Table of Contents
With COVID-19 having shut down gyms across the country, more and more fitness buffs are looking for ways to enhance their workout from home. Though a vaccine could be in the near future, it’s looking like 2021 is set to become the year of home workouts.
While some people are disappointed by the wrench this has thrown into their exercise routine, working out at home can actually be a blessing in disguise. What your living room gym may lack in machines and trainers, it makes up for in comfort, flexibility, and savings.
Staying indoors doesn’t have to mean giving up on fitness goals. If you’re interested in learning how to get the ultimate burn on without burning a hole in your wallet, keep reading for all the reasons why you should work out at home to reach your fitness goal in 2021.
Pros to Working Out at Home
Homebodies rejoice—it’s never been easier to find accessible, effective workouts you can do from any room in the house. Working out at home comes with a plethora of benefits, such as:
-
Ease – Making the trek to the gym can be difficult at times. Whether you’re facing bad weather, traffic, or simply lacking the drive to leave the house, working out at home is a great workaround for these pitfalls.
-
Time – When you don’t have time for a full gym session, squeezing in a home workout is the perfect alternative. You’d be surprised how many calories can be burned from simple exercises, even when you have no equipment. Tutorial videos and exercise subscriptions, like My Curves on Demand, are the perfect way to get a full-body workout in under 30 minutes. If you have an hour to watch a TV show at home, what’s stopping you from getting your fitness on, too?
-
Comfort – Have you ever wanted to work out, but the thought of putting on real clothes and dealing with other people just felt like too much of a roadblock? That’s where home exercises come in handy. Whether you’re in sweats or you simply don’t want to feel other people’s sweat while doing your reps—working out in the comfort of your own home is by far the most stress-free way to get in shape.
Cons of Working Out at Home
With every good part of life comes a few downfalls, and exercising at home is no exception to this rule. Some major drawbacks of home workouts that can send people running to a gym include:
- Lack of machines and gym equipment – Most gyms have a wide variety of machines that can target even the hardest-to-reach muscle groups; the same can’t be said for home workouts. Unless you invest in some pricey fitness equipment like a cardio machine or rowing machine, exercising in your house will typically be limited to what your natural body can do. That being said, there are plenty of ways to workout muscle groups without the need for bulky machinery.
There are still affordable workout equipment options available on Amazon and other sites. In terms of home gym equipment that you can fit in your living room, there are a few options:
- Yoga mats or other yoga supplies
- Jump rope/ jumping rope
- Dumbell weights
- Exercise ball
- Foam roller
- Stability ball
- Motivation – Some people find it difficult to gather the motivation for a workout unless they’ve made the commitment of going to the gym. This factor comes down to a matter of personal preference, and what may get one person in the zone can take another person out of it just as easily. Knowing what you want is key to sticking with a fitness routine, and whichever environment brings you more joy should be the one you choose!
Pros of Working in a Gym
When deciding if at-home workouts are right for you, it’s important to understand what you may be missing out on by not joining a gym. For most people that don’t have the luxury of a home gym, there are many benefits of having a gym membership:
-
Spa facilities – While a hot shower at home can be nice, it pales in comparison to the saunas and steam rooms that many gym members have access to. For maximum relaxation and recovery post-workout, treating yourself to the spa can do wonders for the body. The downfall here is that not every gym is going to have these facilities, and those that do tend to be on the pricier side.
-
Access to Trainers – Most gyms have professional staff on deck to help members get the most out of their workout. When exercising at home, it can be difficult to know if you’re doing something wrong, but a personal trainer at the gym can help reduce your risk of injury or improper form.
Cons of Working out in a Gym
Though it has some perks, going to the gym isn’t all a piece of cake (or cake-flavored protein bar). Some of the biggest irritants fitness lovers face when they hit the gym include:
-
Privacy – Working out at home gives you the freedom to tone any part of your body without fear of being judged or stared at. The same can’t be said for gyms, where hyper-intense diet culture and body ogling can run rampant at times. Lack of privacy at the gym may discourage people from keeping up with their fitness routine, making it the less preferable option for those struggling with confidence issues.
-
Price – The average cost of a gym membership is approximately $58 per month in the United States. This number goes up for people living in more expensive areas, like New York City—where the average monthly cost skyrockets to $134.50. Compare this to the price of working out at home, where you can form your own routine for no cost at all. If you’re looking for a little more structure, My Curves on Demand offers the first two months free and provides unlimited access to workout videos for only $24.99 per month. The bottom line is: working out in a gym is always going to be the more expensive option.
-
Wait time – Is anything worse than waiting an hour for a treadmill to open up at the gym? Or how about when someone monopolizes your favorite machine for 20 minutes while they pick out a song on their iPhone? Relying on other people’s efficiency can be frustrating when you’re trying to wrap up a workout, and those with little time to spare may benefit more from at-home exercise, instead.
Get Fit From Home with RebateKey
Now that you’re familiar with the pros and cons of a gym vs home workout, it’s time to start saving on all your fitness needs.
With RebateKey, you can find exclusive deals on home workout subscriptions, exercise equipment, and even your favorite protein powder for a fraction of their retail prices. All you have to do is search for deals through our website, claim your cashback rebate, and wait for the products and your check in the mail.
Make 2021 the year of muscles and money by shopping for all your fitness needs with RebateKey!
Sources:
https://www.moneycrashers.com/choose-best-gym-membership-costs/
