Introduction: when and where?

Fifty percent of people who start an exercise program quit within the first six months, so starting and following an exercise program can be challenging. Before you begin, you should ask yourself these questions to determine if it is SAFE to exercise:

1. Has your doctor ever told you that you have a heart condition and that you should only do physical activity recommended by a doctor?

2. Do you feel pain in your chest when you do physical activity?

3. In the past month, have you had chest pain when you were not doing physical activity?

4. Do you lose your balance due to dizziness or do you ever lose consciousness?

5. Do you have any bone or joint problems that could be made worse by a change in your physical activity?

6. Does your doctor currently prescribe medications (for example, water pills) for your blood pressure or heart conditions?

7. Do you know of any other reasons why I should not be physically active?

If you answered no to all of these questions and you are sure you want to exercise, there are a few more things to ask yourself:

Do I need a gym or can I exercise at home?

Choosing to exercise at home or in a gym will depend on a few things. First, do you know how to start an exercise program? If not, are you prepared to do your research to find something that really works for you?

How much time do you have? If you’re short on time, a home gym may be the perfect solution. Today, it is easy and profitable to buy a pair of dumbbells and a resistance band for your spare room.

How motivated are you? Exercising at home is not very inspiring for many people. It’s in our nature to want to be part of a group, so working out in a gym can be so much more motivating.

How aware are you? If you are particularly self-conscious, then training at home is an obvious solution. There is no one to judge you and you can work at your own pace for as long as you see fit.

The pros and cons of exercising at home

Pros:

1. Your own personal space. There is nothing like having your own gym, where there are no lines, there is no socialization and there is nothing to hide. This is your domain. You can play your own music, growl, and even cry if you put a dumbbell on your toe.
2. No membership fees. Your home gym is yours, there is no monthly fee.
3. Less confusion. People who work out in a gym sometimes get overwhelmed with all the different machines and weird cables and forget what they are there to accomplish. When you train at home, your gym is made up of things that fit your goals. After all, he bought the equipment, so he is almost forced to use it. Which is a good thing.
4. Gym hours are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Their gym is open every day of the year, and that means you can exercise whenever you want. Being able to exercise when you want opens up your schedule, and this is especially helpful for those with busy lives and children.

Cons:

1. Equipment costs. This is the most obvious downside to starting a home gym. It can be very expensive to set up a good home gym unless you are thinking of putting a celebrity’s next workout on the DVD player, but the investment may be well worth it.
2. Lack of an observer. A spotter is someone who helps you with heavy weights or potentially dangerous exercises. However, all you need to solve this problem is to find a training partner or observer (friend or family member), or invest in a power support. Power racks have pegs set at the proper height, so if you fall or lose control of the weight, the weight falls on the pegs, and not on you!

The pros and cons of working out in a gym

Pros:

1. Atmosphere. You are surrounded by people with the same goals as you and this motivates you to lift more weight, run faster and for longer.
2. Team. You don’t want to spend your hard-earned money on expensive gym equipment. Instead, you will “rent” it at the gym. Whether you want a lot of cables or a hip abductor machine, the gym will have it. This greatly expands the list of exercise options you have when designing a training program.
3. Observers. There are always people in the gym, and if you ever need a place, there will always be someone to ask. You are surrounded by like-minded people and in my experience they are all friendly.
4. Dumbbells There are hundreds of dumbbell sets, but if you want a decent quality set that meets your strength needs, you’ll have to get your wallet out. However, if you are a 50kg housewife struggling with a bag of sugar, then this will not be a problem.
5. Convenience. Gyms offer things like protein shakes, towels, daycare, tanning, massages, and steam rooms. Not all of these things are necessary, but they make the lifting experience more comfortable for some people.

Cons:

1. Lack of freedom. Grunting, farting, and yelling are frowned upon in the gym. You can’t collapse to the ground after a series of heavy squats or high-five yourself when you’ve achieved a new best time of 5k on the treadmill.
2. Waiting in line. Some gyms get crowded on certain days and times, especially after business hours. If you need to maintain a good pace to reach your fitness goals, this becomes impossible when there is a line to use the machine you want.
3. Rental. It can be very inconvenient to drive 30 minutes to get to the gym. This is especially bad for those of us who are not motivated and look for any excuse not to train.
4. Hygiene. For the most part, gyms are pretty clean. But it’s not pretty when you walk to the bench to find a little puddle of sweat where your head is supposed to go or jump on the treadmill to find God knows what bodily fluids all over the control panel.
5. Distractions You go to the gym to exercise, not to chat with other members. Most of the gyms I have trained in could function as a social club. While it’s nice to chat with people who have the same goals as you and get good advice and ideas, gyms can be too distracting for many people.