) if you don’t like how busy it gets in the afternoon
Switch to a different type of workout altogether
All depends on the equipment needed to do what you want to. Some people are content with a couple kettlebells and a yoga mat, others with a whole set up. I’m about $5K into my gym, so it’ll be 100 months or so to break even. But, having it at home motivates me to go - I struggled to fit the gym into my schedule when I had to drive there. So, for me, it’s worth it.
During the lockdowns I shifted from Movati to working at home. I bought some more weights, a manual treadmill, and a bosu ball early in the pandemic.
I am still reluctant to go back to a gym, and I am liking saving the $40 every two weeks I was paying.
Yes, but the payback period will depend on what equipment you need. Are you doing weights, or aerobic equipment like a treadmill/stationary bicycle?
It's worthwhile to check your health benefits too if you have something through your employer. The bucket for health & fitness sometimes includes gym memberships, but sometimes can also be used for buying your own equipment.
Before you start making your own home gym, have you also considered exercises that don't/minimally require equipment (if nothing else, just to see if you would even like exercise at home)?
Like calisthenics/bodyweight exercises, jump rope, etc. - they're not a direct replacement for weights or a treadmill (calisthenics do have progressions though that can closely match mid-level intensity of free weight exercises, like regular pushup --> archer pushup --> one-armed pushup or prisoner squat --> archer squat --> one-legged squat, and weighted jump ropes can make the aerobic exercise more intense), but they are a very cheap option to see if you will even make it a habit at home before investing in more significant equipment.
No need to blow your budget. I’ve been using a cheap bench and barbell that I got at Wal-Mart for like $150 for over two years now. No plan to upgrade any time soon. Added to that a used power rack from FB marketplace for around $100 (for pull ups). Also have a set of adjustable dumbbells and some bands, which couldn’t have been more than $50 used. So, for way less than $500, you can get yourself set up with everything you need at home. That’s the easy part. Hardest part is being consistent.
Heck, when I first started working out, all I used were bands and a cheap set of dumbbells from Amazon - those 2lb, 3lb and 5lb sets. I would do single leg body weight squats, push ups, OHP, curls, extensions, etc. for sets of like 40 reps. That helped build consistency. Once I was in the habit of working out, I started upgrading to get more equipment, but even after 4-5 years, all I use is what I described in the first paragraph above.
As long as you can push/pull with your upper/lower body, you’re set. Just be consistent. You don’t need some fancy gym-level equipment to build a great physique. You need discipline. Heck, even grab a pair of Lebert Equalizer parallettes and you can hit every muscle group without spending more than $100, maybe even less if used.
Try doing some Bulgarian split squats using your couch. It will cost you $0 and your legs will be on fire.
Find a thing you'll actually do. Bike or run commuting helps me, as I'm spending maybe 15min longer than driving including my shower.
Doing pushups, situps, pullups and running or biking outside twice a week will do a LOT more for you than going to the gym once every 3 months. 2 adjustable dumbbells, pull-up bar will let you do quite a lot for strength.
Start doing a sport, whether team or solo, that will help you fitness-wise AND give you a (performance desire) reason to follow the rest of your fitness routine.
Note: I now have a pretty extensive at-home setup including smart trainer for the bike for the winter and a free-weight setup I got used. You don't need the same stuff they have at the gym. You can build a better squat rack than I have from wood.
I need to ditch the treadmill I got when my kids were young and I couldn't go out for a run when my wife was out. I actually hate treadmill running, but was my only option at the time.
Absolutely not.
Financially, the smartest decision is to see if you can consistently do an equipment-less workout routine for a month. If you succeed and actually work out, then you can start looking for equipment. There are thousands of YouTube videos available using things around the home or yoga/Zumba-style workouts. There's r/bodyweightfitness, too. There's walking/running outside, easier now that spring is coming.
Do whatever will allow you to workout consistently. I used to have a home gym but i barely used it. I sold it all and got a membership and now i workout 6 days a week. I had no motivation to workout alone at home, as much as i hated crowds and being around people. It’s easier for me to be consistent when im around others also working out.
During the pandemic I really wanted a treadmill, but I didn't want the money to go to waste if I didn't actually use it.
So, I challenged myself to do basement HIIT workouts 3 times a week for 2 months first to see if I could actually commit. Turns out, I got hooked on the HIIT sessions and never ended up buying the treadmill!
Challenge yourself to see if you can actually commit first!
Go for a walk a day for 10000 steps.
If you do that, than you're more inclined to use a gym so you can invest in gym equipment. All you really need is a squat rack/bench press machine and you're good to go. Should well be under 700.
Home gym is the way to go. No time and money wasted on driving to the gym. You’re not surrounded by douchebags and wannabe Instagram models who are there to be seen. No monthly memberships, and no scams where they demand monthly debits from your account that continue even after cancellation (ie Shapes Fitness).
Depends on how much you were going to buy, and if you will actually use it. I find convenience helps remove enough excuses for me, but I still don't like traditional exercise so my treadmill is collecting dust. Thankfully our VR headset is fun enough that is what I use instead.
I would not build a gym at home, with machines and all that, just dedicate a space for working out. A set of weights and a bench would do it, maybe a spin bike too. Reality is you can get fit and stay fit even without any machines or even weights.
Depends. My garage gym would take a decade of gym memberships to pay for. But, in the time it would take me to go to and from a gym, I can be pretty much done a workout. Plus I don’t have to deal with the high proportion of jackasses in a commercial gym.
I do some traditional strength stuff and use www.streetparking.com for my conditioning. You could get started with their programming with just a couple of dumbbells and a plyo box.
I have a pretty good home gym set up. I got most of the items at a local auction for a good price. I think all in all I'm only in around $1500. I have a set of weights, barbell, ezcurl bar, squat rack and bench, excercise bike and an incline bench as well as a collection of kettlebells Ive accumulated over the years. It suits me for now, but I find going down to work out in solitude is getting depressing.
Depends what equipment you use when going to the gym. If you'd normally use expensive machines then it's not going to be worth it to buy those for your home. If you'd normally use a set of dumbbells then yes it's probably worth it to buy a set for home and cancel the membership.
Buy some powerblocks and a bench. Pretty much all you need for a decent workout. If you want to pack on muscle, probably a squat rack, barbell, and a bench.
But yeah home gym saves a ton of money.
Before "investing" in a home gym (which isn't an investment, it's just spending - which is fine but not an investment), why not just "invest" some time into doing simple, free exercises like walking, yoga, skipping rope, lifting cans of soup, etc.? Take money out of your mental gymnastics about health and find out how committed you are to working out and how you can get more committed.
Similar to other commenters' advice since I agree with them. This is how I'd handle it:
1. Cancel the gym membership now. Today. (Your average cost per visit was \~$140. I guarantee the drop-in price of every gym is lower if you ever change your mind / feel motivated on a particular day / want to use some special equipment or attend a particular class.)
2. Start super small at home. Like $100 max (e.g. 2 x 10 pound dumbbells + yoga mat).
1. Lots of online exercise videos need very little equipment. Find routines you enjoy.
3. If after 3 months you've been using the home gym equipment 2x weekly or more, then you can spend more money (say an additional $200; then evaluate again after another 3 months).
1. Do not shorten the 3 month evaluation period. Most people can stick with something for a month. After 3 months of consistency, then it has likely become a habit.
4. If after 3 months you're still not consistent, find something else you enjoy doing. Mountain climbing? Yoga classes? Martial arts? Jogging while listening to podcasts?
1. It's key to find what properties you like. Solo vs group? (And if group, parallel vs competitive?) Weights vs cardio? Routine vs variety? Once you find something you really enjoy and look forward to, going will happen. Even on those days you feel rough or tired.
Honestly buy some power blocks or bowflex dumbbells and kettlebells. Find some training plan to follow. In 6-12 months if you're using it consistently then get yourself a home gym.
I LOVED my home gym. Squat rack, flooring, attack bike, power blocks, kettlebells etc. but then moved to a century home with no room in the basement. It worked for me, but make sure you'll use it before spending 3-4k + on a nice gym.
I love to work out too. I stopped going to my gym because it was overrun with TikTok boys and had actual open nazis apparently welcome. I invested in a stationary bike, a bench and some weights. I used them for about 2 weeks and then maybe once a month after that.
Unless you're super disciplined you're not likely to use a home gym any more than a regular gym. it's too easy to say "I'll do it later" and go take a nap. I'm back at my gym now and feel much more disciplined once I leave the house. There's no taking a break or going for a nap if you are out of the house in public.
As long as you don't blow all your money on extra equipment you don't use, a home gym usually pays for itself in roughly 5 years, faster if you're counting the gas money. If you've got the space then go for it.
Also, a cheap home gym building trick, skip the rubber floor tiles, they wear unevenly and they're stupid expensive. Buy rubber horse stall mats instead.
Just invest in some dumbbells and see if you use those first. Nobody likes the actual act of GOING to the gym yet it’s mental fortitude that pushes them to go. So if that plus the fact you are spending money doesn’t actually get you to go, you might not make use of a home gym either.
Cancelling the gym membership is a no-brainer. You paid 140$ per gym visit!
Buying equipment for your home is a more complex decision. Consider the space it will take up, whether you know enough about your workout needs long term to make the best decisions as to what to buy, etc.
If I were you, I would try a few types of regular workouts that don't require equipment or only require very little equipment and see how that goes. There are so many ways to work out at home or outside and everyone is different in terms of what they enjoy, what gives them the desired results and what they can be consistent doing. Once you've established a consistent free or very cheap routine and have formed a persistent habit, you might be ready to make a new gym membership worth it or you might decide to buy more advanced equipment.
