The Pros and Cons of a Gym Membership
Meghann has been posting a lot lately on her recent foray into the fitness center world. I’ll admit that I was shocked to learn that someone who exercises so regularly did not have a gym membership! 
Ever since high school when I started exercising formally, I’ve utilized a gym of some sort. They’ve run the gamut from little Mom & Pop gyms to university fitness centers to huge chain establishments. While I probably only do half of my workouts in the gym, the idea of not having access to one is a bit foreign to me.
But I realize that’s not the case for everyone; in fact, many people maintain very rigorous, very effective workout regimens without ever stepping foot in a fitness center. Here’s a quick round-up of some of the advantages and disadvantages of having a gym membership.
PROS of a Gym Membership
1. Endless variety.
You can choose between the treadmill, the elliptical, or the stair climber. You can take a kickboxing or a spinning class. You can play a competitive basketball game or swim a couple of laps. With a gym, you could easily do a different type of workout every day of the week, meaning it’s much easier to beat exercise boredom.
2. Professional guidance.
Whether you’re new to exercise or looking to kick it up a notch, belonging to a fitness center gives you access to professional guidance you simply can’t get when you work out entirely outside or in your own home. Personal trainers, certified fitness instructors, and nutrition experts can offer the information and support you need to reach your goals.
3. Motivation and encouragement.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I’m working out on my own – in the comfort of my living room – it’s a little difficult to push myself to do that last rep of bicep curls or those extra five seconds of high knees. And yet when I’m in the gym, surrounded by others who are also working toward being their healthiest, I’m a lot more likely to give it my all. Even if we’re all doing our own sweaty thing, connected only by the fact that our treadmills are side by side, being in the presence of others provides a bit of extra motivation and encouragement.
4. Protection from the elements.
When you have a gym membership, you don’t have to worry about your workout getting ruined by bitter cold temperatures or pouring down rain. You can count on the same conditions each and every time, regardless of the weather forecast.
CONS of a Gym Membership
1. $$$
The truth is that some gym memberships are downright expensive. Especially those sneaky sign-up fees! It can be difficult to hand your hard-earned cash over to a fitness center when you know that to get a good workout all you really need is your body and a decent pair of sneakers.
At the same time, however, forking out the dough for a gym membership might provide some extra motivation to, you know, actually go there. 
And depending on what kind of equipment you buy, creating a home gym is pretty darn pricey as well.
2. People, people everywhere.
I despise going to the gym around 5:00 on a weeknight. Why? Because – without a doubt – I will have to wait for a cardio machine. And then, because others are waiting, I am obligated to use that machine for no longer than thirty minutes. There are many times when the mere thought of dealing with the crowds at the gym makes me long for a treadmill in my basement.
3. The intimidation factor.
I know a lot of people who find fitness centers a bit daunting. For some, it’s because they are uncomfortable with their bodies and would prefer to work out in private. For others, they aren’t familiar with the equipment and don’t feel at ease asking the fitness center staff for help. For others still, being surrounded by experienced runners or weight-lifters makes them feel more disheartened and discouraged than inspired.
While I would argue that such fears can be conquered, I do understand why some people are hesitant about gyms.
4. The convenience factor.
It takes me 10-15 minutes to drive to my local Y, meaning that – in total – a gym workout takes about 30 more minutes than a DVD in my living room or a run from my front door. During those weeks when life gets really busy and you’re lucky if you can squeeze in a workout, the time it takes to commute to and from the gym can be the difference between fitting in exercise and skipping it.
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In the end, I think the decision of whether or not to belong to a gym depends on your lifestyle and your particular needs. While I’ve always belonged to a gym, to the point where it feels like second nature, this might not always be the case. Dave and I have discussed the fact that someday when our family expands to include some wee-little ones (not yet, Mom!), it might make more sense to take the money we would have spent on a gym membership and instead buy a treadmill so that quick workouts can be stolen during nap time, or something like that.
Do you belong to a gym? Why or why not?
Themocracy
We do belong to a gym but we never go. I’ve even tried getting out of the contract but that didn’t work out. I would like it if we could at least get to a class or two on the weekends so I am working on that and have been stalking the schedule for a couple of weeks now.
Luckily my school has a gym and students get a free membership. I am sure I will buy my own gym membership in May when I graduate… dreading having to pay $$! Although I can get plenty of cardio in without a gym membership: swimming (parents pool), running, cycling, hiking, etc… I can’t get weight training in without a gym! DVD’s don’t seem to work for me.
DH and I belong to a YMCA. It’s affordable, community-driven, and my membership is a “family membership” so DH and I can both attend, and when we have children, our children are included as well.
I would struggle without my gym membership. I lift heavy. And I can’t afford to get a decent barbell setup and weight plates for my home…it’s just too costly.
In addition, I love the variety that the gym provides. I get bored easily – especially with cardio – and I like having options.
