In today’s world, many more people are wondering whether they should stick to a gym membership or install their own personal home gym. Why? Whether it’s to save time travelling to the gym or saving money in the long run, there are pros and cons to both sides of the coin. Because this is such an individualised decision, with the right information you can make an informed choice on what works best for you. 

Time 

As mentioned above, a home gym can save you time, especially if you sandwich going to the gym before or after work. A home gym gives you more time to work out. You don’t have a time limit to exercise and you can do it whenever you want during the week. A lot of people have busy schedules so taking the time to travel to the gym just isn’t possible. A home gym can easily slot into your schedule allowing you to fit in small bouts of exercise throughout your week. This could potentially help you get fitter faster when compared to going to a public gym. 

Space 

Two of the biggest factors when considering a home gym is money and space. If you have a small dwelling it may be hard to fit a home gym into your abode. Having a gym membership means you don’t have the eye sore of an exercise bike in your living room. However, you could change your exercise regime to fit equipment in, for example, instead of using a treadmill you can go running at your local park. Instead of using a rowing machine you could find exercises that will have the same effect, the benefit of this is not only do you save space but you save money on large equipment. If you’re planning on moving home anytime soon, it’s worth a look at furnished apartment provider such as Blueground 

Money / Equipment 

The initial cost of setting up a personal gym can be high, however, while the cost of a gym membership can be spread over time (monthly), it can still add up to a large sum over the years. With that in mind, setting up a home gym can save you money over time if you choose high quality equipment that will last for a long time, and remember, high quality doesn’t always mean expensive. Always shop around for the best equipment for the best prices or consider buying second-hand equipment. 

Sharing/Disturbances 

Another positive of having a home gym is not having to share the gym equipment, therefore you can go at your own pace without feeling rushed while someone waits for you to finish up. The downside, however, is the potential for disturbances at home, especially if you have a family, it may be tough to get stuck into your regime if you have constant interruption. 

Motivation 

If you’re deliberating between a home gym vs a public gym it means you are serious about fitness and having a home gym may rid of you finding excuses not to go, you can’t decide not to workout because it’s raining. That said, some people find that they enjoy being around other gym members to boost their motivation and finding self-discipline at home can be hard. If you’re set on having a home gym, why not invite a friend over to work out with you? 

Personal Trainers/Classes 

If you regularly attend classes or use a PT, you may miss out on the specialised approach to working with a personal trainer or with a class of people. On the other hand, if you work-out from home you can use online PT’s and services such as Peloton. This is a service you have sign up for like a paid membership but it gives you access to hundreds of online classes via their app. You don’t have to miss out on getting that motivation and what’s more you can tailor your regime using stats about your past workouts. 

Personal Space 

If you don’t like going to the gym because of social anxiety or perhaps you don’t feel comfortable working out in front of others, a home gym is a great solution to ensuring that you can exercise without anxiety or fear.  

Home gym vs public gym? 

There are many things to consider when thinking about creating our own home gym, whether it’s space or budget that is stopping you from making a personal gym a reality, remember there are some clever solutions out there which mean you don’t have to put your dreams on hold. If you like the buzz and social aspect of a public gym to get you motivated then perhaps a home gym is not for you. Whatever you decide, there are pros and cons to each side, it’s up to you to decipher which works best and the reasons why.