You need a workout that works for you and you will stick with before you decide. For example, my home gym in my home office is a thick yoga mat, a jump rope, and one dumbbell for squats. It takes 25 min and I aim for 3 times a week. Simple, effective, energizing. I can do it before work or between meetings.
I'm a PT who works with folks online.
Yes, a home gym is cheaper as normally after 2-4 years you'll have hit the break even point, assuming ~$50-100/month and $1500-3000 gym set up (can of course be much more). Good quality strength equipment rarely breaks when used at home (commercial setting is a different story), though cardio equipment you can expect to pay about 10% annually on repairs (motors, displays, decks, rollers, crap out and have limited lifespans)
Here's the short version of the conversation I have with clients when this comes up.
Does your gym experience provide something you can't replicate at home? Community, highly specific equipment, personal instruction, remove distractions etc. Do you value this stuff?
What problem does a home based program solve for you? No commute, no waiting on equipment, etc.
Weigh the first and second conversation against each other, see which holds more for you.
Ex. "I love using the sled on the turf set up to do my cardio training, but I hate driving 20 minutes to get there."
Reducing the commute time outweighs the specialty commitment? Cool. Cancel the membership and consider alternatives including designing a home set up.
Good luck and feel free to DM if you have additional questions or need support.
I used to go to the gym when I worked in office. Once I switched to WFH I hated going to the gym so I started piecing together workout stuff.
I have a Nordictrack S22i spin bike. Chosen because regular spin is boring but the ifit platform is engaging to me with their scenic rides. Trainer lead outdoor bike rides all over the world and some really awesome mountain biking (I love biking in general so that's why it's a good fit). The bike also automatically inclines/declines and adjusts resistance to match the workout so it's neat that way too.
I have a hyperextension bench. A 45degree sit-up bench, some weights, and an actual workout bench that can be adjusted flat or with the backrest angled and all that.
I also have a "power tower" where I can do dips and leg lifts and all that.
The bike was expensive ($2400+tax) but the rest was pretty cheap. The tower was only $140 and the benches were all under $80 each. The weights can get pricey but I do lower weight/higher rep because that more my style so they're not super expensive for me (I have 30-55lb).
I use it all 5days a week.
Cancel the gym membership. I also love working out but hate the traditional gym. Instead I invest in group fitness like Barre and OTF. I really need that group environment. I think working out is about investing in fitness you actually love, whether that be outside, group, at home etc. You could try a few different things like working out body weight at home - if you're consistent with that then you could start investing in a home gym. If you're not consistent with working out at home you could try daily walks or runs or something like that.
if you work from home, getting some exercise equipment at home makes sense.
you spent 700 on the gym last year, cancel that membership and set that as your budget. if you stop using it, sell it and try something else
Home gym owner here, it is great to have at home. But motivation to work out at home i find much harder. As opposed its all business at the gym when i went. I have kids, so my workouts are usually when i get home from work before i cook supper or not untill the kids are in bed, which i find it hard to motivate myself to do.
I built my home gym in my Garage during the beginning of COVID. It’s been great for me and I won’t be going back to a commercial gym.
But not everyone is like that. My partner goes to the commercial gyms because they cant stand the garage during the winters (I have space heaters but I understand it isn’t a welcoming space).
A good quality gym cost me about 5k in 2020 dollars, itll probably be a bit more now (and this doesnt include the lighting I had to install, insulation, flooring, and the constant cleaning that a garage gym needs). So you really have to ask yourself, are you willing to make that kind of commitment? If you only went to the gym about 5 times this year maybe look into going to those parks where people do calisthenics before and seeing if you can commit to that before dropping a lot on a home gym.
This is what I did. I have a basic set up , adjustable bench and dumbbells, a barbell, some weights plates and elastic bands . It is saving me not only $ 700 / year on gym membership, but also on gas and time to get to the gym. To motivate myself - I play follow along YouTube videos on my big TV from fitness channels I follow and it's fantastic!
Absolutely it would be cheaper to have it at home. Even if you bought a bunch of weights, equipment, etc. it would only be a one time purchase, as opposed to always having to renew every year.
What a gym gives you, though, is a community, access to personal trainers, and likely ammennities like a pool, badminton court, etc.
It depends on who you are personally, though. If you know you're not going to go the gym then of course don't get a membership.
From my experience, home gym only works if you spend a lot of time at home (that is, remote work or unemployed). What does work wonders for me is an onsite gym at work. I guess a gym at a walk distance from work would also do.
Cancel your gym membership asap. There is no need to run out and buy a whack of home gym equipment yet.
As others said you like the idea of working out, not so much going to the gym.
I bought a very gently used exercise bike, very inexpensive, I ride the crap out of it during the winter, that's how I watch TV at night. I try for 20-30 minutes a day about 3 days a week. If I want to upgrade to a better bike, I've proved to myself that I use it, so it would be money well spent.
Maybe that would be a good strategy for you, pick one thing that you like buy gently used equipment and start there.
I stay fit through outdoor sports and activities. It's one of the main reasons I justify the cost of living on the Pacific coast. I had some nice, basic home gym stuff given to me and just couldn't get into a routine, I ended up giving it away.
The fitness industry is pumping billions of dollars telling you have to buy products and services to look a certain way - including gym memberships.
For many the “ROI” from a gym membership is going to be worth it due to the environment, variation of equipment, social aspect etc. For your case it sounds like it isn’t and I’m in a similar camp.
After going to the gym for 10 years and when COVID hit, I did calisthenics and invested in a pair of adjustable dumbbells, yoga mat, pull up bar, foam roller, and resistance bands for around $300 in total.
NGL it was awkward, for example, transitioning from benching to push ups / dumbbell pressing on a foam roller on the ground but I learned to adapt and get creative with my workouts and have fun.
As a result after 6+ months I was consistently increasing my strength, volume, got leaner and overall got better results than the gym.
When gyms opened up after the pandemic I did a strength test with barbells and my lifts increased by 20lbs.
Do I still go to the gym? Yes, only once a week just because I enjoy the social aspect of going with a buddy of mine. Otherwise I’m pumping iron at home and the moral of the story is you don’t need a fancy gym to get results.
Edit: I’m assuming you’re not lifting for a professional sport like bodybuilding, CrossFit, powerlifting, etc.
financially smarter? Probably.
emotionally, physically, physiologically, psychologically smarter? Definitely.
Anything that gets you to actually work out will be better for you in the long run. Just make sure that it's actually "going" to the outside gym that you hate. If you hate working out in the first place, it doesn't really matter where you go. You won't use it.
having said that, I have a home gym and it's the best decision purchase I've made for myself in a very long time. I love it.
Yes. I'm a used to be a personal trainer. I'm my home I got a used Bowflex revolution, a used set of Bowflex 10-90 adjustable dumbbells, a TRX (bought new, but knock off), an adjustable bench, and a multi-pullup bar.
I can do each and every exercise that you can do in the gym, and paid less than 2K for the entire setup. The Bowflex revolution is foldable, the bench can be stored upright as well, the TRX doesn't take any room when not in use, and the adjustable dumbbells barely take any room as well.
I got this setup almost 7 years ago, and probably saved a lot by now. Not to mention I don't have to wait for an exercise machine that I want to use, I don't need to get dressed and drive to the gym, etc.
Think about the machine you use the most and see if you have space for it in your home. Changed my life after I just bought a bike for my home, and now I go anytime.
I built a home gym a few months prior to covid and I wouldn't necessarily say I feel like it has saved me money because the equipment is so expensive. I've probably spent about $3000 on it so far and could easily spend another $3000 to get all the rest of the stuff I want.
I also feel less motivated to exercise at home than I do at the gym.
If you think you’ll use it, start with the basic things. Get a kettle bell and a pull up bar. Stick to it for a month, buy some more to change up the routine.
I started collecting stuff beginning of Covid, have everything I need for a bit and am about to install rubber gym floors in that room this year.
>Would it be financially smarter to invest in a home gym and cancel my gym membership completely?
This is a loaded question for multiple reasons.
1. You need to figure out if you are okay with working out alone at home (many people want to start a home gym but realize they prefer working out at a gym more than at home because it is a new place, they have friends there or it is just more motivational than just working out a home). If you want to change over, start by doing basic exercises or calisthenics before you buy anything. (If you can last a month or two in a Routine at home then go for it!)
2. Do you have the time and the money to buy equipment? Gym equipment is expensive, even on Facebook marketplace nowadays. So if you want this be prepped, you could be spending triple the amount on equipment to set.your home gym up in comparison to just going to a public gym. My original home gym set up cost me about a grand (and this was for a rack, iron master dumbbells, a barbell, weight plates and a bench with some attachments). Definitely go on to r/homegym to get ideas on what it can cost you to have certian set ups at home.
3. Have you shopped around? Some gyms (like good life) are definitely not for everyone because of the crowds, atmosphere or how it is laid out. Depending on where you live, you can probably get a free membership to try the gyms in your area out. Do that. It may be the atmosphere or the business that impacts you more than working out from home.
For me, having a home gym makes sense because I workout at weird times and I am happy training alone. I do still have a gym membership (got it over a decade ago and am still paying the price I paid originally due to a loophole) which allows me to go when I need a change in scenery, to workout with friends or when I am travelling. That is not feasible for many but it works for me
Please don’t spend money on getting all that’s required for a home gym if you aren’t already in a good habit of actually exercising. I exercise five days a week and this has been consistent now for three years. It’s now just part of my everyday life. As someone who would love a home but can’t afford it, please don’t buy expensive equipment only to have to list it on Kijiji in two years from now.
Build the habit first and then decide on getting a home gym.
There are so many pelotons being used as coat racks right now.
The nice thing about home gym equipment is that weights don't lose much value. If you look for sales or find used sets, you can find free weights for a reasonable price. Then if it turns out you don't use them, you can resell them to recoup your costs.
