During the last year, many gyms were closed or had limited capacity leaving gym lovers with few options. Fortunately, people are adaptable. At-home workouts have been made easy with a ton of free workout apps on the market and fun, technologically advanced home gym equipment that makes you feel like you’re back at the gym but with the benefit of not leaving your home.
Eventually, we will be back to our pre-pandemic days, and gyms will reopen without limits, but does it make sense to return now that you’ve got a good home workout routine established? There are a few considerations to think about, and they come down to time, money, health, and your penchant for actually being near people again in an enclosed space.
Time is money
We’ve all heard the phrase, and when it comes to going back and forth to the gym, you have to consider whether it’s worth your time. Even if your gym is close, you still need to pack a bag with your gym card, water, a change of clothes, etc., get into your car, drive, and park. You also need to check-in and hope the equipment you’ve come to use is available. Working out at home simply involves walking into whatever room you’ve deemed workout-accessible, and you can begin. You can’t beat the convenience of working out at home—all you need to bring is motivation.
If other people working out motivates you, try Peloton or Mirror classes. They let you compete against others in the same class so that you can track your progress against yourself and others.
Money is money
Gym memberships aren’t cheap. They can run you anywhere from $20-200/month, depending on the gym and where you live. If you want a personal trainer or other specialized amenities at the gym, the cost increases even more. Plus, there is usually a one-time join fee that can run you a couple of hundred dollars. Working out at home doesn’t cost much—unless you invest in a treadmill, rower, or elliptical machine. Even then, you own it, so if you ever decide on something new or want to upgrade, you can still get money out of it. Free online classes and apps like Sworkit and Daily Yoga make working out at home super cost-effective.
Online fitness apps let us access top trainers from around the world and create workout programs designed just for us, anytime, anywhere—from the comfort of our own homes.
Avoid crowds (and germs)
Given today’s climate, avoiding germs and staying healthy is a top priority. It’s a bit terrifying to look back and think of all the surfaces you touched where another person’s sweat was sitting, waiting for you. Working out at home allows you to be in control of cleanliness because you are in charge. You aren’t relying on the kindness of strangers to wipe down a piece of equipment after they are done. It also limits the number of people you come in contact (more people, more germs) with and keeps you healthy all year round.
Finally, if you aren’t a fan of crowds, working out at home may be your answer. Who wants to wait in line for a piece of equipment or get denied entrance to a class because they are at max capacity?
Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and doing something you know you will stick to. With the pandemic still raging on and many gyms still closed across the country, working out at home (or anywhere the mood strikes) offers the flexibility to try different types of workouts, vary your workouts with the help of online tools, and get as good of a workout from the comfort of your home that you would at a gym.
We all know when it comes to fitness, there are no one-size-fits-all programs available to help every person get and stay in shape. Gyms aren’t a “must-have” when it comes to exercising, so if you’re looking to save time, money and avoid illness (and people), it makes sense to workout at home. With the endless classes, apps, and expert advice online, it’s truly never been easier.
