Home Gym vs. Gym Membership

Gyms have become very popular in the past twenty years as places to go to get in shape or stay in shape. Part of this popularity has been due to the efforts of the clubs’ sales representatives and their ongoing "special" deals. Gyms can be a great way to go, especially for those who want to get out of the house, meet people, or use specialized equipment. However, gym membership has been declining, as improvements in home exercise equipment have made working out at home an increasingly attractive option.

An important reason people give for not working out at home has been that they just don’t have the room. Huge gyms have the room for large, specialized machines, while many people have very little room at home. The advent of fold-up, movable treadmills and compact multi-exercise gyms make this reason much less compelling.

Other advantages of working out at home include that there is no need for spotter when lifting heavy weights. The home gyms generally don’t require this and are thus safer in that way.
A little-mentioned reason for working out at home is privacy. Many people are just too embarrassed to go to the gym. "I’ll go when I look better" is a handy excuse that explains why the people you see in gyms tend to be the people who seem to need to be there the least.

Perhaps the most compelling reason for working out at home is the cost. Gym memberships typically run from several hundred dollars per year to thousands. Maybe you go; maybe you don’t. However, the outlay for home equipment, perhaps less than $1,000, generally occurs just once. The financial calculation should also include the value of your time traveling to and from the gym.

There is one reason for going to a gym that cannot be overcome by buying home equipment. Many gym-goers believe that, once they get to the gym they will work out, whereas if they are at home with TV and refrigerator handy, they may not. Ah, discipline! How do you prevent that nice equipment you just bought from becoming a clothes hangar? Many people do this successfully by setting aside specific time each day, locking the door, and turning off the phone.

http://www.treadmill-world.com/home-gyms.html
Robert Braun