I have been associated with Fitness Gyms since the early 70’s, either as a member or employee, or both. There are positives and negatives in my opinion.
First, let’s start with the negatives. Depending on the time of day they can be crowded, early morning and late afternoon. That means you may have to wait to use the equipment, or a member may be rushing you to finish on one. At Gold’s Gym occasionally muscle builders would camp out on two or three pieces of equipment with their routines, and shoo anyone away that wanted to use them.
In addition, research in exercise psychology shows that it is important to live near a gym for long term adherence. If you live 20 minutes away, that means 40 minutes round trip, and then with possibly an hour workout it adds up to an hour and 40 minutes. After talking to friends, or waiting for equipment, this might total 2 hours every time, which may be difficult to squeeze in consistently if you have a family and work.
Price is another factor to consider. My son joined a gym in Scottsdale that was $160 a month. Of course, it had everything imaginable for fitness, plus healthy food. Gyms like Anytime Fitness charge around $30 a month. Then you have to deal with yearly contracts, or some may offer a 6 month contract. On the other hand, as (0pdyke, p. D4) noted about gyms, “It didn’t take long for me to realize that having a membership is the best incentive you need to get a lot of exercise”. If you are on medicare many plans pay for a gym membership, which is a good deal.
Positives about gyms are many. Unless you are wealthy most could not afford the vast array of equipment at home and other amenities at gyms, such as basketball courts, swimming pools, hot tubs, steam rooms, etc. Many gyms offer classes, like spin sessions, and personal trainers. In classes like aerobic or spin sessions you should adjust them to your fitness level. Many instructors and participants are in top shape. So if you are beginning or a little out of shape take a break during the class if it gets too exhausting. Remember you are not in competition with others trying to keep up every second. Go at you own pace, progressing slowly at your own speed. I taught aerobic-strength classes for the YMCA in Tallahassee, FL when I was in graduate school at Florida State in the 80’s. The Y there did not have air conditioning in the classroom. Thus, with the heat and humidity of Florida summers it could be a real hot box that would knacker the most fit individual. Just stretch, get a drink, or be still for a minute or two during class if need be, without embarrassment.
Here in Tucson when you joined Gold’s Gym you got 2 free personal training sessions to familarize yourself with the machines and the correct form with free weights, plus instruction on aerobic training heart rate, and on sets & reps with weights for your fitness level.
Also, with attendance at a gym you may make friends that give a social incentive for being there. In addition, if you sign up for personal training, the trainer can be a motivating factor in reaching your health goals and long term exercise adherence. Unlike working out at home, when you are at the gym your main concentration is working out. Where as a home workout may be interrupted by phones, spouse, kids, etc. Then there is the weather factor. If you are planning a run near home and the temperature is 105 degrees, like Tucson, the gym offers a cool alternative, or warm one in the winter.
Personally, even though I am still a member of Anytime Fitness, I have gotten in the habit of lifting weights at home. That began with the advent of COVID, and has continued. I have a free weight set that I started when I was 14 years old, so it is old, a little rusty but functional. I have added more weight plates, barbells, and dumbbells. And I bought a lat pull stand called Brutus 300, that also works as a squat & bench press rack. I have an old bench for presses, flys, and other exercises. I also have two medicine balls, a yoga stretching strap, a big physioball, and an elastic band with handles. The elastic band hooked to a doorknob helps with shoulder exercises for my rotor cuff muscles. So my total at home set up probably cost around $600, which is not an enormous amount for a lifetime of muscular fitness. Good deals on weight lifting equipment can be found at Play It Again Sports, garage sales, and Craigslist. The best deals are usually during the spring and summer when people are moving and don’t want the added weights to lug.
One of the odd things for my home workout is our rabbit, that normally doesn’t associate with me. Weirdly, when that rabbit hears weights clanging she comes to the back porch workout area, and acts like she is interested in weight lifting. Thumper, is her name and here she is acting like a bodybuilder.
