One of the most common pieces of advice one can see when looking at ‘how to save money’ advice articles/ columns is to get rid of your gym membership. I looked it up – about 67% of gym memberships remain unused. So that makes sense – if you don’t use it, why pay for it? On the other hand, there is also a group of people who hesitate if they should get one. So today it’s on my take on the subject. And, of course, it all depends. I will start with the gym membership, but then I will move on to alternatives. Note: I am bit biased…
Using the gym
My house belongs to Home Owner’s Association (HOA), which owns a gym with a full size indoor pool. It’s all included in my monthly HOA dues. Many people around the US will be in a somewhat similar situation: their apartment complex or HOA may have gym facilities. For others, office building may have some sort of room for weight lifting and/ or some cardio equipment. In these cases: why would you even consider paying for a gym membership? Well, for one thing: you may work out close to your office, but the gym is at home or vice versa. But before you decide to pay for it: ask yourself if you are really going to use that paid gym membership? Some people will and they absolutely should join and enjoy their workouts.
Then there are specialty gyms and classes. Those can be fun and some people enjoy them. If you are good at actually going – by all means, sign up and enjoy! But if you are not good at staying consistent, you may want to skip it. I have seen plenty of people around me sign up for the trial period, go during their time and then decide to sign up. However, trial periods are usually short and during the time when you are all pumped to go. And then your interest wanes after you are stuck with a bill to pay. Pure waste of money! Keep that in mind, since this is probably where majority of unused gym memberships comes from.
So now let’s assume you don’t already have a gym membership and you are thinking about getting one. According to Google, average gym membership costs around $60 per month in the US (I am taking their word for it). As you weigh your options, here are some things to consider:
- How often can you realistically commit to going?
- And do you have persistence to do it?
- What aspect of gym membership are you most interested in?
- What equipment you would be using?
If you can’t specifically say what days you will be going, outlooks are not great. Every resolution and commitment requires specificity for you to have a follow through. Many people have also strong history of signing up for gym memberships and classes and then going only a couple of times and then quitting. It’s a good idea to evaluate first how will this time be different than before. It may, but it may not.
People differ in their reasons to join a gym. Some people enjoy working out surrounded by other people working out and it helps them stay motivated. Others love coming to spin or yoga (or whatever else) classes offered at the gym. Those are great reasons to join the gym! If you enjoy those aspects, gym membership may be helpful in achieving your fitness goals (although there will be a little devil’s advocate moment later on).
As to what equipment you would be using… This came up in a conversation I recently had with a friend of mine. She has been considering joining a gym and is hesitating. She shared with me that all she wants is an elliptical. Quick Amazon search said that she can get one for her home for less than two months’ worth of gym membership. I guess this is where you evaluate if you really need access to the gym or if you can get away with doing it at home. On the other hand, you may require an indoor pool. That usually comes with membership in a place that has one and it’s hard to get around it. So if you are a swimmer and/or triathlete, you will need some sort of paid pool (gym) membership.
What I use usually at the gym is access to a personal trainer. This is something that you usually need an access to the gym for. Diana is very important to my fitness goals, so I definitely want my gym membership and I am grateful that it’s part of my HOA – the amount of services I get out of that gym and pool probably adds up to more value than my monthly dues.
Working out at without access to a gym
There are so many alternatives to the gym! Personally, I don’t like going to the gym too much. I enjoy my privacy and personal space when I work out. I have never been into classes and having people around does not motivate me. So here are some alternatives:
Get outdoors! If you are just starting to get into a healthier lifestyle, maybe getting a little bit outside may be a better place to start. At a price of shoes (which majority of people own a pair of sports-appropriate ones), you can get started. Go on regular walks and, if you are up to it, runs. It will make for a great test of your dedication without costing you on recurring basis. I would strongly recommend starting there, especially for people who have poor track record of starting to work out and then quitting shortly thereafter. And if running is your thing, you may never really need a gym membership. All you need is to lace up your shoes and get outside. If you own a bike, it’s also a great activity. Maybe you can even build one of these into your daily commute, so it’s just part of your routine and it’s harder to skip it? For those people who enjoy (or need) others around: join a running/cycling group. I don’t know if they have free ones in your area, but there is a good chance that it will be cheaper than joining a gym. You always have also an option of creating your own group. Ask a friend or two (or a dozen!) to go with you.
Working out at home! This is definitely a multi-part item and a lot of it will depend on how much space do you have at home. I know that people who live in big, crowded cities may have basically zero floor space in their homes, so this may not work for them. I live in suburban America, so I do have plenty of space. Even if you think you don’t have much room, keep reading – you may still find some advice useful.
Cardio equipment. I will refer back to my friend from a little earlier, who is only interested in an elliptical. You can find a cheap one (and you can fold some of them for storage, too!) on Amazon. If your thing is cycling and you own a bike, maybe you could just get a stand allowing you to use your regular bike indoors? Again, plenty of those things can be easily folded for storage. You can choose different levels of sophistication and at various price points. Added benefit: you can do it whenever you have a spare moment at home, without having to go anywhere. I love cycling at home, since I am a mom to a small kid who I can’t leave home alone. I can do my bike rides while she is still sleeping. I think this is a great idea for people in my kind of situation. I also have stairs in my house, so I can also run up and down those any time I want 😉
Stretching. Ok, you may not need anything for this one. I have hardwood floors in my living room, where I do majority of my at-home workouts, so I have a yoga mat. You can get one cheaply either online or at a store, like Target or Walmart or any sport store in your area. Stretching workout article coming soon(ish) to the blog 😉
Weights/ strength. At a cost of some resistance bands (again: online, Target, Walmart, sport store, whatever) and/or exercise ball, you can get a lot of workouts. Not that any equipment is absolutely required. Plank? Push-ups? Squats? There are many videos out there on workouts at home and one of these days, I will post some ideas in here 🙂
Alternative workouts! Not all workouts need to be formal, with you changing into your gym clothes, blocking out time and going seriously about it. There are other ways to get your heart rate up and muscle working. I used to get rather intense leg workouts while teaching my daughter how to ski with her riding between my legs. Controlling her speed and direction is quite something! Also, lifting her to get on a ski lift is a good upper body workout. When you take kids to the playground, consider climbing the equipment, chasing around with them, do a few chin-ups, maybe lift your kids a few times? There are so many possibilities! And work around the house… That’s a great place to show some imagination…
Conclusion
There are many approaches to working out and we all look for things we enjoy. Before you start investing in membership or equipment, give some serious thought to what you can do, what you enjoy doing and what you can commit to. I know I am biased towards workouts I can do alone. As one of my friends described me: ‘you are as social as a solitary cat’. He had a point. I have a relatively low need for company, especially when it comes to my ‘crazy ideas’. I also hate having to follow somebody else’s schedule and rules. But then, I am also very driven and love sports. I have had gym memberships for vast majority of my adult life, either paid or through HOA, apartment or office building. And I have been using them. I also believe that there are alternatives and they should be given serious consideration. As a parent and a person with a serious Ironman 70.3 training schedule, I have learned to appreciate workouts I can do at home. I also love getting some alternative exercises in my life. Give some thought to your options and decide for yourself how to work out. But most importantly: keep moving!