The idea of a home workout often sounds great in your head, but it doesn’t always execute well. You might have every intention of working out at home, but after a long day at work, it doesn’t sound as appealing as it did when you were trying to justify not joining the gym last week. However, there are some awesome perks to working out at home—but with that comes a few cons. I weighed the good and the bad about home workouts to help you make the right decision: Should you head to the gym or workout at home?
Pros:
Home workouts cut down on time
There is no denying that cutting the commute out of your workout will cut down on the time you’ve allotted for the gym. If your gym is a 10-minute drive, consider it 20 minutes added on to your workout time. If you only have 30 minutes to work out some days due to a packed schedule, going to the gym isn’t feasible. It is times like these that a home workout is clearly the better choice. It’s better to do a 25-minute exercise in your living room than skip the workout altogether due to time constraints.
You’ll save money with a home workout
This is a big one for most people. Nowadays, a decent gym membership costs around $60 per month. Some are as little as $10, while others are as high as $80 or more. Saving $60 per month by working out at home cuts your spending by $720 per year—a hefty sum, especially for those who are living off one income or young adults who are freshly out of school and aren’t making as much. You might rather put $720 per year toward groceries or paying off loans than toward workout equipment you may or may not use. In this case, a home workout may be the better option for you.
You never have to worry about feeling intimidated during a home workout
One reason people may be hesitant to go to the gym? Intimidation. They feel they’re more out of shape than others and might get looked at. When you’re pushing your body to the limit, it’s no secret you don’t exactly look like a beauty queen. While some don’t mind, others feel self-conscious or intimidated. Workouts are meant to be empowering; they help you better yourself one gym session at a time. If a home workout helps you gain confidence and feel less intimidated than a public gym, it’s not a bad decision to stay at home.
Cons:
Your home probably lacks the workout equipment a gym would have
Although home workouts have a few solid pros, they’re not absent of cons. The “gym” you set up in your home probably lacks the high-quality workout equipment a public gym has—that’s why you pay to belong to a gym in the first place. If that’s the case, your workouts might be less intense and less beneficial to your body. A few dumbbells and a yoga mat are a great start, but as your body gets stronger, you’ll need to turn up the heat to continue gaining muscle and pushing yourself.
You may not be inclined to work as hard at home
Working out at home means you’re not surrounded by others working out. While this is good for some, it also means you don’t see others pushing themselves—which then might mean you’re not pushing yourself. At home, you can quit any time you want. You can decide you’re too tired or hungry, or maybe there’s a show on television that distracts you. At the gym, you’re likely to work out if you already made the trek to get there.
Whether you work out at home or in a gym depends on your personal preference. A gym might give you more incentive to work out, but it might also feel intimidating for some. A home workout might save you money, but you won’t have access to the same equipment. If you can afford the gym and have time to go, it’s better to get a membership. But if you’re strapped on cash and time, home workouts are a good alternative.
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