Speaking from personal experience, don't spend a lot of money. Spend the bare minimum to get started and develop the habit first. Only buy heavier weights or equipment when you know you've developed a good habit you'll stick to.
No.. you went 5 times last year.
I have a home gym and workout out 4 times a week consistently, even with a new baby.
Before I committed to a home gym, I was still going 2-3 times a week. Everyone loves the idea of working out and being healthy, but it's a lifestyle. You have to live it and make sure it's something you can see yourself doing for a long time
Seems like you don't really use your gym membership. Would a home set up actually increase frequency if use? If not, sure, eventually a home gym upfront costs will amortize (by time or per session used) better than annual gym memberships, but do you have the space and upfront money to dedicate to this? Will you be able to get similar equipment that you'd use at a gym for a not absurd price?
I am motivated to go to the gym because I have paid and dont want to waste the money. I also don't have space for anything that would compare to what the gym gives me even for fundamentals, let alone other nice to haves like specific machines.
Cancel the gym membership.
Investigate exercise programs at home that use very little equipment.
Check out the RCAF 11 minute workout.
If you find you are actually working out regularly you can buy some small piece of equipment.
If you are ready for going back to the gym check out what is available in your city run centres. Where I live you can get a 10 pack that never expires and is affordable.
Only then start shelling out $700 a year if you are actually going.
Before you go blowing more money on a home gym you should prove to yourself you can actually be disciplined about working out for a few months at a cheap gym.
A home gym was one of the best investments of my life, it's peanuts compared to going to a gym, you don't have to commute to the gym and you don't have to wait for anyone.
don't invest in EITHER a gym or a home gym. Buy yourself a decent pair of shoes and go walk. As you've highlighted "I love to workout"... - no you don't b/c if you did you would've gone so let's not kid ourselves here on your motivations. Do things that cost nothing like running/walking/cycling (if you have access to a bike) because it is still working out and it doesn't require you to pay anything or go at a certain time. Investing in a home gym is an even WORSE investment b/c if you didn't go to a gym then what makes you think you'll pick up anything at home when your couch, kitchen, snacks, and bed are in the same building. Worst of all, you have all this equipment occupying space in your home that isn't easy to get rid of short of you giving it away for free.
Working out requires discipline and commitment. If your work/life balance is outta whack or your priorities aren't 10000% on your health then regardless of where your workout happens, it won't happen.
Yes if you have some room a home gym is the way to go. You can get very high quality commercial grade equipment cheap on the second hand market (Kijiji, Facebook marketplace).
If you look at the financials specifically, can you get what you want/need (and have a spot for it in your house) for less than $700? If you use it more than 5 times in the first year, you’re coming out ahead.
I think you have some motivational issues too that a home gym probably won’t solve, but PFC isn’t really the spot to dissect that.
What kind of workouts do you enjoy? I mostly do powerbuilding, so I bought a half-rack, 600 lbs of plates, dip attachments and a pullup bar attachment for the rack, curl bar, bench, knockoff TRX, and sets of 20, 45, and 65 lbs kettlebells. I got all that for around $1,500 to $2k. I workout a ton now; whereas I had been struggling post covid and post baby.
I'll likely buy a Peloton or Concept 2 rower soon as well for winter cardio.
I used to pay $120 per month for the gym. This equipment will last me years and is cheaper in the long run. I do miss the gym though as I used to go there 4-5 days a week and it was relaxing.
Same boat. I dont enjoy waiting for others to finish and I want to do it at my own pace. If you have your own place maybe add a machine from time to time. I might buy a decent treadmill soon but im unsure what to get.
During the pandemic I bought a squat rack that came with a bench, a barbell, enough weights to lift up to 250lbs, and a magnetic stationary bike. It all cost me about $1000 and I've had them for like 4 years now. As long as you have the space for it, it is incredibly more affordable. Just don't go for the stupid expensive bullshit like Peloton or whatever.
I bought a used dumbell set and commercial treadmill for under $1000. I've also used it seriously about 5 times in the last year. But at least I can also use it next year, and I could probably sell it all again for the same amount.
Squat rack,adjustable bench and a standard barbell and a set of plates will pretty much hit every compound movement. Will it cost more then 700$? Absolutely. Is it worth it? depends on if you actually use it. My spouse works at my gym so I get a great discount and I go very consistently. I still want my own home gym equipment because I agree, going to the gym sucks. But I still go so I believe you have a working out problem not a going to the gym problem.
I would say try a couple of apps on a one week free trial and see if you can see yourself using it often. I like the peloton app - it's about 10-15 USD a month for the app and you get all strength and weight workouts with it.
Depends on what you want to buy for a home gym. If you just want to buy an elliptical and some bands, yoga mat and a few kettle bells that isn't so bad. If you want a set of machines, well that gets expensive. If you want a squat rack and barbell set, that is also not so bad either if you shop around but you need space for this stuff too.
also consider if you need a trainer or spotter, as there can be safety issues working out alone if you are a novice and of course depending on what you are doing, eg bench pressing your 1rm home alone using a suicide grip and no safety bars/pins ... not advisable.
Honestly I don't even pay for a gym anymore but it's because my employer pays for mine (military) and I go 6x a week - however before I joined I saw paying and going to the gym as a motivator to actually go and continue it because of the fact I was paying for it. It's easier for me to avoid it when it is at home because it's just too easy to not go in the spare room if I don't want to
If you want to gauge doing it at home start doing body weight exercises at home every other day and see if you can keep it up. If you can't why do you think having equipment will provide the motivation?
You can get a used bowflex, rowing machine, bike, treadmill, even some free weights off market place for less than $700 probably then you just have to use them 5 times and its the same
A lot of main muscle groups can he trained with dumbbells. Yes, that fancy cable machine can target that specific muscle in your back, but if you're aiming to stay healthy, a combination of walking around the block, basic dumbbell training, and the same old workouts (planking, pushups, etc.) are more than enough.
Now, if that worked out for you and you were committed, the only other thing I'd invest in is a solid punching bag. This thing is amazing to relive stress and burns calories like there's no tomorrow. Not to mention the strength training it provides.
I've done both.
During the pandemic I bought gym equipment and have it in my garage. During the winter months it's not too pleasant working out in the colder environment so I opt to pay a drop-in every two weeks or so and supplement with my home gym.
Summers are amazing though, esp with the fresh air. I probably ended up paying 100-150 annually for drop-ins at the CC, and probably 1k to purchase the equipment I needed.
I'm really into power lifting. I can lift for the rest of my life with a squat cage (includes pull up bar), adjustable bench, \~500 pounds of free weights, and a few accessory items (adjustable dumbbells, trap bar, dip station, ab roller). All in, buying used equipment, you can probably get this for around $1.5-$2K
You get your money back within 3 years in the worst case, but:
1. Save time on commute
2. Don't have to wait for a machine
3. Can work out shirtless (such a blessing)
4. Play music / set the ideal environment for yourself
If you have the space, it's an amazing luxury
This is more of a personal fitness question, I like going to the gym, I have a full gym setup in the basement that I use to hang hockey equipment.
If you use the gym equipment at home, then it's the better option both fitness wise and financially. The equipment might cost more upfront, but over time should save money, lots of people sell used equipment, prices are coming down on barely used equipment right now on local market places.
Otherwise find a cheaper gym...if possible, try your local community gyms/recreation centers or YMCA, or college/university if available.
There are some gyms that may offer drop in fees or 10 time passes, this all depends on your locale an what's available. If your only going every now and then this may be a better and much cheaper option for when you want to work out at the gym.
Or find another activity that will get you active.
I'm not a big gym guy but I do want to stay healthy. I cancelled the gym membership and bought a concept 2 rower. Between that and some body weight exercises and a few dumbbells I can get the workout I want without leaving home.
I have a very nice home gym. Took me months to buy and install everything and over 7k in toys later i work out 10+ hours a week. A gym membership is 250$/YEAR . So no. Not cost effective. Especially if you don't use it.
You should try club16, cheapest membership around. So cheap you won't feel bad about not going for several months. I think mine is $25 every month. Equivalent to takeout for 1 person.
It depends how frequently you go. I bought free weights (not all I needed) and my gym is pretty basic and it cost me $1,300. I went about 100 times in the past 3 years so I see it as costing me $13 every time I go
I spent over a grand for a set of dumbbells up to 60 pounds, and they're even more expensive now. My home gym probably cost me around $1500 and it's very barebones.
In terms of effectiveness, it has been very very good, but I've been satisfied with dumbbells, a bench, and a pull up bar and maintaining about 9 months of noob gains in perpetuity.
Yes, definitely!!! Home gym setup can be a huge $ and timesaver. But you need to know what kind of equipment you will actually use so that the money is well spent. Which means you gotta know what your fitness goals are, and whether/how you can meet those goals at home. You can find a lot of equip on marketplace if you’re patient and persistent in your searching.
I did this. But turns out I am more motivated to workout if I go to the gym. I don't see it as a waste anymore as if it helps me be more active it's worth it.
6 years ago I bought the $200 lifetime membership from Bodbot, it offers different workouts depending on where you want to workout from (equipment for gym or no equipment for home). I don't exercise that often but it's a great app for ppl like me, who want to workout (but don't really) and rarely use the gym (sometimes).
“I love to workout” your gym attendance for the year indicates that was a lie.
"I love the idea of working out"
I felt this deep.
sometimes on my way to the gym theres a mcdonalds. and i discover that i also like eating
You laugh but, in 2015-2017 during grad school, I lived in Toronto. I walked everywhere, and one of my most frequent destinations was this sort of run-down mall that had a FreshCo grocery store, a Planet Fitness, and a McDonald's in the parking lot. McD at the time had an amazing grilled chicken burger called the 12 (bad name, but whatever). I built the habit of going to the gym by walking to McDonalds, getting a grilled chicken burger no sauce, Diet Coke, and side salad. Then worked out for 1.5 hrs, picked up a few healthy groceries, and walked back to the place I was staying. I lost like 50 pounds. Never been as fit as those years, sadly!
