If you don’t have a lot of free time to go to the gym or suffer from gym anxiety, it may be that home workouts work best for you.
The Internet is full of no-equipment, full-body workouts promising you to achieve the same results as a gym workout.
So, which ultimately gets you better results – gym workouts or home workouts?
If you ask many fitness professionals whether it’s possible to effectively train at home, chances are they’ll respond by saying you can train anywhere.
But that is true to some extent.
This is because working out at the gym boasts far more benefits than working out at home.
However, that doesn’t mean that home workouts are totally ineffective.
The decision to work out at the gym vs work out at home should ultimately come down to your personal preferences, goals, and budget.
The Benefits of Working Out at the Gym Vs. Working Out at Home
Some fitness experts claim that all you need to effectively work out at home is a space the size of a yoga mat that enables you to do a wide array of bodyweight exercises.
However, when exercising at home, it is downright impossible to have sufficient equipment and the space required to maximise your results.
Just think – When you go to the gym, you use a wide array of weights, dumbbells and machines to get the most out of your workout.
But you certainly don’t have any of those machines in your house.
You may believe that purchasing some sort of home workout equipment can solve the problem, but can you really afford to invest an astronomical amount of money to get in a whole gym?
Or, do you really have sufficient space to set up a home gym?
Yes, you can use some resistance bands, a couple of dumbbells or kettlebells and even some water bottles to work out at home.
That can definitely help you get in shape to some extent, but you won’t see a lot of muscle growth by only doing bodyweight exercises or light-weight dumbbell exercises at home.
Sure, if you need more space to get in a workout at home, you can probably work out in the garden – if you have the privilege of having one.
However, the weather is not always supportive, meaning that you are not able to work out if it’s raining or snowing.
Plus, you may feel less motivated to work out at home without the boost you get from exercising around other people.
Of course, home workouts are great if you’re just beginning to exercise and need to cautiously start your fitness journey and progress slowly.
Even so, you will arrive at a point where you have to increase weights in your workout routine to actually see results from exercise.
This means you can’t work out at home because you do not have the right equipment to be able to achieve your goals.
You might be thinking, “But I see people doing it on social media, and they have a perfectly sculpted body with chiselled abs.”
The truth is, those people have worked hard at the gym with real equipment.
They have achieved a sculpted body by lifting heavy, not working out at home with minimum equipment.
So don’t ever believe that you can get a sculpted, toned look by only working out with a yoga mat and a couple of dumbbells.
But again, if for any reason you are unable to go to the gym, then home workouts can definitely help you burn some fat and improve your appearance.
For example, if your schedule is simply too busy, home workouts can save you time while also providing you with more flexibility.
That being said, let’s sum up all the benefits of working out at the gym vs. working out at home:
| Gym workouts | Home workouts |
| ● Help you stay motivated (whether it’s because of the fees you pay or the opportunity to meet like-minded people who are able to give you the encouragement you need) ● It has all the equipment you need for an effective workout so you can gradually build the body you want ● It’s fun and innovative ● You can access different types of classes ● You minimise the risk of doing damage to yourself thanks to qualified instructors who supervise you ● It’s easier to avoid distractions and stay focused on your exercises ● In the beginning, it’s cheaper to join a gym than to buy enough equipment to build your own home gym ● Some gyms include valuable perks, such as swimming pools, saunas, and whirlpools |
● It’s flexible and convenient ● Saves you time |
Conclusion
Now that we’ve gone over the main benefits of gym workouts vs. home workouts, it’s obvious that joining a gym comes with more advantages.
However, deciding between going to the gym and exercising at home should ultimately depend on your goals.
If your goal is to burn some fat, home workouts may work just fine.
But if your goal is to change your body composition, gain muscle, and get that toned look, then you need to lift heavy – and that is something you can only achieve by going to the gym.