Gym membership or lift at home? Advice needed.

[mdh84]

Brothers I need some advice. I am thinking about ditching my gym membership and getting a squat rack and bench for home. I haven't been going to the gym lately due to the 25 minute commute and having no one to work out with there, as all of my old lifting partners have moved/ stopped lifting. The gym I go to is always crowded and to me seems like a hassle just to get there. I would like some input and opinions. I would be doing mostly heavy compound movements at home (Squat, bench, deads, shoulder press, etc..) Any advice is much appreciated.

Matt

[ionicrod]

Well, this is strictly your decision. A 25 min commute would be rough. I am a firm believer though, unless you drop 100g's, youre not gonna get the same out of a home gym as compared to a commercial gym. The day you mess up a rotator, pull something in your groin, and etc, you will be screwed at your home gym with just barbells. I would also say, if you need training partners, wouldnt that problem be worse at a home personal and private gym?

This is your decision, and you really would have to weigh the pros and cons.

Did you look and see if there were any other gyms in your area?

[BryanSmash!]

I love my home gym and will never go back to the commercial gyms in my area. I can do whatever i want on my gym, plus no commute or fees. Just hit up craigslist if youre on a budget,

[general]

The only real question is will you have the self discipline to work out at home, alone with nobody there to motivate you. It does not matter how much it costs or what equipment you have if you don't use it. I did it about 5 years ago. It cost me about $1,000.00 to get what I needed, including a good set of dumbells.I worked out alone at the gym so it wasn't an issue not having a partner. Then big thing was makiing sure I didn't sit down when I got home from work. If I did, it was over for that night.
After about 12 or 16 months, I got to the point where I needed someone else there to help push the heavy weight safely. Fortunately, a neighbor got interested and started working out with me. It has made a big difference. After about a two years, we built our own weight room behind his house and combined our equipment. We closed in a 20 by 20 carport, insulated, wired it up and put in a drop ceiling and a window ac unit. It cost about $3,000.00. Now we have our own gym and couple of others have started working out with us as well.
I guess I have come full circle. I didn't plan on it working out this way, but I'm glad it did. It was one of the best descisions I've ever made.

[BigAnt]

I have a fully equipted home gym..Hammer strength, Icarian, BodyMasters, Flex, Paramount, Streamline, Cybex equipment and tons of weights-bars-benches-dumbbells etc....

But sometimes training at home "alone" is tough, for the safety aspect....sure I can train any time I want, play any music, use any equipment without waiting and the food-fridge is only up the steps...

But sometiems it is nice to "get out" of the house and go to a gym and train...And if you ask anyone nicely they wil spot you...

I belong to a gym that is 2 minutes from my house (Retro Fitness) and still have my home-basement gym...

You have to make sure that you are truly dedicated to train at home and think about the spotting-safety factor...

Now if you had a buddy-lifting parther and you both went in on half the equipment and that partner had good work ethic to train with you...it would be a great situation!

[Tiny1102]

Been there done that. I had a gym moved to my home, but I later opened another one. I thought I liked going home each night and training after work, but if my training partner or team did not show up, then I did nothing. When I moved back into another gym. First, I hated it, but now I love it. It is just the atmosphere. Always someone is there. I always want to do some training. You do have to realize that my gym is not like a normal gym, but I sure like having my garage and home back.

[mdh84]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I have no problem working out alone, I get my nest workouts in that way. What I meant by the training partnew thing is that I won't go if I don't have an obligation to meet someone there. Then again that may be the same if I'm at home. The couch or tv may look more enticing than lifting. The pros would definitely be price(factoring gas and costs in the long run)and convenience. The cons would be that its at home and there's always something going on to get in the way. I guess I have a lot of thinking to do. Thanks again for the replies, I'll keep everyone updated on what I do.

[mark!]

I do both, Thursdays I meet at metroflex with the crew, which is just a crazy/dirty as my home gym, and also have my fully furnished garage gym. Best of both worlds.

[MRmichael.hooker]

Depends on you bro. If I had the room, i'd probably train at home. At home, no waiting for equipment, no pubes in the showers, noone changing the music from what you like, noone leaving weights all over the place. At a gym, you don't have to worry about cleaning. You don't have to worry about buying any equipment, more lifters around you which will make you want to push a little harder. If you train with a partner, that can go 2 ways. Either you'd have to learn to train on your own (which means A- you might not train as intensly or heavy, or B- you never have to worry about finding a time that fits both of your schedules), or you can talk about it with your partner about maybe going in on the gym with you and both of you use it. You can easily buy a hammer strength power rack and adjustable bench, and do almost every single barbell movement in there. The real money would come into dumbbells, and then like others said, craigslist.

