It has been 11 months since COVID-19 was recognized as a global pandemic, putting a full-stop to simple activities such as – going to the gym, office, restaurant, or even grabbing something as boring as the morning newspaper without quivering in fear.
Most of our days consist of us moving from our bedroom to the living room where we plant ourselves on the couch – at this point, most of us have heavily dented couches. The decrease in active movements has started to show on our faces, if not our bellies!
On the other side, some individuals have used the pandemic as a reason to be active! From embarking on a weight loss journey, to simply practicing healthy eating and exercising while staying indoors.
But now most of the gyms have reopened – What will you choose? Joining a Gym or Working out at home?
We have a list of benefits and drawbacks for joining a gym or working out at home – let’s pit them against each other to see which option wins!
Accessibility
How many times have we paid for a gym membership only to rarely (never) use it? More times than we’d like to admit! The one reason/excuse – pre and post-pandemic – is traveling. Many people start to slack and then eventually give up going to the gym because of the time and effort it takes to travel to access the gym. Whereas if you opt to work out at home, you simply have to walk up to the next room!
Motivation
As students, the driving factor for motivation for most of us to study would be to do it with a group of other kids – feeding off the energy, enthusiasm, and also competition around us, (except the ones who prefer solitude). For some of us that haven’t changed in adulthood – be it working in an office or working out at a gym! Working out alone at home requires a lot of self-motivation unlike at the gym with all the similar energy, heavy lifting, pumped-up music and so much more!
Risk
Even though gyms claim that they are practicing the utmost safety measures such as – temperature check, wearing a mask, and frequent sanitization. The risk of being exposed to the virus is still high because of the crowd. The staff may be on it 100% initially, but the probability of them relaxing in this regime is too high, which is less likely to happen at home.
Training
Working out while listening to your trainer shout motivating words at you from a screen is great, but for some of us, when the same thing happens from a few meters? Much better and effective! Humans are social creatures – which is why in-person training can be more satisfying!
Expense
Gym memberships are expensive! And rightly so, given the high-quality equipment that is offered along with certified professionals to guide and pump you to get to the finish line. In comparison, working out at home can save you money! You can opt for apps such as HealthifyMe that provide you with fitness coaches, plans, and videos where you can get the required training and guidance you need to reach your goal at a minimal cost!
Quality
While home workouts can be comfortable, risk-free, and less expensive, the quality of the equipment and training ranks high. Working out at the gym will also save you the hassle of getting the equipment serviced now and then and also reduce the risk of an unnecessary injury.
| SCOREBOARD |
| Gym | Home | |
| Accessibility | 0 | 1 |
| Motivation | 1 | 0 |
| Risk | 0 | 1 |
| Training | 1 | 0 |
| Expense | 0 | 1 |
| Quality | 1 | 0 |
| Final score | 3 | 3 |
Conclusion
Looks like it’s a tie – making both our opponents WINNERS!
Choosing to workout out at a gym or home is ultimately your personal decision, but it’s also best to weigh in the pros and cons given the seriousness of the current situation. If you can go to the gym and be careful by taking the required precautions, good for you! And if you can work out at home and still get the smashing results you want, kudos to you!
Are you looking to transform yourself in 2021? Our coaches can help you.