Finally, I don’t have any friends out here in the real world who are as in to fitness as I am. Honestly, my DH isn’t even as into it as I am! LOL So my “gym buddies” (the guys who I talk to in the weights area, as well as a smattering of women from the cardio section) motivate me to push myself more than my dog staring at me in my living room while I do a DVD.
For me personally, at this point in my life, the gym is an integral part of my fitness. I hope someday I can achieve a balance where the gym isn’t necessary (maybe by building up my home gym equipment slowly) but even so — I love that gym atmosphere!
I belong to a gym because I love the variety of equipment and classes. I think I will always belong to a gym because of that reason. Fortunately memberships for nice gyms aren’t awful in my area. I pay $35/month for myself and daycare for Makenzie.
I DO love working out at home too though. Especially on time crunched days. It also adds some extra variety for a different workout than I would do at a gym class or with machines at the gym. And I gotta let you know – whenever kiddo time comes, having home options can be fabulous!
I love my gym membership, always have. I would get bored and not be able to challenge myself with just one piece of equipment and a few weights at home. To invest in and store all the weight equipment I would need just seems like too much!
Very good post! I didn’t have a gym membership until I moved to NYC although I did go to the gym at my college frequently junior and senior years. Both my husband and I have to have a membership. He relies on the machines more than I do (he lifts weights) and I run quite a bit during the summer, but I definitely need the gym throughout the winter and in bad weather. We hope to some day have our own home gym but it doesn’t work in an apt building!
I used to belong to a gym when I lived in cold weather climate. I needed something to do when the weather was cold and dreary. I loved lifting weights but hated when people wanted to talk to me even though I had had head phones on.
Now I live a in a much warmer climate and do not belong to a gym. I miss lifting weights though!
Over the last 10 years I’ve had memberships, canceled memberships, had memberships, etc….
Currently we do not have a membership. We used to live near the gym so the commuting factor wasn’t an issue but now we would have to drive or take public transportation. So now we are saving $$ and using the ‘gym’ in our apt building.
If we lived somewhere warmer – I wouldn’t even want a membership. Nothing beats being active outside!
I belong to a gym for the variety and the weightroom! you just cant get that kind of access to weights at home–unless you have lots of money!
I hear you about the 5pm on weeknights though. its horrible. nothing more depressing than going to the gym at that time.
Great post!! I’m actually signing up for a membership at a new gym this afternoon
For the past year or so I’ve belonged to a gym, but they don’t offer classes :/ The price was right, but I found that I haven’t gone in the past few months because I got so bored there! Working out at home was nice for a while, but once again the boredom set in. I’m one of those people that actually LOVES working out at the gym…especially over exercising outside. I love the variety it provides, and it’s an “in and out” kind of thing. Once I’m out of there – I’m done with exercising and can move on to the rest of my daily responsibilities.
I have always belonged to a gym, however, I do not at the moment. I miss the classes and atmosphere, but I found that the commute back and forth wasn’t convenient and I was skipping out on workouts. We got a treadmill at home and converted one room to a home gym and this is much more compatible with my work schedule as I leave the house at 6:30am and get home at 6:30pm. I can run while dinner is on the stove, or watch a TV show while running. It is easier for me, but I do miss the variety!
This post reminded me that I need to get my butt out and go to the gym today.
I’d struggle without a gym membership, honestly. 75% of my exercise comes from running outside, but the reality of tiny-city-apartment-living is that doing strength training at home is not really possible. Heck, my living room is so small that it’s hard to do yoga!
Off to the gym I go
I do have a gym membership, I only work part-time and find that going to the gym/pool is an event on the days I am not working. It gets me going so to speak! The joining fee is only £12 ($24?) so I plan to cancel it for the few months of summer, nd rejoin next winter. The weather here in winter is just too bad to be getting exersise outdoors.
i don’t belong to a gym, but honestly it has more to do with the $$$ factor than anything else. i usually really enjoy gyms and the variety that they offer, but it’s just ridiculous to pay so much for them! i’m keeping my fingers crossed for a rec center pass one of these days…
I’ve had gym memberships, and not had them. Unless it is really convenient for me to go there or I have a lot of time on my hands like when I was unemployed, I won’t go. I love group classes like Body Pump and spinning, but the inconvenience and cost are just too much.
i love having access to the gym, but there are certain months when i don’t use it as much as usual and i feel like i’m just pouring $ down the drain!
I am a BIG group fitness person and I go to the gym faithfully 5 times a week doing different classes,but my husband not so much. Spinning is my favorite and actually doing a Hardkorh cycle tonight. He does enjoy spinning and coming to class with me. Our gym offers a punch card for 10 visits for $50.00.So I have a monthly membership and we use the puch card for him which is cheaper, then he can go when he wants and not because he has to because of the monthly fee.Best of both worlds.