Which is Better: Joining a Gym or Working Out at Home?

I've discussed various health-related topics here at Free Money Finance such as the fact that you are your greatest asset, your health is more important than money, and the most cost effective ways to stay in shape, but I haven't tackled the issue of working out at home versus at a club.

Bankrate asks which option is better for you and answers with this statement:

Whichever one keeps you moving.

They list a series of questions you should ask yourself about working out at home versus in a gym including:

1. What is it you like to do? 
2. What do you have access to now?
3. Are the facilities convenient?
4. Do you like a communal atmosphere?
5. What times do you plan to workout?
6. What's your goal?
7. Can you try before you buy?

Of course, cost is a major consideration, and Bankrate has a different article that lists typical costs of various pieces of exercise equipment.

My workout options include a treadmill and the dreaded Sears elliptical in my basement and my road bike in the garage (I put it on a trainer in the basement in the winter.) Personally, I prefer the home gym idea because of the convenience. I can walk downstairs and be exercising in a few minutes. I don't have to drive anywhere, fight any crowds, and deal with anyone. I can watch what I want on TV, listen to my iPod, or even play video games while I work out. It's very nice.

That said, I'm thinking of joining an indoor pool as I'd like to swim a couple times a week in the winter to keep my biking fitness up. We have a new, Olympic-size pool near our home which I can join for $115 per year. It seems like a great deal to me and will give me yet another exercise option to consider.

Which of the two options do you prefer? Why?

Comments

[MissPinkKate]

I prefer working out at a gym, because it gives me access to all the strength training tools I need (weights, machines, etc). Plus, I live in a small NYC apartment with low ceilings, so I doubt I'd be able to get much of a workout at home.

[JJ in Balt]

Easy one, gym for us...why:
1. In good weather we can walk to it (Thank you city living). It is good to get out of the house!
2. Has a year round pool with removable canopy - Nice
3. Weights, Free weights and all the latest machines
4. cool Plasma TV when you exercise
5. Sauna
6. Free Classes
7. Seeing others workout - keeps me going!
Plus we joined when it was being built and pay a lot less than most folks. You just can not get this at home! Yikes, I sound like work for the gym

JJ

[rdub98]

I have a treadmill and configurable dumbbells in my basement. With those two, I have both weight training and cardio workouts available to me. I also belong to a gym. My gym is part of a city wide association (I live in a planned community). The association fee gives me access to three gyms, two golf courses, about 17 swimming pools, etc. for my whole family for about $75 per month.

I prefer to workout at home, but I have one major problem no matter where I workout: I have zero motivation. So if anyone can provide something that can motivate me I would greatly appreciate it. I've done Body-For-Life, and several motivational programs, but nothing seems to help. I did quit smoking though, so I am susceptible to motivational aids. It is just finding that one thing that will motivate me enough to stick with it.

[Ryan]

Neither, why bother working out when I have health insurance. ;). Just kidding of course. My approach is to workout doing things I enjoy rather than forcing myself to a gym or doing something mundane and timewasting. Riding a bike, walking the dog, working around the house, swimming, walking, etc. Why pay a gym when you could be doing these things?

[Beastlike]

I have been working out for about 14 years both at home and at a health club. However, when I finally got a house with a basement, I have been working out at home for the last 5 years. Here are some Pro/Cons....

PROS/CONS of Health Club
1. Seeing others can help motivation.
2. Meeting others (work out partners) can help you be more devoted.
3. Lots of different machines/weights and maybe a pool

1. Expensive
2. Inconvenient, hours open or driving time wasted.
3. Dirty - I have caught many bacterial infections from health clubs, which in some cases can be quite nasty. Make sure you wash down anything you plan touching with your bare skin unless you want to get Infentigo, Ring worm, etc.
4. No waiting in lines.
5. No homosectual men hitting on you (not joking!!)

PROS/CONS of working out at home
1. Convenient
2. Way cheaper once you acquire all the needed equipment
3. Having all the equipment that you love to use without waiting in line to use it.
4. It's not that expensive acquiring 1000lbs of free weights (dumbells/barbells).
5. Watching or listening to whatever you want to

1. You need room for the equipment!!!!
2. Possibly less motivation since no one "fitter" than you is in the room.
3. Initial expense of buying the equipment you want.

