Many people right now don’t really have the time to go to the gym and prefer setting up their own gym at home. We’re here to tell you why it might be the best option for you.
These days, thanks to the plethora of options available to us, there aren’t that many excuses when it comes to getting some exercise and staying in shape. There are many people who, due to lack of time during the day and the inability of moving around, choose to set up their own gym at home. On the market, you can find many different types of equipment with which you can exercise easily from the comfort of your own home (and at good prices too), so doing so has become more and more commonplace.
There’s also the matter of gym memberships. Did you know that most gym memberships go utterly unused? According to a recent research conducted by website Finder.com, around $1.8 billion is spent every year on unused memberships by approximately 5.1 million American adults. [1]
A lot of adults set their minds to losing weight and getting fit during New Year’s and then go and purchase gym memberships immediately, but almost immediately after the fact just give up on it and leave said membership unused and their money goes down the drain. Gyms know this, and they bank on that happening. They expect people won’t show up and oversell memberships; this makes up a large portion of their revenue and profits.
With that out of way we also should mention the cleanliness of your average gym. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but chances are your gym’s not going to be all that pristine. Website Filtrated.com did a study going in depth on that topic and found out (among other specifics) that treadmills, exercise bikes, and free weights contained the greatest number of harmful bacteria, and even recommended setting up an at-home gym as a way to avoid gym germs. [2]
Benefits of Getting Your Own Gym at Home
So, now that we’ve mentioned how gyms aren’t the end all/be all, let’s talk about how setting an at-home gym might be the thing that finally propels you to get in shape! We’ve already mentioned avoiding possibly harmful germs and not falling for the common trap that is a gym membership. Now let’s mention some pluses of working out at home.
Not having to share equipment: Oftentimes there’s some overcrowding in gyms, and you end up just having to wait to use a specific machine. By exercising at home, you’ll have no issue with this, will have total freedom and total control and won’t have to share your equipment with strangers.
You can set your own schedule: One of the biggest advantages of exercising at home is that you can set your own schedule and can work out whenever you want at the time of day you have time. You don’t depend on the gym’s schedule to do it and are free to exercise when you have free time.
No need for a personal trainer: By setting up your own home gym, you don’t need a personal trainer when doing most physical exercises. You can search the Internet on the fly for some tutorial or video that’ll help you do the exercises you need to tone certain parts of your body. With enough practice, the routine will help you do the exercises on your own, without the help of anyone.
Work out without anyone interrupting you: Gyms have numerous machines and each allow you to tone the body part you want. However, most of the time these machines are occupied and thus your workout is often interrupted. With an at-home gym you won’t have this problem and will be able to do your sets freely without any sort of interruptions.
No annoying noises or disturbances: Another great advantage when setting up your own home gym is that you can do the physical exercise you want without any noise issue or any unwelcome individual bothering you. You are master of your domain here. There’s nothing better than being able to do work out in a relaxing way and in a totally pleasant atmosphere without any annoyances.
How and Where to Get the Equipment for Your New Gym?
Getting your gym at home isn’t the cheapest endeavor -that much is true- but it should be looked at as long-term investment in your own health. Of course, that’s not to say that you’ll have to mortgage your own house to get your at-home gym or anything like that. Shopping wisely and knowing when and where to look for the best prices is going to help you immensely. While shopping online is typically best nowadays, looking for a good deal in a brick-and-mortar shop near you can prove beneficial. You might also want to consider buying refurbished or used equipment. It all depends on what you really want and -of course- what your budget realistically will allow you. That said, here are good options to hopefully get you started:
- Wakeman Fitness Extra-Thick Yoga Exercise Mat – $19.99 [3]
- ProForm Hybrid Trainer Elliptical & Recumbent Bike – $409 [4]
- Telk Adjustable Dumbbells – $124 [5]
- Weslo Cadence G 5.9 Treadmill – $356 [6]
To summarize all we’ve said in this article, gyms are not the only way for you to lose weight and get in the shape. Sometimes they’re not even the best option. But also, at-home gyms require a bit more investment, both in terms of money and preparation. However, they offer benefits over the average gym that make them more appealing overall. Hopefully you’ve taken this all in and we’ve managed to persuade you to consider (not necessarily right now) investing in an at-home gym for yourself as it’s one of the most positive investments you can make for your own well-being.
[1] https://www.finder.com/unused-gym-memberships
[2] https://www.fitrated.com/resources/examining-gym-cleanliness/
[3] https://www.walmart.com/ip/Wakeman-Fitness-Extra-Thick-Yoga-Exercise-Mat-Available-in-Various-Colors/54307979?irgwc=1&sourceid=imp_1RhTO83Y%3AxyOUNswUx0Mo3YQUknS4iy3%3A07g3U0&veh=aff&wmlspartner=imp_123412&clickid=1RhTO83Y%3AxyOUNswUx0Mo3YQUknS4iy3%3A07g3U0
[4] https://www.walmart.com/ip/ProForm-Hybrid-Trainer-Elliptical-Recumbent-Bike-iFit-Compatible/45799827?irgwc=1&sourceid=imp_1RhTO83Y%3AxyOUNswUx0Mo3YQUknS4EzX%3A07g3U0&veh=aff&wmlspartner=imp_123412&clickid=1RhTO83Y%3AxyOUNswUx0Mo3YQUknS4EzX%3A07g3U0
[5] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QB9DZLV?tag=cnet-buy-button-20&ascsubtag=ag%3A6e5086cb-8ae6-4874-ab0b-512918d2f468%7Cvg%3A___VIEW_GUID___%7Cst%3Adtp
[6] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007O5B0LC?tag=digitren08-20&ascsubtag=158499135030f6b7b3