I had 4 coworkers who all went in together, bought weights, benches, mats together. If one wanted a specific machine, it would be up to him to buy. They found a cheap place to rent, and all split the rent together and just the 4 + their wives used it. It was about the same as a gym payment, but it was exclusive and never fucked up or dirty.

[stanzione]

Id personaly prefer a gym membership.. Being in a gym atmosphere is far more motivational for me, and when it boils down to it, motivation is everything... People can be a hassle to deal with, and that commute sounds a little rough, but ive seen many people try to move their training into a "home gym" and 90% the time they lose the motivation and eigther make minimal gains or give up all together.

-Joe-

[ionicrod]

I just dont see how one could afford to pay for all the equipment. Power racks and db can only offer so much. I would get bored after one week of being held back by those limitations. I think I would rather just have a bowflex. I just prefer the gym and its atmosphere. Its nice to go somewhere and get away, be around people who enjoy the same thing you do.

[pushin weight]

I just dont see how one could afford to pay for all the equipment. Power racks and db can only offer so much. I would get bored after one week of being held back by those limitations. I think I would rather just have a bowflex. I just prefer the gym and its atmosphere. Its nice to go somewhere and get away, be around people who enjoy the same thing you do.

Agreed, being around other hardworking people makes me work harder and helps me stay hungry.

[MRmichael.hooker]

Agreed, being around other hardworking people makes me work harder and helps me stay hungry.

Ronnie Coleman was talking about that. He said his gym at his house costs more than the actual house, lol. Tons and tons of fantastic equpiment and never has to wait on anyone and can workout anytime he wants, with music as loud as he wants. But he doesnt work out as intensly as he does at an actual gym because the other lifters there make him want to lift harder.

[Deathride]

I train at home using the bare minimum of equipment (free weights, two barbells and two spinlock dumbbells, a 'bench' from boxes and chairs to hold the weight and a pullup bar...am going to make a squat rack from wood this week!) and I haven't had any problems.

I can train when I want, do what I want....hell I can train naked listening to Beyonce if I want (I don't but its always an option!) The gyms in my area are ALL health clubs with lots of mirrors and machines that I don't want or use....and most of the 'hardcore' gyms have had their 'trainers' arrested for steroid dealing...that's not an exaggeration.

[Tiny1102]

Honestly, no motivation at home. Unless, I had training partners there.

[flappysr]

Well, I'd say Both.... For me working various shifts/schedules with rotaing days off. Even having a 24 hour membership sometimes doesn't work due to time. Family time comes first .... I got two benches, one squat rack, combo dip/pull-up station, combo bike/elliptical machine, over 1000 pounds of free weights and various bars at home in the garage. I find motivation to lift hard sometimes, but when it really comes down to it. It's really just you and the Iron away. Who's going to lift the weight for you anyway. Even just going to 24 hour to workout at time motivates me with the other people around the gym. I set a goal for a certain meet for the year ahead and use that for my motivation also. Setting records that are with in reach helps along the way. Plus the added health benefits hoping to live and enjoy life longer with family and friends..................

[Spastic_Koala]

I'd lean towards a gym membership over a home gym because that's what works personally for me. There's pros and cons to both, most of which have already been outlined. It really just comes down to what would work best for you.

[cesmeister]

I feel that if you have the will to push yourself with the weights then you can do it anywhere, home or gym. You could probably think of so many things to distract you from lifting if you wanted to. I stick to the basic free weights in the gym anyway, so a home gym wouldn't be that far from the norm for me. Like Centopani said, machines are probably more dangerous because they put you through a ROM that's unnatural for your body. If you could get a good home free weight set up I think that would be perfect (no annoying ego lifters or teenagers on their cellphones).






When people ask me what I'm on I say "This stuff called hard work and dedication"

[Aggression]

Honestly, no motivation at home.

Same for me. If I had a gym in my home, I'd always postpone it or delay my session. Plus, I like actually getting out of the house and going to the gym; seeing and conversing with people. I would never solely work out at home.

[Big C]

Same for me. If I had a gym in my home, I'd always postpone it or delay my session. Plus, I like actually getting out of the house and going to the gym; seeing and conversing with people. I would never solely work out at home.

I agree here. The gym is really my only place I go where I can see and conversate with people with the same interests. Besides the gym, the only other places I really go are the grocery store or school lol.

[Tiny1102]

What kind of training do you want to do?