Since I moved to Suffolk County, I’ve found myself exercising more. When I lived in the city, my exercise was limited to what I could do in my bedroom. Now that I’m in an open space, my daily exercise consists of everything from biking, to boxing in my backyard, to resistance band workouts before or after work.
One thing that I’ve noticed also is that when co-workers mention their exercise regimen, they always mention the gym, especially when it comes to bench presses and cardio machines. When they ask if I work out, followed by where I work out, they’re always surprised to find out that I do my workouts at home rather than at a gym. Granted, there are a lot of gyms out here in Suffolk, but just as there are many gyms, there are plenty of open spaces where people can exercise as well. So, is it better for people to train at the gym, or in the comfort of their own home?
Much like the debate between working at home vs. commuting, it’s a matter of personal preference and the limits of ingenuity. There are people who can benefit from either or both. I’ve seen fitness personalities who conduct their workout regimens both at home and at their local gym interchangeably. So it’s very possible to do both. But what circumstance apply to you?
When it comes to exercising at home, what are the limits of your space? Are you limited to your bedroom, or do you have a garage or backyard? How much space is in your bedroom or living room? Do you have neighbors that live beneath you? Will you be using heavy weights or machinery, or will your workouts be mostly bodyweight exercises with little to no equipment? Also, what is the possibility of family members or roommates disrupting your workout? These are the factors that come into play with home workouts.
Perhaps I can share with you the details of my workout regimen and locations. When I’m doing an early morning or late evening workout, it’s in my bedroom. I don’t use heavy equipment; I have two 20 lbs dumbbells, two 30 lbs dumbbells, a variety of resistance tubes with different resistance levels, and a chest expander that I recently purchased. Aside from the dumbbells, everything else is put into a small duffel bag when I’m done exercising. For my resistance training, I use the resistance bands and the chest expander for the various pulling exercises. For cardio, I do shadowboxing and knee lifts. Altogether, it’s roughly one hour of exercise.
When I’m exercising outdoors in the backyard, it’s usually late afternoon, with enough daylight to where it’s not excessively hot outside. In colder weather, I bundle up with a hoodie and insulated clothing. My outdoor workouts are mostly martial arts and stretching, with brief segments of abdominal breathing to assure that I can monitor my breathing patterns during the more intense segments. My stretching is dynamic rather than static, meaning that instead of holding a stretch, I stretch by moving the respective body parts. For example, to stretch my legs, I do side leg lifts and kick backs. Along with punching and kicking, I also do weapons training, such as practicing with the bo staff or with a practice sword called the “bokken”, a wooden katana (or in my case, hard plastic). The training equipment overall is cost-effective (prices ranging from $10-20 per item, less than an annual gym membership. I can push myself at my own pace without worrying about prying eyes or traveling time, and I don’t have to worry about locker rooms either.
While I may prefer training at home, I can understand why most people prefer to train at a gym. Being around people with similar fitness goals can be motivating. Having a spotter while you bench press, or having conversation with someone next to you while you’re on the treadmill or elliptical, these experiences can add a solid social element to your workout experience.
Another angle to working out at the gym is not having to buy expensive equipment for home workouts and finding space to store them. A gym membership can sometimes be cheaper than buying a treadmill or other pricey apparatus, and it’s easier to go to the gym and use their equipment than taking out and putting away your own. Not many of us have the space for a bench and Olympic weight set, let alone an exercise bike. As far as saving space and not having to buy large equipment, the gym can be a better choice for many.
However, the drawbacks to working out at a gym are just as many as the positives. If you’re not comfortable exercising around other people, the gym may not be for you. This is especially true in the Instagram/Tik-Tok era, where people go to the gym to go viral as much as they do to get in shape. It’s not uncommon to see “gym bros” and fitness divas recording themselves doing outlandish exercises for social media; this can be unsettling for the average gym goer.
Also, in relation to the gym bros, there are some gyms where weight lifting becomes a measuring contest. It’s not uncommon to hear “how much do you lift?” Or, “Do you even lift, bro?” Even in the comment sections on YouTube videos, you’ll see people being berated for lifting with light weight and using proper form, rather than using heavy weights and burning themselves out. That kind of intimidation can cause people to avoid setting foot into another gym again. Working out at home eliminates the judgement and lets you be comfortable with your own workout.
Another drawback is the travel. When I had a gym membership, there were more than my fair share of days where I would blame a missed workout on weather conditions or being tired from work. Working out at home eliminated the excuses for me. I didn’t have to travel to exercise, so I could hop right into a workout at my leisure. Also, if weather didn’t permit me to exercise outdoors, I could easily get my exercise indoors. I found myself working out at home so much, I eventually cancelled my gym membership.
In the end, whether or not you exercise at the gym is a matter of preference. It’s up to you to do whatever helps you to stay consistent with your exercise regimen. And you’ll know that you’ve made the right decision once you see the results of your hard work.
Culture Fodder 