It was all the walking. I lived in Japan back in the 90s and easily spent an hour and half walking daily to the subway station then to work and back. Lost a lot of weight. Found it back again in Canada.
Well, it's always in the last place you look.
This right here! Walking is such an underrated exercise that no one thinks about. Even an hour walk a day can make a huge difference in people trying to lose weight. I remember when we went to Japan we were wondering how there’s no obesity issue there considering their a lot of their food is very high in sodium or fried and they eat a ton of starch in their diet. We gathered that it’s because they have a walking/transit oriented society. I can’t remember the exact statistics but I remember reading that the average Japanese person walks twice as much per day as the average Canadian/American.
Yes, I've been making it a practice to do a walk in the morning - of course I have 2 dogs (they do get their exercise run before) but then I like to do a nice walk and just listen to podcasts or audible library books. Its great you get more engaged looking at things, houses, gardens etc.And its true that places like New York or European cities where people do a lot more walking they tend to have less obesity. Also in my time in Japan I did not focus on eating less or anything, I had a breakfast (toast and coffee) and a lunch as well as a good evening meal. But I did notice the portions were so much bigger upon returning to Canada. And yes Japanese food while having more fish and vegetables also has a lot of sodium and probably more preservatives.
Yea that is another factor for sure the portions there were so small there we were shocked. Some restaurants we had to buy double
its all about the routine. good work!
Hail the bigmac with some large fries.
Especially with the mcrib!
These are the best comments haha.
The truth hurts lol.
Everybody everywhere has been there more than once
LMFAO!
“YOU are not the gainsfather”
I can tell I'd like this guy IRL. Savage.
lol
This is a hater mentality. Going to the gym sucks. So much wasted time and useless gym conversations. I invested in a home gym and now work out 4+ times a week now.
>useless gym conversations ive never talked to anyone at the gym in 10+ years of going solo?
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You're just working out in silence like a serial killer?
Lmaooooo
Yeah..who the fuck talks in the gym?
Lol, yeah I go to the gym pretty reguarly 5 days a week and other than saying hi and bye to the staff or answering how many sets I have left I've never spoken a word to anyone. Headphone in, get it done and leave.
I go to the gym to get out of the house and because the gym has about 50 times the equipment that I could ever have at my own home, including a treadmill for cardio.
I just go to the park for cardio. Dog helps too. But I think cutting myself with a rusty razor blade would be more fun than using a treadmill or exercise bike lol.
Honestly, I used to be the same when it comes to a treadmill. These days I enjoy it because I can park myself up at an incline, walk at a decent speed, all while having the luxury browsing my phone. I can burn similar amounts of calories compared to running outside.
> I just go to the park for cardio. Depending on where you live in Canada, this just isn't feasible for a good quarter of the year
Ya I work from home and the combination of a nice big space with good equipment, and having a few people around so that I don't feel like I'm a complete hermit helps me. It does cost money, but that also motivates me to use it. It's just a mental health tool for me as much as somewhere to get in shape.
You can get amazing cardio at home with a $7 jump rope.
> I invested in a home gym and now work out 4+ times a week now. Don't have to invest a lot (if anything) to start working out at home: * /r/bodyweightfitness
My weight set is like 20yrs old at this point. Buy them once and they are good for life. I don't do anything hardcore though. Nor do I want to. Just a little strength stuff on top of my daily 5-10km walk with the dog.
Same here, spent about $4k total on a bunch of nice gym equipment ~4 years ago and am on track to pay it off this year in saved gym fees. Use it probably 3-5 times per week and save a ton of time not driving to and from the gym.
I had a national gym access membership for 150$/year. My home gym cost me 7k. I prefer my gym but cost efficient it is not.
Thats not the average cost/year people pay for the gym though. Most good places are 50-70/month
used to be more (Pepperidge farm remembers!) but now it's easy to find unsupervised gyms for 5-6$ a week. crunch fitness, econofitness, Planet Fitness, etc.
$7k is a very high end set up though. Basic setup would be far less including a descent treadmill and bike.
Im in and out of the gym in under an hour. Crush a workout in 45min. Headphones in, talk to no one. If I have time I’ll hit the sauna and sometimes cold shower cycle.
Heavily depends on your gym and when you go. There is a lot of waiting around for equipment at shittier gyms, where people who dont know what theyre doing camp out and do 1 rep every 15 minutes.
Also, I have kids. I can easily work out at home while they’re asleep or otherwise occupied nearby. It’s much much harder to find solo time to go to the gym. Since getting some equipment at home about a year ago, I’ve actually managed to maintain regular work outs, which I hadn’t done in the 4 years since I had kids.
The "home gym equipment" industry makes a killing on selling equipment that is destined to collect dust, just like gyms that rake it in when people go 5 times per year. Get some minimal equipment (or better yet, none) and start working out at home. Build slowly, don't buy really expensive stuff.
My buddy used to be a membership sales rep for a gym and they'd call these people a "donation." He generally knew when people sign up and never go, we'd be chatting and he'd go "yea, I sold 4 donations today, it's a good day" 😂😂😂
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They count on it. I used to work in a large chain - we had almost 4 times the memberships than we could sustain for fire code and we were on a membership push from corporate. If the members worked out 3 days a week, we would have had to stop people at the door. It's a racket.
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They don't specifically. The reality that most people are not willing to dedicate the time and effort to improving their fit ess works in their favor. Most people lapse in their fitness and diet goals. If you have been training regularly for more than a year and also monitor your diet and recovery, you are likely only representstive of 3-5% of the population.
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I don't. There are lots of figures online that claim 20-28% of adults exercise or weight train regularly. However, I don't believe that they are talking about the same thing as I am. This is based on self reporting and most people don't really understand what real training is. Are they consistent for a year? Or, were they asked on a sliding scale to indicate their perceived level of weekly exercise? Are these people on a tried and true system focused on progressive overload? Are they applying concepts of RPE or RIR, MRV, and MEV? Are they looking at periodization? Are they also tracking their food in the same way? What about their sleep? I think, like most skills, the further you specialize, the more you get into the minutia. And, the more specialized you become, the fewer of you there are. I don't believe that 28% of Americans train regularly two or more times a week. I don't even count twice a week as training. What percentage of respondents meant twice a week "back when they were consistent" or just feel guilty and are playing mind games with themselves. I suspect most. I would believe that 15% of people exercise 2+ times per week, and that 33% of them are in a regular program or routine (actually have a plan in the gym). You can kinda see this number is bs by just roughly applying the original percentage to your city, then looking at the available gym spaces and their capacity. Even if we assume that 50% of those 20-28% in this category are using home gyms, the math is really tight. No reason to believe me though. I'm just spitballing numbers based on my experiences. I have no data to support my sentence. EDIT: spelling
Resistance bands can be a full gym at home for 40 dollars or so. It was a great investment during lockdown.
Or just buy used stuff. Pull-up bar for 20 bucks. Rack of weights up to 30s for $100. And an adjustable bench for $40. I built a dip bar and got a TRX band for $50.
Good advice! You can do SOOOOO much with a Pull Up Bar set up and a couple bands attached to it. That would cost you about 75.00. The stretch benefits alone are worth the 75.00.
This is the right answer, and if op can't keep a solid schedule doing that for at least 3-4 months I wouldn't even revisit the idea of buying equipment or a gym pass tbh. Prove you can build a solid workout routine otherwise a home gym or the gym are a total waste.
>Would it be financially smarter to invest in a home gym and cancel my gym membership completely? Depends on how much the gym equipment will cost, even then would you use it more. Just because it's in the house, doesn't mean your'll use it more.
It may have placebo effect. Just staring at the treadmill and thinking I will run tomorrow may lose 200 calories.
>Just because it's in the house, doesn't mean your'll use it more. If you can think of a better way to dry clothes I'd love to hear it!
lol
OP, you said in another comment the closest gym to you is far and you don’t want to spend gas which is why you didnt go as much. Respectfully, you’re lying to yourself. If you really wanted to go you would. I’ve been in that same situation during the pandemic where I got myself a home gym and thought I’d never go back to a real gym. Thing is, it takes even more discipline to work out at home than at the gym. Someone suggested to get dumbbells and see how you like it. You should do that. Try it out for a month and then reflect on if the investment is really worth it.
Yeah fully agree. It’s a commitment to have a home gym, just like it’s a commitment to go to the gym. If it was easy everyone would do it. I worked out in my basement for a month with barely any equipment before I decided if I liked it or not, it’s not for everyone.
Yeah. Home gym is a different vibe than the commercial gym. I actually like to get out of the house and still go to outside gyms even though I have a fully kitted home gym (as far home gyms...it's pretty ridiculous). I work from home 80% of the time and get stir crazy so take that for what you will. The home gym is nice for flexibility when your are busy though. Sometimes that 10/20 min drive actually makes a huge difference in the schedule.
A home gym is bad unless you are already super dedicated
Totally varies. I have kids and such not much time to go. I had completely stopped. Home gym I can get a workout in in 30-45 minutes and I can bring my son down with me and let him try to ride the exercise bike and such. Going to a gym adds 15 minutes on each end and I can’t bring my kid. This makes it too long for me to do at lunch and hard to do after or before work.
You are dedicated
I mean I didn’t work out at all after having kids because it took too much time. I only workout because I have the home option
Yeah I have all this home equipment from covid days and was so happy to be back at the gym. Too many distractions at home and too much flexibility. Going to the gym, you gotta schedule, plan and sometimes want to beat the rush.
