Home Gym vs Gym Membership: Which Is Best For You?

Home gym vs gym membership, which one is best to reach your fitness goals?

The answer is not a simple one. It will depend on several different factors and the answer will be as individual as you are.

Home gyms have been around forever.  I can remember growing up with a gym in our home.   At the time I really did not think about it, but this may be where I developed my love for working out.

Over time more and more commercial gyms began to open. I personally found them to be a great space to work out with bigger and better equipment options. Many commercial gyms also offer group classes and personal trainers.   I had a gym membership during my college years and off and on as I grew older. 

So, is the home gym a thing of the past?  Absolutely not!  Especially since the COVID-19 Pandemic. This made home gyms more popular than ever.  With the shutdown of commercial gyms, home gyms became a must to stay healthy.  Now that commercial gyms have reopened more and more people are trying to figure out if they just want to keep the home gym or return to their commercial gym. 

What Is Best: Home Gym vs Gym Membership

Well, this depends on your needs and personality. 

• Are you a beginner, do you need guidance? 
• Are you so busy that you cannot find the time to go to the gym? 
• Do you have space in your home for a gym? 
• Do you need to be pushed by others to raise the bar? 
• Are you easily embarrassed working out in front of others? 
• What type of exercise do you enjoy? 
• Is cost a factor?

These are just a few questions to ask yourself before you decide on a home gym or gym membership. 

Let’s take a deeper dive into the pros and cons and benefits of a home gym vs. a gym membership.

Pros And Cons Of Having A Home Gym

Home gyms can be the right choice for you, or they could be a wrong choice depending on your personal preference.  Are you a home gym sort of person? 

Pros of a Home Gym

Design for your Personal Style and Needs

You can set up a home gym to meet your personal needs.  Do you like to work with weights and resistance bands for strength training, is cardio your main focus or are you someone that is just looking for their Zen with some yoga or Pilates?  Maybe you are all the above, you can set up your gym to fit your needs and personality. 

Play That Funky Music

You are in control of your entertainment in your home gym.  Do you like to work out to the news, the golden oldies, rap, country or do you prefer a good podcast?  It does not matter it is your gym, so you can do whatever motivates you. 

Availability

Do you prefer to work out early in the morning or late at night or even during the middle of the night?  Does your family commitments or work schedule prevent you from working out during the times that your gym is open?  With a home gym you can work out whenever it is convenient for you, decreasing the chances of not getting that workout in.

No Commute

You do not have to waste time traveling to a gym.  You can go into your home gym whenever you chose, decreasing the chance of talking yourself out of that much needed workout.  The cost for commuting is also an important factor.  If your gym is not conveniently located, you may often find yourself saying “well I am headed that way tomorrow I will just go then”.

Ability to Focus on your Mind Muscle Connection

Are you easily distracted by others?  Do you just want to focus on your workout and find others to be distracting?  They either want to chat, or they are causing some sort of distraction that takes you away from the focused workout?   With a home gym you have your own space, and you can allow or not allow company in while working out. 

No Rules

Some gyms have a dress code or a noise restriction.  I personally enjoy doing most of my workout in bare feet this certainly would not be allowed in a gym unless it is a yoga class.  In my gym it is my rules so bare feet it is. 

 Privacy

Are you someone that does not feel confident working out with others watching?  Do you feel more comfortable doing yoga or throwing up weights while not worrying about what others are thinking?  A home gym offers you that privacy. 

Cleanliness  

Do you get frustrated with the person before you not putting their weights away or not wiping down the equipment?  If the pandemic taught us anything it is cleanliness.  Are you a germaphobe? Do you like things set up and cleaned a certain way.  A home gym allows you to keep everything just the way you like it, no cleaning up after other before you can start your work out. 

Sharing the Equipment

How many times have you went to a gym with a workout in mind and limited time only to find that the equipment that you need is in use?  Well, there went that work out, now you either must change up your work out or take a chance of not getting out of the gym at the time you had planned. 

You Can Exercise with Family and Friends or Alone

Do you have a family member or friend that you enjoy working out with?  Going to the gym may cause you to work either in different areas or limit your ability to talk to each other. 

Build Something That You Will Have Forever  

Once you purchase a piece of equipment it is yours to use whenever or however you chose.  You can buy it over time maybe a new piece of workout equipment every month? 

No Membership

The cost of some memberships can be crazy expense.  Why not just invest that in something that you own? 

Cons of a Home Gym

Cost

A home gym can be as basic or as big as you chose but this can come with a hefty price tag.  On the upside this purchase is yours to keep.  It is like buying vs renting a home.  Do you want to pay into someone else’s investment or to you want to invest in ownership? 

Social Interaction

You may be someone that needs to be pushed or you need that social interaction.  Maybe you like to do classes such as Zumba, HITT, or Pilates/yoga.   This may be difficult at home, however many you tube channels offer these just not with the comradery of actual classes. 

You would need to be a self-starter or someone that is harder on yourself than anyone else is for a home gym.  You do not want your equipment to be used as a coat rack or storage area.  Now it is easier and easier to get a health coach or virtual personal trainer that can push you at home or in a gym.  Many people now have trainers that they never personally see everything is over zoom, phone calls or apps. 

Home Distractions

Do you have family at home during your work out hours that may distract you from doing a workout?  This may prevent you from starting a workout or make you quit halfway through.

 Space

Do you have limited space but want more out of a workout then a small makeshift workout area can offer you?   

Is Gym Membership Worth It?

Gym memberships also offer pros and cons.  Trying to figure out the best option for you may be difficult.  Here are a few pros and cons to consider.

Pros to a Gym Membership

Getting out of your house and socializing

If you are someone that needs to get out and socialize or you like the competition to push you harder than a gym membership may be what you are looking for.  Weather it is a group class or pushing weights with someone, it can be what you need to be productive and may give you accountability.

Temporary Needs

If you are someone that moves a lot or the space in your home is very limited, then a gym membership may be best. 

Updated Equipment

Commercial gym can offer more options for equipment than your home gym can.  If you are someone that likes to shake it up a bit and try different equipment options than this may be a good fit for you. 

 Trainers and Nutrition Experts

Most gym can offer experts in learning new equipment, correcting your form or helping you to plan out a proper diet for your needs. 

Cons of a Gym Membership

Cost

Some gym memberships can be quite costly and may have a monthly contract that is difficult to cancel.  So, this leaves you paying for something you may not use over the long term but still requires you to pay. 

Commute

Is the gym in a convenient location for you?  Do you have to drive out of your way to get there?  This can cost you valuable time and can also give you a chance to talk yourself out of going completely. 

 Crowds

Most gyms have peak times where the gym can be overwhelming with people.  You may feel uncomfortable working out with others watching you.  You may also not get to use the machine or weights that you want because other people are using them.  This can cause you to either leave instead of working out or make you talk yourself out of even going because it is the wrong time.   

In Summary

I love my home gym, but I also appreciate a gym membership.  Living in the Midwest outdoor cardio is at times not an option, so I do get a limited gym membership in the winter months for cardio workouts.   This is what works for me.  Just do whatever works for you. 

Regardless of if you chose to invest in a home gym or if you feel a gym membership is best for you, the most important thing is that you use it and stay active.  Staying strong and healthy is always the main goal.