Home gym versus Commercial gym

[Bryce88]

Hi all,

My gym time is struggling due to family/university/work commitments and I need some advice...please.

My gym sessions are now so sporadic and sparse I am considering cancelling my membership all together (saving me about $1,200 a year). I am probably lucky to get to the gym 2 - 3 times a week now, and even then it is only for short periods - hardly worth it and it is hard to keep a consistent workout routine.

What I am considering is starting a very basic workout area at home (possibly outdoors) - maybe look at purchasing a second hand power rack and just concentrate on the basics (squats, pull ups and bench press). I thought these 3 compound exercises would work best and target most major muscle groups. All I want to do is maintain weight/strength. Not looking to "get swole".

In theory, I feel that a home gym will work. 2 things are holding me back though...

1. Space - a power rack takes up a lot of room. Is this the best/simplest option or is there some fantastic ghetto system I can rig up somehow? Maybe do push ups instead of bench? Gauntlet squats instead of using the bar? A shitty pull up bar in a door way? This would rid me of a power rack but also is limiting.
   
2. Motivation - at the gym, I am there to workout. At home, am I going to be distracted?

Looking forward to some replies (especially home gym'ers with little space and equipment). Maybe some ex-gym goers who now work out at home? Some success stories?

Cheers everyone.

 

[Minlak]

Waste of money changing. You are struggling because you prioritise your time in a certain order and that is leaving no gym time. That is because you are not motivated to go anymore. Spend the money at home and the motivation still won't be there.

When I was smashing gym I was getting up at 3:30am and gyming for 2hrs minimum a day people often commented "I wish I had time to go to the gym". I had time because I was motivated and made time.

 

[Bryce88]

Waste of money changing. You are struggling because you prioritise your time in a certain order and that is leaving no gym time. That is because you are not motivated to go anymore. Spend the money at home and the motivation still won't be there.

When I was smashing gym I was getting up at 3:30am and gyming for 2hrs minimum a day people often commented "I wish I had time to go to the gym". I had time because I was motivated and made time.

I have motivation, thank you. I am studying full time at Uni, so is the wife, we have 2 kids and another on the way and both working full-time (excuses maybe), but I do have the motivation. Priorities change yes, gym has taken a back burner and I am trying to workout how to bring it back.

If I were to attempt to go to the gym at a crazy time when I should be sleeping, I would have to look at changing gyms - something closer to work. Which is not out of the question I guess...

 

[ozzybmx]

Do you enjoy it ? Are you only going to try and maintain a certain body shape ? Do you even like going there ?

Over the years I have had a load of gym memberships in many different places, I hated even thinking about going there but felt awesome once I had been. I have never got my moneys worth out of any of them... last one 2-3 years ago at Jetts, went 3 times in the whole year.

Riding : I love riding my bikes, MTB, CX, Fat, Road and BMX... it has a terrible side effect of getting fit. The only real "not so good" side effect is loosing all my upper body muscle mass and starting to turn into a 'tour-de-france' looking skeleton with fekkin big legs.

I dont think about the fitness side of riding... ever !

I'm old enough now that I'm not trying to impress anyone any more, so the suns-out guns-out is the last thing on my mind.

What I'm trying to say is, if you are going there without enjoying it... same as Minilak says, you are not going to enjoy it at home or at a $1200 a year gym.

Just ride your bike.

 

[Bryce88]

Do you enjoy it ? Are you only going to try and maintain a certain body shape ? Do you even like going there ?

Over the years I have had a load of gym memberships in many different places, I hated even thinking about going there but felt awesome once I had been. I have never got my moneys worth out of any of them... last one 2-3 years ago at Jetts, went 3 times in the whole year.

Riding : I love riding my bikes, MTB, CX, Fat, Road and BMX... it has a terrible side effect of getting fit. The only real "not so good" side effect is loosing all my upper body muscle mass and starting to turn into a 'tour-de-france' looking skeleton with fekkin big legs.

I dont think about the fitness side of riding... ever !

I'm old enough now that I'm not trying to impress anyone any more, so the suns-out guns-out is the last thing on my mind.

What I'm trying to say is, if you are going there without enjoying it... same as Minilak says, you are not going to enjoy it at home or at a $1200 a year gym.

Just ride your bike.

Yeah I do enjoy it... I switch off, listen to music and do my thing. Yes, I am also trying to maintain body shape/weight.