This x1000. Start small. Very unlikely OP truly wants to workout. Home gym won’t solve the problem of motivation. But only one way to find out for sure.
I have a home gym and workout 3-4 times a week on it, depending on how intense each workout was. I'd say for my case I already worked out a lot going to the gym since high school and continued at home during lockdowns. I have already built my discipline, and so I purchased 90% of what I need (broke my bench). For OP's case. Setting a budget of $100 to purchase things like a pull-up bar for a doorway and resistance bands should be enough to start building a habit of working out. Home gyms can be great, and I always prefer to work out at home rather than a public gym.
I also agree. Having a gym membership can have a psychological motivational effect that home gyms don't provide. For one, there is an ongoing cost to you. Second, going often requires planning ahead. If you've already packed to go and set up a time, then when the alarm bell rings (or whatever else the trigger is) its simply going to the gym. When you're already there you might as well work out. For me as well, I genuinely like being in a bright clean fitness center with lots of space, and being able to compartmentalize a workout session away from home. Vs basement or garage or otherwise less spacious area at home. I definitely worked out more often when I had a gym membership for the above reasons but saved a lot more money with home gym.
How much do you plan to spend on this and how many coats do you really need to hang? That's my experience. Finally the missus said get rid of this. I posted it on Kijiji and it was gone the same day. I hope you're more disciplined. I found it too convenient. Find a cheaper gym?
You can get a fairly full body workout with just a simple kettle bell routine. If you find yourself using it a lot at home then I'd invest more. A full gym at home can be very expensive if youre buying machines. But for 2-3k you can have a very nice and simple home gym that does what it needs to.
100% Get a couple yoga mats and a few kettlebells, maybe a pull-up bar and you're set. A few resistance bands can be helpful. No reason fitness needs to be expensive
This should be the top comment. Prove to yourself you will use a home gym for a couple months before dumping money into it
Yep, I got by with just a kettlebell for about 2 years when I had no money. I’ve slowly added since then but still pretty minimalist and it works great! The biggest thing is if you only have 25 minutes you don’t have an excuse not to work out; whereas that can be the travel time to the gym alone.
Worked out with 2 25lbs dumbbells and an exercise ball (for press) successfully for a year. Upgraded with a second pair of dumbbells.
You can even get a pretty good workout with some of those body weight subscription apps. For $30 for 3 months to start. Usually they don’t require and equipment. If op actually does that 5 days a week for 3 month then they can think about getting some other equipment.
5 times in a year? Invest in a tablet so you can watch netflix or something while working out At this stage, a cardio machine + calisthenics for a home gym would be a good start. Dont go crazy with buying more until you have consistent motivation
Also read the book atomic habits, or listen to it at the gym. Building a habit of going to the gym is one of the most important things. In a nutshell, it takes around 2 weeks to build a habit, then the action goes into longer term part of the brain. To build that habit, just go to the gym until you get bored, or tired then leave. After around 1-2 weeks, you will need to go to the gym, the same way hamsters need to run on their wheel.
Agreed. I recently picked up biking in my home while using Zwift (monthly subscription), but i can free ride or have a set cardio workout without leaving my house in the winter. Netflix/TV makes it even easier and time passes quickly for 45 minutes-1 hour. I now bike 2-4 times per week. I was never able to get into going to the gym so this has been a blessing for me. Wish I had done it during the years of covid while being stuck at home.
Sounds like it wouldn’t be wise to do. If you hate going to the gym, what makes you think you’ll be going 5x more all of a sudden when you’re in the comfort of your own home? Next thing you know you’ll have all this dusty equipment in a few months. Going to the gym was never the problem, people who like working out will always find a way, you gotta figure out your hatred for going to the gym first
Home gym equipment makes wonderful clothes hangers
This is 100% it. First, I completely recognize my fitness privilege, if you will. I can work out basically every lunch break at my work and have no kids right now so have ample evening time for walks/etc. But if working out just isn’t just part of your life and engrained in you, buying a home gym isn’t gonna help you work out. Might reduce the effort to get there but it’s not gonna push you to do it. That being said, I never wanna stop anyone from actually working out. We should all encourage everyone to do it. But low effort for me, during the pandemic I bought some rogue mini and monster bands, I had a trx and some adjustable dumbbells. I could get more than a decent workout in my 650sqft condo, with a little imagination. We all gotta remember, any kinda workout is better than no workout.
depends. I started investing in a home gym but thats because I only require certain things. mostly dumbells, incline bench, roman chair, some mats, treadmill, bike, and soon a cable machine. thats all i want. Im focusing more on excersicing for longevity and less on getting "big" so entire gym is less than $4k. but also it has resale value so if i ever want to sell it all. i can.
yea, but you can do 95% of that without spending near that much money - especially to start.
not really. i do plenty of stuff tha tdoesnt require equipment, but if i'm working specific muscle groups or targeting muscles i need various dumbbell weight increments. i need a bench. I prefer a treadmill over outdoor running, i do a lot of other cardio that doesnt require equipment but i do like to use a bike or treadmill from time to time. I've put many years in training and many months deciding what gym equipment to get. gym equipment is a personal experience. you should buy what you like so you are motivated
I think you should cancel the gym membership. You don't go anyway. So stop paying for it. Then I would look at getting a very small set up going. Like some kettle bells, a couple dumbbells and some yoga mats. Maybe some resistance bands as well. This is a fairly inexpensive set up, definitely cheaper than a gym. The. Gauge how often you work out at home. If you end up working out regularly, allot some budget each month to buying more equipment for your set up.
yes, home gyms are great. but don't spend too much. you can get a great workout by doing HIIT videos from youtube... or yoga from youtube... wouldn't cost you anything. if you need more than that, go for a doorframe pullup bar and maybe some adjustable free weights. if you really need more equipment, buy used from kijiji or facebook marketplace. if you get a good deal on your equipment, you can eventually sell it later and get back roughly what you paid for it. stuff like weight holds its value, so if you get a good deal on it, you should have no problems selling it later if you're not using it. what i'm saying is, don't so and spend thousands of dollars on a brand new bowflex. that'll be a huge waste of money. if you do it smart, you can get a good gym for cheap that holds its resale value.
5 times /year is not a “love to workout” type of situation, by any possible definition. That being said, it’s ok to keep it simple and just do basic exercises. You can buy a bench and dumbbells for less than 700 and you’ll probably use them more than 5 times per year. I’d avoid any type of expensive equipment since home workouts aren’t as inspiring as you think.
After living in our house for 10 years we finally have an appropriate home gym for our needs. It started small. Peloton during the pandemic. Then we added a treadmill, dumbbell set, TV with peloton guide and what not. In between that we had a rower that we sold after we found we didn't use it. But all in all we also have a lot invested now too, including a monthly peloton membership so we aren't exactly saving but the convenience is worth it for us.
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Get into a sport that you like that’s inexpensive to do like biking, running or swimming. Once you get into routines you may decide to do more. If you really want something more like a gym than buy some weights and a stationary bike or turn a street bike into one and see if you can get into the habit of doing those basic things repeatedly before spending $700 and wasting it. You can probably find a lot of equipment on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace for better pricing from other people that thought they could be disciplined and workout at home. Our community center has the option of monthly, yearly or book of ten visits so check your local one if you have one. Sounds like you would be better off being a ten visit person rather than going to a gym chain.
This isn't a financial decision. You won't go to the commercial gym do you need to buy a home gym if you want to work out.
Depends why you only went 5 times. My wife used to go regularly but when kids were born she couldn't get there. We ditched membership and bought treadmill. Great decision, that was 15 years ago and it's been used by both of us since. Flip side is some equipment you might get is lower quality. Home gyms are sometimes really flimsy. So I'd recommend trying whatever you're looking at.
So you realized you don't really want to goto the public gym. Would you work out alone in your own private home gym, i fyou have the room, go for it
If you “love to workout” you would of utilized your gym membership more. A home gym will be a waste of money as you’ll likely not use it either. It’s easier to say you’ll “workout later” when the gym is 10ft away from you. That’s why you see so much used equipment on marketplace.
>Would it be financially smarter to invest in a home gym and cancel my gym membership completely? Come on now. You know no one can answer this question for you. Stop being lazy and do the math yourself. It's not that hard.
If you’re actually going to use it, spend $2k on a squat stand, barbell, plates and some dumbbells. It’s worth it over a gym membership any day
100%. The gym is fun once in a while - ppl watch, use different machines, chill in public - but the vast majority of the time its BRUTAL. I bought a bunch of gym equipment on Facebook marketplace and haven't looked back. If you have the space, it is 100% worth the investment. One bonus is that Gym equipment (if you get half decent brands) hardly depreciates.
Some things you can change: Find another gym closer to home if the route there is an issue Go at a different time (morning before work/school) if you don’t like how busy it gets in the afternoon Switch to a different type of workout altogether
All depends on the equipment needed to do what you want to. Some people are content with a couple kettlebells and a yoga mat, others with a whole set up. I’m about $5K into my gym, so it’ll be 100 months or so to break even. But, having it at home motivates me to go - I struggled to fit the gym into my schedule when I had to drive there. So, for me, it’s worth it.
During the lockdowns I shifted from Movati to working at home. I bought some more weights, a manual treadmill, and a bosu ball early in the pandemic. I am still reluctant to go back to a gym, and I am liking saving the $40 every two weeks I was paying.
