My Home Gym
Let me start off by saying this and getting it off my chest: I’m not a gym rat. I never was and probably never will be. I’ve been a member of about five gyms, over the course of 10 years, each unique in it’s own way. Most of these gym’s had a full weight gym, track around the gym, pool and some even offered a jacuzzi. No matter what the features were, I was still not a regular gym goer. Especially in the winter time. Who really want’s to go to the gym when it’s -30 in Toronto in February? I certainly don’t even attempt to. I’d rather be hanging out at home, snuggling and watching movies or even better, watching Hockey. Now, that I’ve ranted a bit, I’ve been into fitness all my life. No I’ve never been into bodybuilding and personally don’t care to be that big, but I have enjoyed some form of fitness. From running and organized sports to weight lifting and proper dieting. Despite being a member of over five gyms, some more pricier than others, I did not go on regular basis.
Like anything that’s new is exciting. It’s like the honeymoon phase. Sort of like a new relationship, everything is honky-dory in the beginning, but once the honeymoon passes, it’s like anything else, sorta starts becoming dull and more of a chore. That’s unless you devote your full effort and dedication. Gym memberships unfortunately work on the same principle.
So, this begs the question: If I can’t bring my self to the gym, why do I keep getting into gym memberships?
Ha! Good question! That was then, today it’s quite different. I came to this realization about 6 months ago. I was part of a gym, which was literally 10 minute walk or two blocks away from my condo or a 4 minute car drive. It was dirt cheap, at $22.50 (tax in) per month, it was a steal for a full gym and gorgeous facilities. Despite a cheap price & virtually no travel distance, I still did not go regularly. Something had to give! I was out of excuses and was virtually giving away money, so a change was in order and a change happened indeed.
I canceled the gym membership at no penalty. I knew I wanted to keep working out, so I created a home gym in my office. This way, half of the room is my office and half of it a gym and it did not cost a lot. Here’s what I purchased:
1 – Set of two Milege Adjustable Dumbbells – $220
1 – Apex Bench – $70
1 – Pull Up Bar – $30
1 – Set of Floor Mats – $35
Total Cost for Home Gym – $355.00
In the world of Personal Finance it’s all about budgeting, investing, smart spending and being frugal. Sure the last gym membership I had would cost me less, than what I paid for the creation of my home gym, but my time and effort can not be replaced. Now I have a home gym, which I can do a quick workout on the go, don’t have to fight nasty weather and most importantly plan to the gym.
Keeping fit does not have to cost money. In fact it’s FREE. All it takes is a little effort and dedication and in order for these two to coexist, it all comes down to making it work on your terms. You want to be able to go workout whenever you want. Even if that means at 12am, before you go to bed. Unfortunately most gyms are closed at that, but not your home gym. It’s open 24hrs/365 days a year.
In order to keep in shape, you don’t need much fancy equipment. All you need is what I purchased above. With a set of dumbbells, you can do over 25 different exercises, that eliminate roughly 15+ different stationary machines. The pull up bar works you upper back, chest and biceps in a combination of a few exercises. As for running, you don’t need a treadmill. In fact it’s more natural to run outside.
I won’t go back to the gym, because I found my niche. Working out at home is for me, not some fancy gym. What good use is all the fancy equipment, if you don’t use it properly. But wait, you can get a trainer to show you? Yeah of course you can, at a cost of $40/hr. No thanks! Why pay for something, when it’s free via your home gym, YouTube and fitness blogs.
I have had a home gym for close to 14 years. I have a cage with a six foot bar, 200 lbs. free weights, adjustable dumb bells, bench w/ leg lifts, treadmill and mag trainer for bicycle. I use the weights 6 days a week and ride my bicycle in good weather. It is very convenient and well used. The treadmill and mag trainer is for bad weather or winter.
Sounds like you’ve got a really good gym setup. I am jealous…lol …but that’s awesome, plus the fact that you use it often, rather than letting it sit there.
I totally agree. I much prefer to have a home gym setup. I am way to lazy to leave the house and use a real gym while paying for the privilege to do so. Sometimes I slack off on the home workouts but I definitely get my moneys worth out of the equipment!
It’s important to get some work out at home, better than not going at all.
I do the exact same thing. I don’t need to pay a gym $35 a month to share a machine with people who can’t clean up after themselves or are selfish and take forever. Not to mentions the grunters who throw the weights on the floor after their sets. Plus, it’s as simply as walking across the living room and I don’t need to worry about the weather!
I went with a Weider 230 adjustable bench with adjustable barbell posts and interchangeable cable & preacher attachment for $99 on sale at Sears, then added a separate Weider bench with decline ability for $59. Throw in a mixture of bars and 300 lb in plates (50, 25, 10, 5, 2.5) that I paid around $200 for and I have a fully working home-gym for $360 give or take and I couldn’t be happier.
Eric,
Sounds like you got a real good setup at home. You’re making me jealous..lol and yeah the gyms do frustrate me as well for waiting on equipment and the pigs that come that that grount while lifting 20lbs in wife-beaters..lol
I haven’t used it in some time, but I recently made a schedule for my life so I’m going to start again later today. I also like the fact that I have my kitchen nearby and don’t have to spend even more money at the snack bar in the gym
If you pay $355 for something, it’s not free…
That’s the best you could do?..lol
I guess you must have left your common-sense elsewhere when you wrote your comment Financial Uproar.
The marvelous thing about a democracy and the 5th Estate is that you can
choose to read or not, agree or not. You disagree, I agree. That’s the beauty of it. I guess my sense of imagination spans a little more than the $355.
You didn’t address financialuproar’s comment. $355 is still an outlay. (And can represent several years’ worth of gym membership.)
Greg,
I did address it. In fact I don’t believe in paying for something when one gets only 10% of use for it, ie not going to the gym. The average gym membership runs around $45/month, working out to $540/yr. I think you are better off paying once $350 which can serve you for years, running outside is free and better than in the gym.
Who really want’s to go to the gym when it’s -30 in Toronto in February?
As opposed to running outside?