Home gym - Yay or Nay?

[khrazz]

Depending on where you live, gyms can be very expensive. The average cost is around 100euros near my home, but the prices can go even higher in better of neighborhoods (i have heard of 300euro yearly subscirption) . But wait, thats not all. Lets say you pay an average of 150euro for a years of subsciption to a gym. Now, we need to add the cost you need to GET there. Assuming you are not one of those lucky people who happen to have a great gym nearby and can walk there easily in 5-10mins, you will need to take public transit or go by car. Depending on the distance, this could easily take 20-30 mins to get there, and 20-30mins to leave, so that means, almost an hour spent just transporting yourself.


Now, comes the price of your transport. I dont know the ticket price for the rest of europe counties, but in Greece the ticket costs 1.40euros, and lasts for 90 minutes. So, that means, 1.40 x2 = 2.80euros. Assuming you do a push-pull type workout, which means 4-5 workouts a week, that could mean that you have to pay 14euros a month just for gym transport - or 168 a year . I am not going to calculate gas expenditure here , but i will assume that this could easily be x3 times the ticket price for public transit, plus road rage.



Now, lets go to home gym option. The biggest downside, is the space needed. Unfortunately not everybody has a big house, and adding barbels will make it even more compact - that to me is the biggest downside, because even if you have a lot of space in your house you will have to "sacrifice " a whole room 

Assuming you want to have proper gym, you will need to spend around 1500 euros, and that covers just the basics (barbels, dumbells, adjustable bench etc.) That to me is not expensive, if you compare to what you get in the end, which i will go in detail below,

1) You can workout whenever you want, you home gym is always yours and ready for action
2) No transport needed, so no additional money for tickets/gas
3) You are alone, and you can customize it the way to want it to be
4)Again, you are alone, so you avoid bullshit conversations with boring people talking about latest celebrity goship or politics.




So what are you thoughts?

As for me, when i finish university and have a stable job my biggest priority will be to start building a home gym. I consider it a huge investment, which can last for years (even after i die   ) and if i add up the cost of tickets/gas and time lost (*) transporting to the gym, home gym becomes a much much cheaper choice.



* Time lost = the time you "lose" just waiting for the bus/train to come in order to get to the gym. That also includes waiting in car traffic . In my opinion, losing time on such things is "expensive" in the sense that time, is something more valuable than money.

[wop]

I have a third-world home gym here in Brazil. My gym is just a power rack (where I can also do pull ups), bench, plates and a dip station. As a diy kind of guy, I made my own power rack and bench and I use concrete plates! I spent about 300 dollars in total, or one year of membership of a local gym. I strongly recommend it to anyone who appreciates a solo training and privacy.

I used projects from this blog: http://homemadestrength.blogspot.com/p/project-index.html
Disregard what the author says about supplements, though.

[Navigator]

By all means yes
I train at home for years now - mostly basic bodyweight moves with minimum equipment (I have pushup handles, home mode TRX (which cost me about 10e to make) and makeshift medicine ball, also a pair of 6kg dumbells which I got for free and they are just fine for nice pump in some shoulder exercises like lateral raises)
I do inverted rows, dips and pullups in a park with bars which is like 100m from my home - even on very cold weather, I stay at home only if it rains or snows heavy, btw working out in a snow rocks!)
Gym membership was about 10e a few years ago, now it's probably 15e - an that was cheaper option, some gym are more than 20e montly and you do the math how much money you will spent If you are in years of training)
Also if you are handy with tools, have the tools and spare space in your home you can make many of the gym equipment by yourself dirty cheap (there are lots of tutroials on YouTube and net)

[TruthSeeker]

If I had the room, I would have a simple gym including a bench, a rack and a barbell. But I don't. However, I still have a fairly decent equipment - rings, bands, pull-up bar, dip station (improvised).

The downsides of a home gym are linked to the upsides. When you have a home gym, it is easy to get distracted. Going to a gym outside is like going to a temple - there's the dedication factor. Realistically, the best gym is a garage gym somewhere close enough and yet far enough to allow you to concentrate completely.

[Andreedran]

Totally agree with the concentration bit, as I've tried to exercise in my home to no avail (I get too easily distracted). I live in a place where gym membership costs about $80 MONTHLY, but I've found that this is the only way for me to get dedicated on my noble mission

[Simple Simon]

I used to train at home when I was teenager, and was always frustrated that I couldn't exercise calves. A movement that never occurred to me is one legged calf raises.

In fact, I think it's even more effective than standing/seated calf machine raises or calf presses on the leg press.
(Never used donkey calf machine or the new standing bent over calf machine so can't comment on these.)

[Navigator]

Where there's a will there's a way. I don't have a power rack or squat rack, so I clean the barbell into front squat position to do calf raises and front squats.

Home gym all the way. I could never train with so many people around me, would be too distracting. The best scenario is always training outdoors if possible.

I totally agree - I you want to exercise at home, you will exercise and you will find a way (also applies to gym training for that matter)
I practically train outdoors almost all the time in a park with bars on all weather conditions - I always laughs when people start crying that it's too cold outside, but it's actually very relaxing to work out in a snow (just wear proper clothing and you are good to go)

[jimjohnson]

the biggest problems with commercial gyms are:
1) The people in them. Attracts idiots. Doing all kinds of stupid things and giving free advice.
2) They are set up to make as much money as possible. They are a business. Useless extra classes, fat fitness trainers, useless protein powders, etc...
3) The time it takes to get there, wait whilst your work out, get changed, drive back....what should take 40 min's now takes 2 hours.
4) Some can be very expensive

Pro's:
1) Nice eye candy to view
2) Some machines you do not have at home