It is never an effort going to the gym, it is just getting there in the first place! I am actually just considering sussing out a gym just around the corner from my work. Might be able to squeeze in a morning session and/or a lunch session.

In regards to riding, I don't do it for the fitness, I just do it for the fun. Good bonding with the young fella too.

Thanks guys...in a round about way you have both given me some thoughts.

 

[ajay]

What does maintain strength mean? Body weight excersises or squatting 200kg? If it's the former, a solid chin up bar, a skipping rope and some light dumbells/kettle bells combined with bodyweight stuff provides a massive range of conditioning options.
If you're not going to the gym cancel it.

 

[ozzybmx]

Well, my last attempt was to join Jetts 24 Fitness. There was 4 of them on my way to work, I had used them about 40-50 times in the year before and was easing off... even then, the final year which was about 2014, only managed 3 visits.

Good that you enjoy it, sounds like you have a pretty hectic schedule and are a bit time deficient.

 

[big gags]

A good option for general fitness that takes up bugger all space is a TRX suspension trainer - you can attach it to a ring mounted in a wall, a tree, some play equipment, or there is even an attachment that comes with it to let you use the top of a door. There are stacks of exercises that you can do for a complete body workout and from memory mine was about $150 (I got the "tactical" version which is khaki instead of the black and yellow of the traditional gym version). I take mine with me when I have to travel for work and either workout in my hotel room using the door attachment or jog down to a local park and find a suitable tree or piece of play equipment.

Gags

 

[Calvin27]

I gave up on gym. It's fundamentally incompatible with cycling. Nowadays, I go once a week for full upper body just to slow the upper body degradation. I can maintain some mass and strength like this but not surprisingly gaining mass or increasing weights (lifted) is out of the question. I tried home gyms and they are a waste. If you have kids and a wife, the temptation is that they will call on you. If you are at gym, no chance. I just get 20 passes and it lasts me half a year. Maybe that could work for you and you supplement with some home stuff?

 

[schred]

I gave on the gym after similar exp to Ozzybmx, local gym got taken over, new place demanded new fees and I never returned. After a moment of weakness I joined a crossfit box, came to my senses 9mths later and bought my own gear for the shed - 2nd hand power rack, bench, oly bar and plenty of rubberized weights (700), bought a second bar and bumpers for olympic lifts (~1000). Tbh bumpers were nice but not necessary. Laid down a few mats from the seconds pile (20) where the car was for oly lifts. Added rings to a beam (25) and built a few DIY things to mix it up, e.g. platform for hypers resting in the power rack and a plymetric (jump) box after trip to bunnings, a few more incremental plates here and there. Also got a kettlebell (~100) and 1 set of hex dumbells (~100) after a bit. You can make kettlebells as well if you can be bothered, atlas balls/stones too. Total "fitout" was sub 2K and less than a 1yr CF membership, not sure about commercial gyms. And if I wanted to (I don't), it could all be sold to a ready 2nd hand market.

I had a blast but eventually lost motivation with a niggling injury. But to answer your question while I was using it I used to think that this was a clearly, definitely a no-brainer to buying a membership. 2 things required though: desire to use bar/free weights, and space as you've sussed. But for safe benching solo (and squats to similar degree) a rack with safeties is the benchmark. Playing the music you want, lifting when you want to, using gear you've chosen and are familiar with, and being 1min away from kicking off at any point, 5am or 9pm, or whatever. Anything else seemed pretty 2nd rate in comparison. Put another way, go to a reg commercial gym after you've had your garage gym for a few months and I'll bet you'll find the whole experience pretty frustrating if not comical.

 

[Cave001]

ive got a single car garage and I have a rig, squat stands, bars, bumpers, Kettlebells, stones, deadballs, strong man gear... But I find it's easy to get distracted and be lazy. I like having the gear so I can just hit it when I feel like on weekends or when I'm really in the mood but I still go to a gym cause I find I train harder with someone there to push me along abit and I enjoy the social side aswell not just grinding it out in the garage by myself.(I don't mind the odd solo grind on the rower or something but not everyday)

 

[Bryce88]

Thanks everyone... plenty of food for thought. I sussed out a gym that is literally around the corner from my work, it was rather small (one of those 24 hour gyms).

Might suss out a 3 day free trial there, otherwise I will have to think a bit harder.

Cheers.