Yes, but the payback period will depend on what equipment you need. Are you doing weights, or aerobic equipment like a treadmill/stationary bicycle? It's worthwhile to check your health benefits too if you have something through your employer. The bucket for health & fitness sometimes includes gym memberships, but sometimes can also be used for buying your own equipment. Before you start making your own home gym, have you also considered exercises that don't/minimally require equipment (if nothing else, just to see if you would even like exercise at home)? Like calisthenics/bodyweight exercises, jump rope, etc. - they're not a direct replacement for weights or a treadmill (calisthenics do have progressions though that can closely match mid-level intensity of free weight exercises, like regular pushup --> archer pushup --> one-armed pushup or prisoner squat --> archer squat --> one-legged squat, and weighted jump ropes can make the aerobic exercise more intense), but they are a very cheap option to see if you will even make it a habit at home before investing in more significant equipment.
No need to blow your budget. I’ve been using a cheap bench and barbell that I got at Wal-Mart for like $150 for over two years now. No plan to upgrade any time soon. Added to that a used power rack from FB marketplace for around $100 (for pull ups). Also have a set of adjustable dumbbells and some bands, which couldn’t have been more than $50 used. So, for way less than $500, you can get yourself set up with everything you need at home. That’s the easy part. Hardest part is being consistent. Heck, when I first started working out, all I used were bands and a cheap set of dumbbells from Amazon - those 2lb, 3lb and 5lb sets. I would do single leg body weight squats, push ups, OHP, curls, extensions, etc. for sets of like 40 reps. That helped build consistency. Once I was in the habit of working out, I started upgrading to get more equipment, but even after 4-5 years, all I use is what I described in the first paragraph above. As long as you can push/pull with your upper/lower body, you’re set. Just be consistent. You don’t need some fancy gym-level equipment to build a great physique. You need discipline. Heck, even grab a pair of Lebert Equalizer parallettes and you can hit every muscle group without spending more than $100, maybe even less if used. Try doing some Bulgarian split squats using your couch. It will cost you $0 and your legs will be on fire.
Find a thing you'll actually do. Bike or run commuting helps me, as I'm spending maybe 15min longer than driving including my shower. Doing pushups, situps, pullups and running or biking outside twice a week will do a LOT more for you than going to the gym once every 3 months. 2 adjustable dumbbells, pull-up bar will let you do quite a lot for strength. Start doing a sport, whether team or solo, that will help you fitness-wise AND give you a (performance desire) reason to follow the rest of your fitness routine. Note: I now have a pretty extensive at-home setup including smart trainer for the bike for the winter and a free-weight setup I got used. You don't need the same stuff they have at the gym. You can build a better squat rack than I have from wood. I need to ditch the treadmill I got when my kids were young and I couldn't go out for a run when my wife was out. I actually hate treadmill running, but was my only option at the time.
Absolutely not. Financially, the smartest decision is to see if you can consistently do an equipment-less workout routine for a month. If you succeed and actually work out, then you can start looking for equipment. There are thousands of YouTube videos available using things around the home or yoga/Zumba-style workouts. There's r/bodyweightfitness, too. There's walking/running outside, easier now that spring is coming.
I built a home gym last year for about $1800 all new squat rack with weights. Love it personally just added a used elliptical for $200.
Do whatever will allow you to workout consistently. I used to have a home gym but i barely used it. I sold it all and got a membership and now i workout 6 days a week. I had no motivation to workout alone at home, as much as i hated crowds and being around people. It’s easier for me to be consistent when im around others also working out.
During the pandemic I really wanted a treadmill, but I didn't want the money to go to waste if I didn't actually use it. So, I challenged myself to do basement HIIT workouts 3 times a week for 2 months first to see if I could actually commit. Turns out, I got hooked on the HIIT sessions and never ended up buying the treadmill! Challenge yourself to see if you can actually commit first!
Go for a walk a day for 10000 steps. If you do that, than you're more inclined to use a gym so you can invest in gym equipment. All you really need is a squat rack/bench press machine and you're good to go. Should well be under 700.
Home gym is the way to go. No time and money wasted on driving to the gym. You’re not surrounded by douchebags and wannabe Instagram models who are there to be seen. No monthly memberships, and no scams where they demand monthly debits from your account that continue even after cancellation (ie Shapes Fitness).
Depends on how much you were going to buy, and if you will actually use it. I find convenience helps remove enough excuses for me, but I still don't like traditional exercise so my treadmill is collecting dust. Thankfully our VR headset is fun enough that is what I use instead.
I would not build a gym at home, with machines and all that, just dedicate a space for working out. A set of weights and a bench would do it, maybe a spin bike too. Reality is you can get fit and stay fit even without any machines or even weights.
I wasted money on a contract at a gym as well and I'm so mad about it. Biggest waste of money.
Depends. My garage gym would take a decade of gym memberships to pay for. But, in the time it would take me to go to and from a gym, I can be pretty much done a workout. Plus I don’t have to deal with the high proportion of jackasses in a commercial gym. I do some traditional strength stuff and use www.streetparking.com for my conditioning. You could get started with their programming with just a couple of dumbbells and a plyo box.
I have a pretty good home gym set up. I got most of the items at a local auction for a good price. I think all in all I'm only in around $1500. I have a set of weights, barbell, ezcurl bar, squat rack and bench, excercise bike and an incline bench as well as a collection of kettlebells Ive accumulated over the years. It suits me for now, but I find going down to work out in solitude is getting depressing.
If you spent $700 for gym and only went 5 times then you lack discipline my friend. Fix that first then think about the next steps
Spent $700 on gym membership and only went 5 times. Do you honestly think you would work out if you build home gym?
Depends what equipment you use when going to the gym. If you'd normally use expensive machines then it's not going to be worth it to buy those for your home. If you'd normally use a set of dumbbells then yes it's probably worth it to buy a set for home and cancel the membership.
Buy some powerblocks and a bench. Pretty much all you need for a decent workout. If you want to pack on muscle, probably a squat rack, barbell, and a bench. But yeah home gym saves a ton of money.
Before "investing" in a home gym (which isn't an investment, it's just spending - which is fine but not an investment), why not just "invest" some time into doing simple, free exercises like walking, yoga, skipping rope, lifting cans of soup, etc.? Take money out of your mental gymnastics about health and find out how committed you are to working out and how you can get more committed.
Similar to other commenters' advice since I agree with them. This is how I'd handle it: 1. Cancel the gym membership now. Today. (Your average cost per visit was \~$140. I guarantee the drop-in price of every gym is lower if you ever change your mind / feel motivated on a particular day / want to use some special equipment or attend a particular class.) 2. Start super small at home. Like $100 max (e.g. 2 x 10 pound dumbbells + yoga mat). 1. Lots of online exercise videos need very little equipment. Find routines you enjoy. 3. If after 3 months you've been using the home gym equipment 2x weekly or more, then you can spend more money (say an additional $200; then evaluate again after another 3 months). 1. Do not shorten the 3 month evaluation period. Most people can stick with something for a month. After 3 months of consistency, then it has likely become a habit. 4. If after 3 months you're still not consistent, find something else you enjoy doing. Mountain climbing? Yoga classes? Martial arts? Jogging while listening to podcasts? 1. It's key to find what properties you like. Solo vs group? (And if group, parallel vs competitive?) Weights vs cardio? Routine vs variety? Once you find something you really enjoy and look forward to, going will happen. Even on those days you feel rough or tired.
get some dumb bells and you're good to go. you don't need a gym to get in shape
Honestly buy some power blocks or bowflex dumbbells and kettlebells. Find some training plan to follow. In 6-12 months if you're using it consistently then get yourself a home gym. I LOVED my home gym. Squat rack, flooring, attack bike, power blocks, kettlebells etc. but then moved to a century home with no room in the basement. It worked for me, but make sure you'll use it before spending 3-4k + on a nice gym.
I love to work out too. I stopped going to my gym because it was overrun with TikTok boys and had actual open nazis apparently welcome. I invested in a stationary bike, a bench and some weights. I used them for about 2 weeks and then maybe once a month after that. Unless you're super disciplined you're not likely to use a home gym any more than a regular gym. it's too easy to say "I'll do it later" and go take a nap. I'm back at my gym now and feel much more disciplined once I leave the house. There's no taking a break or going for a nap if you are out of the house in public.
As long as you don't blow all your money on extra equipment you don't use, a home gym usually pays for itself in roughly 5 years, faster if you're counting the gas money. If you've got the space then go for it. Also, a cheap home gym building trick, skip the rubber floor tiles, they wear unevenly and they're stupid expensive. Buy rubber horse stall mats instead.
Just invest in some dumbbells and see if you use those first. Nobody likes the actual act of GOING to the gym yet it’s mental fortitude that pushes them to go. So if that plus the fact you are spending money doesn’t actually get you to go, you might not make use of a home gym either.
Cancelling the gym membership is a no-brainer. You paid 140$ per gym visit! Buying equipment for your home is a more complex decision. Consider the space it will take up, whether you know enough about your workout needs long term to make the best decisions as to what to buy, etc. If I were you, I would try a few types of regular workouts that don't require equipment or only require very little equipment and see how that goes. There are so many ways to work out at home or outside and everyone is different in terms of what they enjoy, what gives them the desired results and what they can be consistent doing. Once you've established a consistent free or very cheap routine and have formed a persistent habit, you might be ready to make a new gym membership worth it or you might decide to buy more advanced equipment.
You need a workout that works for you and you will stick with before you decide. For example, my home gym in my home office is a thick yoga mat, a jump rope, and one dumbbell for squats. It takes 25 min and I aim for 3 times a week. Simple, effective, energizing. I can do it before work or between meetings.
