Pros And Cons Of Building A Home Gym

Setting up a workout space at home isn’t cheap, but it’ll save you money in the long run. Here are more pros and cons of building a home gym.

Keeping fit is a very important part of many people’s lives, and one way that a lot of people stay healthy is by visiting their local gym to work out or take fitness classes.

Taking regular exercise is a vital part of living a healthy life, and along with a balanced diet, we are able to manage our health and fitness levels like never before.

Technology has improved dramatically over the past decade, and with it, new ways to monitor our health, fitness, and much more.

The Covid-19 Pandemic

The market for home gyms is one that has exploded over the past months.

The coronavirus pandemic that struck around the world at the start of 2020 was something, unlike anything we have ever experienced.

Cities were placed in lockdown, and severe restrictions were placed on our movements.

Social distancing was introduced, and there were limits on what we could do and with whom.

Many aspects of our daily lives were altered, and simple things such as going to the supermarket for shopping, or meeting up with friends for a social drink were suddenly things that we were being told we couldn’t do.

Many places where people gather, such as restaurants, clubs, cinemas, and gyms were all shut.

Only recently, after six or more months, are things gradually returning to normal, in the sense that gyms and restaurants have been allowed to reopen.

However, there are strict social distancing measures in place, and though you may find that your local gym is now open again, you’ll have noticed that there are many fewer people inside at any one time.

Building Your Own Gym At Home

It was during the lockdown with the majority of gyms across the world closed, that people started to build their own gyms at home.

The type of gym setup a person could create would depend on a number of factors such as their size and amount of space in their home, as well as their budget.

Some people who had a spare room, or empty garage, were able to convert that space into a place for the family to work out.

Other people, who lived in much smaller homes, such as a studio or apartment, were simply working out in one of the rooms in their home.

Some people were splashing out on all the different types of fitness equipment and machines, while others were simply making through with a set of dumbbells and a pushup bar.

Some companies understood that not everyone would be able to buy their own gym equipment, so they began renting it out. Almost any equipment you can use in the gym you can hire through one of these companies.

Pros Of Building A Home Gym

As with most things in life, there are pros and cons, and setting up a home gym is no exception. Let’s take a look over the pros of building your own home gym:

1. Work Out At Any Hour Of The Day (And Night)

One of the main advantages of building a gym at home is that it is there for you to use whenever you want.

You won’t have to have your workouts restricted by the opening hours of your local gym.

2. Only Your And Your Family Can Use It

Another benefit, especially in the current situation we find ourselves in with Covid-19, is that with your own gym set up, you won’t have to worry about being in close contact with other people and risk the spread of any germs.

The only people who are likely to be using your home gym are your own family members.

3. No Multiple Gym Subscriptions For The Whole Family

On the subject of family members, having a gym at home is a great way for all of the family to start getting fit and working out.

Previously, you may have been the only family member who had a gym membership.

But if you are able to create your own home gym, then all of your family have the opportunity to work out, without you having to pay any additional monthly gym subscriptions.

4. There’s No Travelling To The Gym

Another advantage of a home gym is that you won’t have too far to travel to get there.

You can also set it up with the fitness equipment that you want to use, and not any other pieces of machinery that you never use when visiting your gym.

5. You’ll Save Money In The Long Term

A final thing that is worth mentioning is that in the long term, you’ll be saving quite a bit of money on gym memberships.

Even more so if your partner, or other members of your household, are also signed up with a gym or fitness center.

Cons Of Building Your Own Gym

Here are the cons of building your own home gym in these harsh times:

1. It Requires Some Space

One of the main obstacles that a lot of people face when setting up their home gym is the space they have available.

Not too many people are fortunate to live in a large house with lots of extra rooms. Many people who work out at home, usually do so in the living room or bedroom.

2. The Initial Cost Is High

Another disadvantage will be the initial cost required to get your home gym equipped.

You could be looking at spending several thousand dollars to get the basic setup sorted out, with a basic choice of fitness equipment and maybe a treadmill or exercise bike.

If you want to go the whole hog, and have all the main pieces of gym equipment, you could be looking at an investment of $10,000.

In the long, you’ll be saving money by not having to pay monthly gym subscriptions, but the initial cost is a sticking point for a number of people.

3. It Can Get Boring

Sometimes, working out alone can actually be a pretty boring experience, and one thing that attracts a lot of people to the gym is the fact that there are lots of other people around.

Sometimes, just being in the company of others can give you more incentive to work out a little harder than you might do if you had a gym setup at home.

Final Thoughts

Whether or not you want to set up a home gym is a completely personal preference.

When the Covid-19 lockdowns were in effect, no one knew when gyms would once again be open, so setting up a place at home to work out was one of the most popular options for a lot of people.

Who knows if we will face any future lockdowns, with gyms closing their doors again.

If you can afford it, it’s very beneficial to be able to set up some space at home for working out. Keeping fit, even during a pandemic, is very important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.