Health and fitness awareness has arrived in our society. Not only do the fitness studio membership numbers on record-high clarify this. Correspondingly, some studios are almost bursting at the seams. Especially at peak times after work, a relaxed planned workout session can turn into an ordeal. So why not simply train at home? The following article will take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of training at home.
The advantages of strength training at home
Time-saving
When you move your workout to your home gym, you can save a lot of time! You'll save yourself the time it takes to get there. Depending on where you live, this can be quite significant. Let's say you live in the country and the nearest gym is a 20-minute drive away. If you then go to the gym 4 times a week, you'll spend 2 ½ hours in the car that week alone just to get to the gym! Added up over the month, that would be 10 hours and extrapolated over a whole year, 120 hours! Think about all of the more meaningful things you could be doing in that time....
24/7 opening hours
If you train in your home gym, you are as flexible as possible. Because your Homegym knows no closing times. You can organize your everyday life perfectly because you can train any time – day or night. Well, many studios are open around the clock. But see advantage 1!
Money-saving
Having your own home gym does not only save a lot of time, but also cash. Don't you think? But don’t you have to buy all that expensive equipment? Yes, you do. The initial purchases might be quite a lot and can, depending on your goals, be a lower four-digit sum. But you have to think long-term. Those initial acquisition costs must be seen in relation to the monthly fee you would pay at the gym.
With an average monthly fee of around 30 euros, the costs for the home gym are usually recouped after 2 years. From this point on you save money month after month!
No more waiting for the equipment
It is so annoying, not being able to do your workout as planned just because the machines are always occupied. Strength training at home eliminates this struggle entirely. At home you can always be sure that you have your equipment all for yourself.
The disadvantages
Lack of social contacts
Humans are social beings. They need social interaction. Especially in sports, you can easily start conversations with others and make new friends. In your home gym, however, you usually train alone. One possibility would be to invite friends to your home to train. This way you can push each other and the training is even more fun!
High initial purchase price
Of course, if you want to train properly at home, you need the right equipment. This includes a flat bench, a pair of dumbbells, a barbell including sufficient weights and a pull-up bar. A power rack would be optimal. Of course, all these things combined cost some money. We know now that it will pay off in the long run, but only after about 2 years. This also means that if we lose interest after a short time, we have lost a lot of money. Therefore, it would be best for complete beginners to make sure weight training is for them, by going to the gym before they invest several hundred euros in equipment.
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No one to show you the exercises
Beginners often struggle with correct exercise execution, especially with free weight training. The correct technique is especially important for exercises that involve a lot of weight, such as squats, deadlifts or bench presses, in order to avoid injuries.
In order to learn the correct technique, beginners can find more or less well-trained trainers in the gym who can show and correct the execution of the exercise. Or you can ask an experienced athlete in the studio for help. Of course, you don't have all that in the home gym. Fortunately, these days there are many great YouTube fitness channels that offer extensive tutorials on just about every exercise!
Conclusion
Working out at home has both advantages and disadvantages. At the end of the day, it's a matter of preference. For those who find it hard to motivate themselves and only work out with friends for the sake of socializing, a home gym makes little sense. On the other hand, if you don't have a gym right outside your door, want to save money in the long run, and prefer to have your peace and quiet while training, a home gym is a true paradise on earth!
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