Working Out At Home VS Gym: Pros and Cons of Both
The answer may seem obvious at first when it comes to working out at home versus going to the gym. But let’s take a deeper look at both methods and find out if one truly is better than the other.
In this post we’re going to break down the pros and cons of working out at home and training at a gym. And at the end you’ll be able to decide what’s truly best for you.
Working Out at Home
Let’s start with working out at home. In some cases training at home may be your only option. And doing something is always better than doing nothing.
But you may be surprised that there are some benefits to working out at home that outweigh training at the gym. We’ll talk about those but will also talk about the downfalls of training at home.
Pros
- You save time because you don’t have to commute to the gym
- You’ll save money because you’re not paying for a gym membership or the fuel it takes to get there (more money for supplements, right?)
- If you have a dedicated workout area, you may be more focused training at home
- There’s no waiting on equipment to be available
- Working out at home may prove to be more sanitary and there’s less chance of you getting sick from other people’s germs
- Training at home with limited equipment forces you to be more creative in coming up with ways to make your muscles work harder
- Since your gym is at home, you eliminate all excuses not to work out
Cons
- You will more than likely have limited equipment at home
- Because of the above you may not be able to train each muscle as effectively at home as you would in the gym
- You may not feel as motivated to train at home because of the more relaxed environment and mindset that comes with being at home
- If there are other people in your house, there may be too many distractions for you to get a good workout
How to Have Awesome Workouts At Home
As you can see, there are some clear benefits to training at home. The one thing I encourage you to do is to have a dedicated workout space room or space.
And give that space the same ambience that a gym has. You can place extra mirrors on the walls just like at the gym.
You can also hang posters of bodybuilders or fitness athletes that will motivate you during your workouts. Make your home gym feel like a real gym.
If there are other people in your household, make sure that they understand that your workout time is to be undisturbed. Or even better, have them join you and work out with you.
Lastly, put away anything that might distract you like your cell phone or any electronic device that might interrupt your workout.
Instead, play some music in the background just like you would hear at the gym or just put on your headphones and listen to some music that motivates you to train hard, like the instrumental album Heavy Metal Workout.
Working Out at the Gym
Now let’s talk about the pros and cons of working out at the gym. In many cases, you may find that working out at a gym is the most ideal for gaining muscle.
The gym atmosphere and being around others that are training hard can give that excitement and motivation. And, of course, you’re going to have access to heavier weights and more equipment.
However, there are some drawbacks. And we’ll go over those as well.
Pros
- You’ve got access to heavier weights and more equipment
- Because of the above, you have the ability to train your muscles at different angles and in different ways
- Being in a gym with others around you that have the same like goals, the mirrors, the music, and many gyms have pictures of bodybuilders and athletes hanging on the walls, can give that rush to push yourself further
- In a gym, you can usually get someone to spot you which will allow you to really exhaust your muscles
- Working out around others and seeing how they train can give you more ideas for your own workouts
- It’s easy to find and make friends at a gym because you’ll find people that have the same goals
Cons
- It cost money to be a member of a gym and some gyms can be pretty expensive
- You may find yourself waiting on equipment at a gym
- The gym may be super crowded at the ideal time for you to go
- There may be times when your favorite piece of equipment is broken or needs maintenance, and some gyms are notorious for not keeping their equipment up
- There is a higher risk of getting sick at a gym because you’re around so many different people
- If you have a long commute to the gym, that’s going to take more time out of your day, and because of that, it may sometimes be easy to skip your workout
How to Have More Effective Gym Workouts
The greatest concern about working out at the gym is usually the crowd. There are prime times at gyms when it seems like everyone who has a membership shows up at the same time.
That can be frustrating but there’s an easy way around that…
Wake up an hour or even two hours earlier.
Early morning workouts are awesome because there’s not as many people there that time. And training first thing in the morning sets the tone for the rest of your day.
It’s not a bad idea to find a gym partner that has the same goals as you. The two of you can motivate one another and push each other harder.
Lastly, make a workout playlist. Choose a couple of hours worth of music that you like and that’s going to help you train all out.
If you like heavy-metal music, there’s an instrumental album called Heavy Metal Workout.
Workout Out at Home VS Going to the Gym
After reading this, you may be surprised at how many pros there are to training at home and how many drawbacks there can be to working out at a gym.
The truth is, you can get a great workout at home or at the gym. Because at the end of the day, it’s your choice to train hard for or to be a slacker.
Below is a short video I made talking about my own experience working out at home during a time when most of the world was under quarantine. I also give you some more tips on training at home and the gym.
In the video, I mention a pre-workout that I’m taking called PreFIERCE.
This stuff gives you awesome pumps, sustainable muscle energy, and is one of the best for boosting mental focus during your workouts.
You can read more about this product here:
My PreFIERCE Review and How it Can Help You Build More Muscle
What’s Best for Building Muscle?
Personally, I do prefer training at the gym. I love the atmosphere there, the energy, and having access to heavier weights and more machines. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get just as good of a workout at home.
In fact, I found that it was good to take a break from the gym and train at home for those few months. When I went back to the gym, I had a reignited passion to get in there and train harder. I was sort of in a stagnant rut before that.
If you decide to train at home, I do recommend in investing in quality gym equipment. Also, make sure you have plenty of room for your home gym. And you don’t have to live in a mansion to do that.
Many will take one bedroom or even a side of one bedroom and make a really nice workout area. I dedicated a section of our patio for working out during that time.
Some have even transitioned their entire garage into a gym. With that much room, you can have all the equipment you need, just as if you were in a gym.
And you can pick and choose what you want (if you’re like me, you don’t use half of the equipment in a real gym; only a few key pieces of equipment).
Why Not Do Both?
Another option is to have both. Build your own home gym and also be a member of a gym. This way you have multiple options and you’re practically guaranteed to never miss a workout.
Whether you choose to work out at home or work out at a gym, the one thing that matters is that you’re consistent. And you also need to train hard and force your muscles to work if you want to build muscle. You can do that at home or at the gym.
I hope you got value out of this article. If so, please share this link on your social media.
Excuses Don’t Build Muscle,
Jason