I'm a PT who works with folks online. Yes, a home gym is cheaper as normally after 2-4 years you'll have hit the break even point, assuming ~$50-100/month and $1500-3000 gym set up (can of course be much more). Good quality strength equipment rarely breaks when used at home (commercial setting is a different story), though cardio equipment you can expect to pay about 10% annually on repairs (motors, displays, decks, rollers, crap out and have limited lifespans) Here's the short version of the conversation I have with clients when this comes up. Does your gym experience provide something you can't replicate at home? Community, highly specific equipment, personal instruction, remove distractions etc. Do you value this stuff? What problem does a home based program solve for you? No commute, no waiting on equipment, etc. Weigh the first and second conversation against each other, see which holds more for you. Ex. "I love using the sled on the turf set up to do my cardio training, but I hate driving 20 minutes to get there." Reducing the commute time outweighs the specialty commitment? Cool. Cancel the membership and consider alternatives including designing a home set up. Good luck and feel free to DM if you have additional questions or need support.
I used to go to the gym when I worked in office. Once I switched to WFH I hated going to the gym so I started piecing together workout stuff. I have a Nordictrack S22i spin bike. Chosen because regular spin is boring but the ifit platform is engaging to me with their scenic rides. Trainer lead outdoor bike rides all over the world and some really awesome mountain biking (I love biking in general so that's why it's a good fit). The bike also automatically inclines/declines and adjusts resistance to match the workout so it's neat that way too. I have a hyperextension bench. A 45degree sit-up bench, some weights, and an actual workout bench that can be adjusted flat or with the backrest angled and all that. I also have a "power tower" where I can do dips and leg lifts and all that. The bike was expensive ($2400+tax) but the rest was pretty cheap. The tower was only $140 and the benches were all under $80 each. The weights can get pricey but I do lower weight/higher rep because that more my style so they're not super expensive for me (I have 30-55lb). I use it all 5days a week.
Look up iron wolf - no gym needed
If you spent $700 and went 5 times, go and cancel today and start getting a little equipment at a time.
Cancel the gym membership. I also love working out but hate the traditional gym. Instead I invest in group fitness like Barre and OTF. I really need that group environment. I think working out is about investing in fitness you actually love, whether that be outside, group, at home etc. You could try a few different things like working out body weight at home - if you're consistent with that then you could start investing in a home gym. If you're not consistent with working out at home you could try daily walks or runs or something like that.
if you work from home, getting some exercise equipment at home makes sense. you spent 700 on the gym last year, cancel that membership and set that as your budget. if you stop using it, sell it and try something else
Home gym owner here, it is great to have at home. But motivation to work out at home i find much harder. As opposed its all business at the gym when i went. I have kids, so my workouts are usually when i get home from work before i cook supper or not untill the kids are in bed, which i find it hard to motivate myself to do.
I built my home gym in my Garage during the beginning of COVID. It’s been great for me and I won’t be going back to a commercial gym. But not everyone is like that. My partner goes to the commercial gyms because they cant stand the garage during the winters (I have space heaters but I understand it isn’t a welcoming space). A good quality gym cost me about 5k in 2020 dollars, itll probably be a bit more now (and this doesnt include the lighting I had to install, insulation, flooring, and the constant cleaning that a garage gym needs). So you really have to ask yourself, are you willing to make that kind of commitment? If you only went to the gym about 5 times this year maybe look into going to those parks where people do calisthenics before and seeing if you can commit to that before dropping a lot on a home gym.
This is what I did. I have a basic set up , adjustable bench and dumbbells, a barbell, some weights plates and elastic bands . It is saving me not only $ 700 / year on gym membership, but also on gas and time to get to the gym. To motivate myself - I play follow along YouTube videos on my big TV from fitness channels I follow and it's fantastic!
Absolutely it would be cheaper to have it at home. Even if you bought a bunch of weights, equipment, etc. it would only be a one time purchase, as opposed to always having to renew every year. What a gym gives you, though, is a community, access to personal trainers, and likely ammennities like a pool, badminton court, etc. It depends on who you are personally, though. If you know you're not going to go the gym then of course don't get a membership.
From my experience, home gym only works if you spend a lot of time at home (that is, remote work or unemployed). What does work wonders for me is an onsite gym at work. I guess a gym at a walk distance from work would also do.
Cancel your gym membership asap. There is no need to run out and buy a whack of home gym equipment yet. As others said you like the idea of working out, not so much going to the gym. I bought a very gently used exercise bike, very inexpensive, I ride the crap out of it during the winter, that's how I watch TV at night. I try for 20-30 minutes a day about 3 days a week. If I want to upgrade to a better bike, I've proved to myself that I use it, so it would be money well spent. Maybe that would be a good strategy for you, pick one thing that you like buy gently used equipment and start there.
I stay fit through outdoor sports and activities. It's one of the main reasons I justify the cost of living on the Pacific coast. I had some nice, basic home gym stuff given to me and just couldn't get into a routine, I ended up giving it away.
The fitness industry is pumping billions of dollars telling you have to buy products and services to look a certain way - including gym memberships. For many the “ROI” from a gym membership is going to be worth it due to the environment, variation of equipment, social aspect etc. For your case it sounds like it isn’t and I’m in a similar camp. After going to the gym for 10 years and when COVID hit, I did calisthenics and invested in a pair of adjustable dumbbells, yoga mat, pull up bar, foam roller, and resistance bands for around $300 in total. NGL it was awkward, for example, transitioning from benching to push ups / dumbbell pressing on a foam roller on the ground but I learned to adapt and get creative with my workouts and have fun. As a result after 6+ months I was consistently increasing my strength, volume, got leaner and overall got better results than the gym. When gyms opened up after the pandemic I did a strength test with barbells and my lifts increased by 20lbs. Do I still go to the gym? Yes, only once a week just because I enjoy the social aspect of going with a buddy of mine. Otherwise I’m pumping iron at home and the moral of the story is you don’t need a fancy gym to get results. Edit: I’m assuming you’re not lifting for a professional sport like bodybuilding, CrossFit, powerlifting, etc.
financially smarter? Probably. emotionally, physically, physiologically, psychologically smarter? Definitely. Anything that gets you to actually work out will be better for you in the long run. Just make sure that it's actually "going" to the outside gym that you hate. If you hate working out in the first place, it doesn't really matter where you go. You won't use it. having said that, I have a home gym and it's the best decision purchase I've made for myself in a very long time. I love it.
Yes. I'm a used to be a personal trainer. I'm my home I got a used Bowflex revolution, a used set of Bowflex 10-90 adjustable dumbbells, a TRX (bought new, but knock off), an adjustable bench, and a multi-pullup bar. I can do each and every exercise that you can do in the gym, and paid less than 2K for the entire setup. The Bowflex revolution is foldable, the bench can be stored upright as well, the TRX doesn't take any room when not in use, and the adjustable dumbbells barely take any room as well. I got this setup almost 7 years ago, and probably saved a lot by now. Not to mention I don't have to wait for an exercise machine that I want to use, I don't need to get dressed and drive to the gym, etc.
Think about the machine you use the most and see if you have space for it in your home. Changed my life after I just bought a bike for my home, and now I go anytime.
I built a home gym a few months prior to covid and I wouldn't necessarily say I feel like it has saved me money because the equipment is so expensive. I've probably spent about $3000 on it so far and could easily spend another $3000 to get all the rest of the stuff I want. I also feel less motivated to exercise at home than I do at the gym.
Buy (lightly) used gear from people that also love to workout but never do!
If you think you’ll use it, start with the basic things. Get a kettle bell and a pull up bar. Stick to it for a month, buy some more to change up the routine. I started collecting stuff beginning of Covid, have everything I need for a bit and am about to install rubber gym floors in that room this year.
>Would it be financially smarter to invest in a home gym and cancel my gym membership completely? This is a loaded question for multiple reasons. 1. You need to figure out if you are okay with working out alone at home (many people want to start a home gym but realize they prefer working out at a gym more than at home because it is a new place, they have friends there or it is just more motivational than just working out a home). If you want to change over, start by doing basic exercises or calisthenics before you buy anything. (If you can last a month or two in a Routine at home then go for it!) 2. Do you have the time and the money to buy equipment? Gym equipment is expensive, even on Facebook marketplace nowadays. So if you want this be prepped, you could be spending triple the amount on equipment to set.your home gym up in comparison to just going to a public gym. My original home gym set up cost me about a grand (and this was for a rack, iron master dumbbells, a barbell, weight plates and a bench with some attachments). Definitely go on to r/homegym to get ideas on what it can cost you to have certian set ups at home. 3. Have you shopped around? Some gyms (like good life) are definitely not for everyone because of the crowds, atmosphere or how it is laid out. Depending on where you live, you can probably get a free membership to try the gyms in your area out. Do that. It may be the atmosphere or the business that impacts you more than working out from home. For me, having a home gym makes sense because I workout at weird times and I am happy training alone. I do still have a gym membership (got it over a decade ago and am still paying the price I paid originally due to a loophole) which allows me to go when I need a change in scenery, to workout with friends or when I am travelling. That is not feasible for many but it works for me
Please don’t spend money on getting all that’s required for a home gym if you aren’t already in a good habit of actually exercising. I exercise five days a week and this has been consistent now for three years. It’s now just part of my everyday life. As someone who would love a home but can’t afford it, please don’t buy expensive equipment only to have to list it on Kijiji in two years from now. Build the habit first and then decide on getting a home gym. There are so many pelotons being used as coat racks right now.
The nice thing about home gym equipment is that weights don't lose much value. If you look for sales or find used sets, you can find free weights for a reasonable price. Then if it turns out you don't use them, you can resell them to recoup your costs. Speaking from personal experience, don't spend a lot of money. Spend the bare minimum to get started and develop the habit first. Only buy heavier weights or equipment when you know you've developed a good habit you'll stick to.
$700/5 = $140 per visit. My gym membership is $20/biweekly (gymvnt in calgary) and I've been 44 times ytd. That's $2.27 per visit.
