So your local gym is finally open again and the moment has come where you have to decide whether or not to fire back up that membership or stick with the home workouts. You’re probably pretty accustomed to a home exercise routine after more than 18 months of on-off lockdowns and a little unsure about whether you’re better off staying the course or heading back to the sweat factory. Perhaps you’re someone that hasn’t done much exercise and you’re asking yourself this question for the first time. In this article, we’ll weigh up some of the major pros and cons of both methods and help you to resolve the gym vs home workout conundrum once and for all. So, without further ado, let’s jump right in!
Gym pros
- Facilities and equipment:
Seeing as gyms are spaces that have been designed for the sole purpose of exercise, it’s fair to assume that they will be better equipped than your home, local park or just about any other place you might want to work out. If you’re the kind of person who likes to try out every apparatus and prop until you find the ones you like, a gym is the place to be. Well equipped gyms have specialized facilties such as olympic sized swimming pools, saunas, smoothie bars, studios designed for dance or yoga and more. If your favorite activity requires such facilities or you enjoy the extra bells and whistles on offer then a gym may be the best choice for you. - The social side of exercise:
After living through a pandemic, most of us have come to appreciate the social interactions we once took for granted a whole lot more. Going to the gym is one way to ensure that you get your required dose of human interaction, especially if you’re still working remotely. Besides just being around people and potentially even making a few friends, exercising with or around others is also a great way to increase your motivation. Joining a spinning, abs or yoga class full of other people who are also putting in the effort to be healthier and in better shape can be a genuinely uplifting experience and provide you with a sense of community that will keep you coming back week after week.
Gym cons
- Membership fees:
While you may be lucky enough to work in a company that offers gym memebership as a perk of the job or get discounts through your health insurance, for many people paying a monthly membership fee is an unnecessary drain. You’re essentially paying for access to all the equipment and facilties in the gym, and let’s face it, most of us will never make use of more than 90% of the apparatus and classes on offer. Memebership fees are also not worthwhile if you don’t train often. If you already know what kind of exercise you’re interested in don’t want the pressure of trying to justify your memebership fee every month by squeezing in sessions you don’t want or have time for, there are better options available. - Travel: Another thing the Covid-19 pandemic has shown us is that we travel excessively. You can probably count the number of people globally who missed sitting in traffic on a single hand. Getting to and from the gym will require anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more of your time. Of course, this time could spent doing any number of other things (including a longer home workout).
Why home workouts might be for you
- Flexibility:
The term home workout doesn’t do justice to the concept we’re discussing. The term “anywhere, anytime workout” is far better (although much more of a mouthful to say). Skipping the gym for home/online/outdoor workouts ensures that you’re not limited to the opening hours at the gym or limited to just one location. Whether you work unusual hours or like the idea of being close to nature while you exercise, non-gym workouts are a great option if you’re looking for something a little different. - A world of choice:
While the gym may offer plenty of options in terms of equipment and facilties, the home workout route, or online exercise, allows you to choose between just about any type of exercise and connect with trainers from around the world. This also means greater flexibility in terms of how much you spend. Whether you fancy watching free videos on Youtube, using a workout app or getting trained by one of the world’s best PTs, going the online route will leave you spoiled with choice. Talking of which…
Home workouts with Heck Yeah
If online exercise sounds like your cup of metaphorical tea, you’ll need to figure out which corner of the internet to head to in order to get started. However, as we all know, the web is an unfathomably large place.
That’s why we created Heck Yeah, an online marketplace where you can connect with trainers, teachers, coaches and instructors from all over the world. Whether you’re interested in personal training, yoga, pilates, dance or sports, you’ll find dedicated health & fitness pros to fit any schedule and budget. We personally vet the quality and qualifications of all Heck Yeah pros to ensure that they offer the highest standards. If you’re looking for a safe and reliable place to exercise online, look no further.
