Being middle class can be rewarding. However, given the dismal environment we’re in here in the Philippines, it does become stressful at times. Now, if we want to enjoy the perks of the lifestyle, we better pay a bit more attention to our health. There’s no point making all of these smart financial and lifestyle moves if we won’t be around long enough to enjoy them.
Exercise is one of the better ways we can achieve a decent level of fitness and health. Depending on where and how you live, getting exercise can be a challenge. It’s good if you live in a decent community where you can actually just walk, jog, or ride a bike. Or, if your village, subdivision, or condo has amenities like sports facilities (basketball, tennis courts, and swimming pools), then nice.
For some, however, the option is limited to going to a gym. Commercial gyms are everywhere these days. There’s an Anytime Fitness, Gold’s Gym, Slimmer’s World, and Fitness First in almost densely populated area of the metro. But if you hate the idea of gym memberships or being in close proximity to other sweaty people, then you can also consider having your own private home gym.
Let’s take a look at both options.
What is the Difference Between a Commercial and Home Gym?
A commercial gym provides you with a space for exercise. With a commercial gym, you get access to a facility among other members. You have to pay for a membership fee. A basic membership typically costs about P1,500 a month in the more popular commercial gyms.
Typically, a membership also gives you access to their other branches. Most would have you and require you to use a credit card which they will have on file. There have been some stories of how difficult it is to cancel a gym membership paid using credit cards, so be sure to check the terms and conditions when going this route.
A home gym is simply a space that you set up for exercise. You can simply put in some basic equipment like a mat, weights, and other accessories. You can also put in machines like a sit-up bench, a pull-up bar, a treadmill, exercise bikes, or stride and the like. These machines can cost tens of thousands of pesos to buy.
What Are the Advantages of a Home Gym?
Here are some advantages of a home gym:
Privacy
A home gym offer privacy. It would just be you and your housemates who will have access to your space. There’s no crowd or noise for worry about. You can exercise at your own pace and without any distractions and judgment. You can even wear anything you want.
Convenience
Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of a home gym is convenience. You can be as flexible as you can when it comes to the schedule. So, you can exercise whenever you’re free. The whole routine of prepping and commuting can already take a good chunk out of your day. Factor in Philippine traffic, and you’d be able to save a lot of time not having to leave your house to work out.
Safety
You tend to feel safe when you’re at home. For starters, COVID is still out there and social distancing and proper hygienic practices are rarely practiced in gyms. If you’re a bit of a germophobe, you’d probably be cringing at how filthy they can be. In addition, there have been plenty of accounts of stalkers, perverts, and harassers that prowl commercial gyms.
However, as a point of caution, you should also consider if someone else would be at home with you and how you can get help. Accidents can happen and someone should be able to assist you immediately when needed.
What Are the Advantages of a Commercial Gym?
Commercial gyms also have their advantages.
Wider Range of Equipment
To start, commercial gyms are designed and constructed to allow people to work out. There should be plenty of space for you to move around. Floors have mats for traction and cushioning. They also have a wider range of equipment to allow you to target almost any muscle group or perform any type of exercise. It is often easier to achieve a complete full-body workout when you have the gear that you need.
Other Professional Services
Commercial gyms can also offer professional services. Trainers are often available to teach you how to use the basic equipment. Or, you can even engage them on one-on-one sessions with personalized programs. They have nutritionists and fitness experts to help customize a program for you to achieve your fitness goals. The swankier ones even have other facilities like saunas, steam showers, and treatment areas.
Doesn’t Take Up Space
Unlike a home gym, a gym membership wouldn’t take up space in your home. It’s rather convenient if you don’t have enough space to work with like if you live in a condo or an apartment. Even space-saving home treadmills still require plenty of space when in use. You also wouldn’t worry about upkeep and maintenance of your space and equipment.
Social
If you’re an extrovert and get energy from being with other people, then a commercial gym would surely be more advantageous. It can be helpful to have others be with you in your fitness journey and you can definitely win some friends at the gym. Maybe even love.
Is a Home Gym Cheaper than a Regular Gym?
Cost is an important factor to consider when going the home gym route. You definitely need some space and equipment to build it. So, it requires some up-front investment.
A decent treadmill can run up to P40,000, an exercise bike, around P18,000, and a full set of weights can go around P15,000. A lot of the cheap equipment can be flimsy. Fortunately, most can be bought on installment via credit card, allowing you to defray the cost. The monthly installment cost can be right about the range of a monthly membership.
If you consider other costs, you might see that building a home gym can be a more cost-effective over time. You save up on the commute and the convenience can be a premium.
How Do You Build a Home Gym?
If you’re interested in setting up a home gym, here are some crucial steps to creating your own excerise space.
Set Your Fitness Goals
How you set up your home gym should be determined by your fitness goals. Maybe you’re already pretty fit and just need a few things to keep in shape. Or maybe, you’ve gotten quite fat and need a bit of long term engagement.
Make Some Space
Find some space in your living room that you can dedicate to working out. This way, you can simply leave the equipment as is. Setting up and taking down equipment can take the fun out of working out. The added steps can trigger your tamad side.
You wouldn’t really need that much space. It could just be enough room for you to make a full range of a burpee or skip side-to-side without hitting a wall or furniture. A 2m x 2m spot can work.
If you plan to put in machines, go for space-saving models if you want to get some machines if space will be an issue.
Get Some Equipment
You don’t also have to get all the machines available at the commercial gym for you home setup. Focus on being able to do the essential types of exercise.
- Cardio
- Some common cardio machines are treadmills and striders (for a low-impact option). A really space-saving option is one of those stepper machines that pretty much occupies the space of one person standing up.
- Strength
- A selection of dumbbells or kettlebells (depending on how strong you already are, for beginners a 4kg kettlebell can work). If cost is an issue, you can opt for resistance bands instead.
- Flexibility
- Most flexibility routines only require you to do some movement or hold a pose. A simple yoga mat or some of those rubberized puzzle exercise mats can suffice.
You might also like keeping yourself entertained or preoccupied, so having a TV or speakers in your space can help keep you motivated.
Keep It Organized and Clean
While having a home gym means you can avoid other people’s filth, that doesn’t mean you should stew in your own. Hygiene is still pretty important, so be sure to keep your home gym organized and clean.
Dust is an enemy of exercise machines. Dirt can very well mix with their lubrication and end up being gunk. That can damage your machine in the long run.
Also, wayward weights can be accidents waiting to happen especially if you have kids in the house. Stubbing your toe on a kettlebell can be pretty painful.
Is It Worth It to Have a Home Gym?
All things considered, having a home gym can definitely be worth it. Personally, I’ve tried both arrangements. I don’t like having to deal with icky machines, annoying gym bros and hoes, and the personal trainers who just try to upsell you with everything. So, I’m all for using my home gym instead.
In the end, it’s about meeting your fitness goals. You might have the swankiest home gym setup, but if you don’t get to use it or end up still being unwell and unfit, then it’d just be waste.