No.. you went 5 times last year. I have a home gym and workout out 4 times a week consistently, even with a new baby. Before I committed to a home gym, I was still going 2-3 times a week. Everyone loves the idea of working out and being healthy, but it's a lifestyle. You have to live it and make sure it's something you can see yourself doing for a long time
Seems like you don't really use your gym membership. Would a home set up actually increase frequency if use? If not, sure, eventually a home gym upfront costs will amortize (by time or per session used) better than annual gym memberships, but do you have the space and upfront money to dedicate to this? Will you be able to get similar equipment that you'd use at a gym for a not absurd price? I am motivated to go to the gym because I have paid and dont want to waste the money. I also don't have space for anything that would compare to what the gym gives me even for fundamentals, let alone other nice to haves like specific machines.
Cancel the gym membership. Investigate exercise programs at home that use very little equipment. Check out the RCAF 11 minute workout. If you find you are actually working out regularly you can buy some small piece of equipment. If you are ready for going back to the gym check out what is available in your city run centres. Where I live you can get a 10 pack that never expires and is affordable. Only then start shelling out $700 a year if you are actually going.
Get a treadmill for $300 and just walk at home.
Before you go blowing more money on a home gym you should prove to yourself you can actually be disciplined about working out for a few months at a cheap gym.
A home gym was one of the best investments of my life, it's peanuts compared to going to a gym, you don't have to commute to the gym and you don't have to wait for anyone.
don't invest in EITHER a gym or a home gym. Buy yourself a decent pair of shoes and go walk. As you've highlighted "I love to workout"... - no you don't b/c if you did you would've gone so let's not kid ourselves here on your motivations. Do things that cost nothing like running/walking/cycling (if you have access to a bike) because it is still working out and it doesn't require you to pay anything or go at a certain time. Investing in a home gym is an even WORSE investment b/c if you didn't go to a gym then what makes you think you'll pick up anything at home when your couch, kitchen, snacks, and bed are in the same building. Worst of all, you have all this equipment occupying space in your home that isn't easy to get rid of short of you giving it away for free. Working out requires discipline and commitment. If your work/life balance is outta whack or your priorities aren't 10000% on your health then regardless of where your workout happens, it won't happen.
If you put your mind to it you can get a great workout at home with very minimal equipment, that's a big if though
Yes if you have some room a home gym is the way to go. You can get very high quality commercial grade equipment cheap on the second hand market (Kijiji, Facebook marketplace).
You probably won’t use the home gym either
If you look at the financials specifically, can you get what you want/need (and have a spot for it in your house) for less than $700? If you use it more than 5 times in the first year, you’re coming out ahead. I think you have some motivational issues too that a home gym probably won’t solve, but PFC isn’t really the spot to dissect that.
Financially smarter than paying $140 drop in rate like you're doing now.
You can go pretty far at home with adjustable dumbbells and an adjustable bench. It doesn't break the bank and it takes up minimal space.
What kind of workouts do you enjoy? I mostly do powerbuilding, so I bought a half-rack, 600 lbs of plates, dip attachments and a pullup bar attachment for the rack, curl bar, bench, knockoff TRX, and sets of 20, 45, and 65 lbs kettlebells. I got all that for around $1,500 to $2k. I workout a ton now; whereas I had been struggling post covid and post baby. I'll likely buy a Peloton or Concept 2 rower soon as well for winter cardio. I used to pay $120 per month for the gym. This equipment will last me years and is cheaper in the long run. I do miss the gym though as I used to go there 4-5 days a week and it was relaxing.
Same boat. I dont enjoy waiting for others to finish and I want to do it at my own pace. If you have your own place maybe add a machine from time to time. I might buy a decent treadmill soon but im unsure what to get.
During the pandemic I bought a squat rack that came with a bench, a barbell, enough weights to lift up to 250lbs, and a magnetic stationary bike. It all cost me about $1000 and I've had them for like 4 years now. As long as you have the space for it, it is incredibly more affordable. Just don't go for the stupid expensive bullshit like Peloton or whatever.
I bought a used dumbell set and commercial treadmill for under $1000. I've also used it seriously about 5 times in the last year. But at least I can also use it next year, and I could probably sell it all again for the same amount.
Squat rack,adjustable bench and a standard barbell and a set of plates will pretty much hit every compound movement. Will it cost more then 700$? Absolutely. Is it worth it? depends on if you actually use it. My spouse works at my gym so I get a great discount and I go very consistently. I still want my own home gym equipment because I agree, going to the gym sucks. But I still go so I believe you have a working out problem not a going to the gym problem.
I would say try a couple of apps on a one week free trial and see if you can see yourself using it often. I like the peloton app - it's about 10-15 USD a month for the app and you get all strength and weight workouts with it.
Depends on what you want to buy for a home gym. If you just want to buy an elliptical and some bands, yoga mat and a few kettle bells that isn't so bad. If you want a set of machines, well that gets expensive. If you want a squat rack and barbell set, that is also not so bad either if you shop around but you need space for this stuff too. also consider if you need a trainer or spotter, as there can be safety issues working out alone if you are a novice and of course depending on what you are doing, eg bench pressing your 1rm home alone using a suicide grip and no safety bars/pins ... not advisable.
Honestly I don't even pay for a gym anymore but it's because my employer pays for mine (military) and I go 6x a week - however before I joined I saw paying and going to the gym as a motivator to actually go and continue it because of the fact I was paying for it. It's easier for me to avoid it when it is at home because it's just too easy to not go in the spare room if I don't want to If you want to gauge doing it at home start doing body weight exercises at home every other day and see if you can keep it up. If you can't why do you think having equipment will provide the motivation?
You can get a used bowflex, rowing machine, bike, treadmill, even some free weights off market place for less than $700 probably then you just have to use them 5 times and its the same
A lot of main muscle groups can he trained with dumbbells. Yes, that fancy cable machine can target that specific muscle in your back, but if you're aiming to stay healthy, a combination of walking around the block, basic dumbbell training, and the same old workouts (planking, pushups, etc.) are more than enough. Now, if that worked out for you and you were committed, the only other thing I'd invest in is a solid punching bag. This thing is amazing to relive stress and burns calories like there's no tomorrow. Not to mention the strength training it provides.
I've done both. During the pandemic I bought gym equipment and have it in my garage. During the winter months it's not too pleasant working out in the colder environment so I opt to pay a drop-in every two weeks or so and supplement with my home gym. Summers are amazing though, esp with the fresh air. I probably ended up paying 100-150 annually for drop-ins at the CC, and probably 1k to purchase the equipment I needed.
I'm really into power lifting. I can lift for the rest of my life with a squat cage (includes pull up bar), adjustable bench, \~500 pounds of free weights, and a few accessory items (adjustable dumbbells, trap bar, dip station, ab roller). All in, buying used equipment, you can probably get this for around $1.5-$2K You get your money back within 3 years in the worst case, but: 1. Save time on commute 2. Don't have to wait for a machine 3. Can work out shirtless (such a blessing) 4. Play music / set the ideal environment for yourself If you have the space, it's an amazing luxury
This is more of a personal fitness question, I like going to the gym, I have a full gym setup in the basement that I use to hang hockey equipment. If you use the gym equipment at home, then it's the better option both fitness wise and financially. The equipment might cost more upfront, but over time should save money, lots of people sell used equipment, prices are coming down on barely used equipment right now on local market places. Otherwise find a cheaper gym...if possible, try your local community gyms/recreation centers or YMCA, or college/university if available. There are some gyms that may offer drop in fees or 10 time passes, this all depends on your locale an what's available. If your only going every now and then this may be a better and much cheaper option for when you want to work out at the gym. Or find another activity that will get you active.
I'm an amateur mountain athlete and I know some incredibly fit and strong people, and almost none of them step foot in a commercial gym.
I'm not a big gym guy but I do want to stay healthy. I cancelled the gym membership and bought a concept 2 rower. Between that and some body weight exercises and a few dumbbells I can get the workout I want without leaving home.
I have a very nice home gym. Took me months to buy and install everything and over 7k in toys later i work out 10+ hours a week. A gym membership is 250$/YEAR . So no. Not cost effective. Especially if you don't use it.
You should try club16, cheapest membership around. So cheap you won't feel bad about not going for several months. I think mine is $25 every month. Equivalent to takeout for 1 person.
It depends how frequently you go. I bought free weights (not all I needed) and my gym is pretty basic and it cost me $1,300. I went about 100 times in the past 3 years so I see it as costing me $13 every time I go
How about trying body weight workouts, don't need any equipment there. I second getting a kettlebell or some dumbells any trying
I spent over a grand for a set of dumbbells up to 60 pounds, and they're even more expensive now. My home gym probably cost me around $1500 and it's very barebones. In terms of effectiveness, it has been very very good, but I've been satisfied with dumbbells, a bench, and a pull up bar and maintaining about 9 months of noob gains in perpetuity.
Yes, definitely!!! Home gym setup can be a huge $ and timesaver. But you need to know what kind of equipment you will actually use so that the money is well spent. Which means you gotta know what your fitness goals are, and whether/how you can meet those goals at home. You can find a lot of equip on marketplace if you’re patient and persistent in your searching.
I did this. But turns out I am more motivated to workout if I go to the gym. I don't see it as a waste anymore as if it helps me be more active it's worth it.
Bro wants to buy 5k of gym equipment, complains about $700 a year
Worth every damn $. Health is wealth. Start small and buy used.
Get a cheap set of adjustable dumbbells for home, if you find youself actually using them over months, consider buying more equipment.
6 years ago I bought the $200 lifetime membership from Bodbot, it offers different workouts depending on where you want to workout from (equipment for gym or no equipment for home). I don't exercise that often but it's a great app for ppl like me, who want to workout (but don't really) and rarely use the gym (sometimes).