 

[mooboyj]

You can also look at something as simple as a pull up/dip rack. It is the way I'm going as I am currently back doing push ups at home. I take my daughter to the park across the road and do pull ups when there (recovering from a broken hand, so only a few at the moment).

I am much closer to 40 than 30, so want to get back to what I could do before I broke my hand and at least keep some upper body mass.

 

[ers]

Hello. I have used home gym stuff for a long time. 20 years ish
Cheaper than a gym - a lot!!!
Convenient - I can do it when it works for me, without the 'commute' either side.
I can focus on the exercise, no-one else there, don't have to share.
You can get by with Kmart dumbbells ($29 2 years ago) and a mat.
The beauty of the internet is that you can find an exercise for every muscle group.
Having said that, I don't do it to get 'massive' I do it to stay fit.
Good luck
ers

 

[Hamsta]

Hello. I have used home gym stuff for a long time. 20 years ish
Cheaper than a gym - a lot!!!
Convenient - I can do it when it works for me, without the 'commute' either side.
I can focus on the exercise, no-one else there, don't have to share.
You can get by with Kmart dumbbells ($29 2 years ago) and a mat.
The beauty of the internet is that you can find an exercise for every muscle group.
Having said that, I don't do it to get 'massive' I do it to stay fit.
Good luck
ers

This is very true....however, one benefit of going to a commercial gym is that there tends to be some very, very fit members of the opposite sex working out or stretching or using the foam roller.

 

[scblack]

This is very true....however, one benefit of going to a commercial gym is that there tends to be some very, very fit members of the opposite sex working out or stretching or using the foam roller.

This cannot be argued with. Excellent point.

While you physically can do everything with a home gym, the motivation to get out and work hard is greater at a commercial gym. I have had a home gym for 20+ years, but I probably would have worked harder at a gym. But how much more, And would that cost have been worthwhile?

 

[schred]

Dunno, I guess everyone's different with motivations but for me it has to come from within or else I'm done.

Speaking of hotties, when I was with a larger gym I'd very occasionally go to a yoga class after a session; some hotties in there. Super relaxing to the point of falling asleep at the end, and throughout the class people are so contorted/relaxed they were ripping farts pretty regularly, it was weird.

I started back at the home gym since the last post, 1mth in on basic 5x5 and loving it.

 

[Hamsta]

Dunno, I guess everyone's different with motivations but for me it has to come from within or else I'm done.

Speaking of hotties, when I was with a larger gym I'd very occasionally go to a yoga class after a session; some hotties in there. Super relaxing to the point of falling asleep at the end, and throughout the class people are so contorted/relaxed they were ripping farts pretty regularly, it was weird.

I started back at the home gym since the last post, 1mth in on basic 5x5 and loving it.

Yoga is pretty good....seriously I never thought I would type those words on a public forum but I did. I was turned onto yoga by a female colleague and I learned how to breathe properly! Sounds strange but it has meant that I eat more slowly and actually allow myself to feel 'full'. I suspect this has helped with cardio-vascular fitness and weight loss. Some of the girls are mind blowingly strong and flexible at the same time with some of the moves they can hold.

 

[Mywifesirrational]

My only issue with the home gym is affording enough weight to make something like deadlifts worthwhile.

I have the room and inclination, a squat rack is a relatively small investment, but modest to decent plates are costing 4-5aud per kilo. I need 200kg, I just cant bring myself to spend the dollar, even at mate rates.

Got given a spin bike, do 15-30 mins each night in front of the idiot box when the kids go to bed, HR set and a few other things set up recorded straight into the computer all science like, motivation is pretty good.

 

[schred]

My only issue with the home gym is affording enough weight to make something like deadlifts worthwhile.

I have the room and inclination, a squat rack is a relatively small investment, but modest to decent plates are costing 4-5aud per kilo. I need 200kg, I just cant bring myself to spend the dollar, even at mate rates.

Got given a spin bike, do 15-30 mins each night in front of the idiot box when the kids go to bed, HR set and a few other things set up recorded straight into the computer all science like, motivation is pretty good.

I think the cheap bumpers cost about that, maybe $6/kg, but second hand rubber coated ones from scumtree were about a third that. No they arent really accurate but the tolerance is ok for my shed antics.

In the interests of keeping this applicable to regular people I am pretty confident, as achievable as it might be, that a 200+squat is not a problem most folks will have!