[Frugal Frugalson]

I lift freeweights in my basement 3x per week and get my cardio in by riding my bike at least 3x per week. I already own the equipment and can work out as late or early as I want without the bother or expense of going to a gym.

As for motivation, I get that every time I look in the mirror since I remember what I looked like when I weighed 25+ more lbs than I do now. The money I spent on my iPod shuffle also makes workouts more enjoyable, and I can use it while doing weights or cardio due to its tiny size.

[Maggie]

I've got adjustable dumbbells, a barbell, a combo benchpress/squat rack bench, chin up bar, yoga mat and blocks, resistance tubing, a decent library of workout DVDs and free weight manuals, and a stability ball at home--and plenty of sidewalk to pound in my running shoes and rollerblades--but I definitely prefer to go to a gym for my workouts, for many of the same reasons that have already been mentioned.

1) Too many distractions at home--cats, husband, video games, chores, computer... When you go to the gym, there is nothing you can do EXCEPT workout.
2) I find it motivational to see other people at the gym and "compete" against them in my head. I take more breaks and don't push myself as hard at home.
3) My no-frills gym (Planet Fitness) only costs $10/month and is within a 4 minute drive of my house. If you workout in the mornings like I do, there is NEVER a wait for equipment.
4) No A/C or mirrors in my home weight room--currently the patio--and I live in Florida. We don't have the cool basement option here in Orlando!
5) The gym has a greater variety of equipment (both cardio and strength training) and heavier free weights than I can have at home.
6) Accountability--If you are a gym regular, the fear of falling off the workout wagon, eating like crap for a few months, and then having to face the OTHER regulars and staff with your soft, jiggly self when you slink back to repair the damage will help you stay on track (or at least prevent you from skipping too many workouts) while "homies" tend to fall off not just the wagon but the high mountain cliff for longer stretches since they aren't accountable to anyone but themselves.

It all depends on personality type and what kinds of things motivate you. I'm a competitive wench who thrives on that "More Hardcore Than Thou" feeling that can only be had when tearing through my own tough workout with a gym full of other people in the background as competition/audience. My husband, on the other hand, has been kicking ass working out strictly at home using my home gym equipment and the P90X program on DVD. He's more of a team/class sort of exerciser, and the DVDs simulate that environment with 4 people on screen all doing the same thing and letting him know what to do next. For him, the convenience, $0 cost (since we already own all the stuff he uses), and non-competitive, directed class environment make his home workouts more effective for him than trying to figure out what to do at a gym.

[Susan]

My treadmill ($150) for 30 mins and weight-bearing/stretching exercises (somedays 45 min.) are my daily forms of physical fitness. I would lose interest if I had to drive anywhere (besides I don't have a car anyway) or pay for the use of a gym. I get up early and have maintained this regimen (mostly) for 20 years. The mental health benefits from workouts is an added bonus and probably saves money with a therapist.

[brent]

ride your bike to work.

it's money in your pocket and you don't ever once have to raise the motivation to workout.

[Aaron]

motivation.

seeing the superhot, smoking, early 30's latina from jersey helps motivate me ALOT. It's great she comes in @ various times of the week. So, that keeps me going cause you'll never know when you'll have that sight to behold. mmm. from a financial and non-hormonal perspective, i hate having to waste the gas to get there.

[Blaine Moore]

I belong to a gym because it is cheap and provides a locker room downtown that I can shower in rather than having to drive home sweaty and use my own hot water (hey, I've already paid the gym for it!)

The gym has some equipment that I haven't gotten around to purchasing for home yet, like a squat rack, but when I'm pressed for time I will just do my lifting in my basement.

I don't really need motivation to work out. I plan my workouts strategies months in advance depending upon what races are coming up. That's the advantage of being a competitive amateur athlete, I guess. If I don't train, I can't beat people, and that just isn't acceptable.