If you’re seriously pursuing lifelong fitness and actively working toward certain health goals, a long-standing gym membership may not be your best option. As regular gymgoers will know, there are certain restrictions and limitations to working out in a commercial gym.
A home gym may not often be a top-of-mind solution, but it’s a worthwhile investment to help you achieve and maintain long-term fitness. Why, exactly?
Is Setting Up a Gym in Your Home a Good Investment?
When the pandemic hit and sent us all indoors, we had to find new ways to stay fit, healthy, active, and engaged. For many of us, it wasn’t easy. However, adapting to adversity has been a common theme for some of us over the last couple of years.
Even with lifted COVID-19 restrictions and commercial gyms open again , for millions of people around the world, home fitness is here to stay. But how can you get your sweat on without heading to the local gym? We’ve got the answer: a smart home gym system.
This means you’re going to swap your gym membership for your own in-house technology. But is the investment really worth it? If you’re skeptical about the benefits of a home gym and whether it will be worth your money, here are five reasons you should consider setting one up in your home.
1. A Home Gym Saves You Money in the Long-Term
The upfront cost of installing a smart home gym system can be overwhelming for many at first, especially if you’re used to a lower monthly gym membership. However, if you add up the monthly cost of a commercial gym membership fee versus the cost of having your own home system, you will likely find that setting up a home gym is the more cost-effective alternative.
Plus, think of additional expenses associated with your weekly trips to the gym. You spend money to fill up your car’s tank and then time to drive to the gym. Do you have to pay someone to stay with the kids so you can get your workout in? That costs money, too. The added convenience of having a home gym is a tremendous time- and money-saver.
2. You’ll Be Able to Squeeze in Workouts Anytime
Speaking of convenience…
One of the most inconvenient parts of going to a commercial gym is the additional time commitment — for travel, for changing your clothes, for waiting around for others to finish their workout and vacate the equipment you want. If you add it all up, you might need to block off two hours of your day for a 45-minute workout. Plus, you must plan your workout to suit both your personal schedule and the commercial gym’s operating hours. If you’re lucky to find a commercial gym open 24/7, it’s likely more expensive than other gyms (which brings us back to our first point).
Having a home gym saves you money as well as time. Working out at home means less travel, no waiting time, and 24/7/365 gym availability. So, whether you’re a morning person who wants to squeeze in a workout before work, a night owl who uses exercise to de-stress after a long day, or a serious athlete who works out multiple times a day, a home gym is always there when you need it. If you work from home, you can even squeeze in a class on your lunch break! This is how you can make fitness a habit (one that you enjoy) and not just another chore.
3. There’s No Pressure or Competition
You can’t help but compare yourself. You compare yourself to other athletes you see on social media. And you compare yourself to other athletes at the gym. You feel like they’re leaner, fitter, faster, stronger. You’re sure that they’re staring at you and wondering why you look so funny when you’re doing burpees. (You don’t, by the way.)
Going to a commercial gym can be daunting, especially if you’re alone or if it’s your first time at that particular location. For fitness newbies, it’s easy to be confused by the complicated-looking equipment or intimidated by experienced gym regulars. For those nursing an injury or simply wanting to take it slow, one might feel judged for not being able to run as fast or lift as much as others. “Gym-timidation” is a real thing. Reportedly, 50% of Americans feel intimidated/anxious when it comes to training in front of other people.
If you have your own home gym, then there’s no pressure to be perfect. Take your time learning new movements or trying new exercises without worrying about hogging the equipment. Make mistakes without fear of judgment. Celebrate your progress without comparing yourself to others.
You probably don’t need us to tell you that physical activity is good for your mental health. Namely, it can reduce anxiety and depression. But to reap these benefits, you have to allow yourself to be present in the moment without concerning yourself with what other people are thinking about you. This makes home gyms the perfect option to stay fit.
4. Work Out in a Controlled Environment with Fewer Distractions
There are many elements in commercial gyms that were initially intended to entertain or stimulate you while you exercise — such as TV screens and ambient music — but they often end up distracting you. There are also always different conversations happening simultaneously all around you, which can add to the stuffy feeling of an enclosed space with too many bodies. You might have to wait for a piece of equipment to be free, so to kill time, instead of doing another exercise, you get on your phone and start scrolling through social media.
If focus is a key factor in cultivating the ideal training setting, a home gym is a worthwhile investment. You can set everything to your liking — blast your music or exercise in total silence, turn the thermostat to hot or cold, and wear whatever you want without being restricted by a dress code. Having a home gym provides you with the privacy and comfort to focus on yourself, which can potentially enable you to reach your fitness goals faster.
Don’t forget, too, that training without distractions means training without health concerns. Safety has become even more important since the onset of COVID-19. Unfortunately, gyms don’t tend to be the cleanest places on earth. In fact, one study found that free weights at the gym are covered in germs, carrying 362 times more bacteria than a toilet seat.
When you train at home, you know exactly who touched the equipment (you) and the last time it was sanitized. Peace of mind goes a long way.
5. You Can Customize Your Workouts Based on Your Goals
Fitness goals can vary per person, and they can (and should) change over time. Some people aim to lose weight, while others want to bulk up or build muscle. Some athletes simply want a way to decompress after a trying day at work, while others might be training for a competition. Here’s the thing: Different fitness goals require different workouts. What works best for one person might not work at all for the next. Unfortunately, some commercial gyms may not have the specific equipment you need, or they might charge additional fees for access to the classes and trainers you’re looking for.
With a home gym, you can design it with your personal fitness goals and workout preferences in mind. If you’re looking to build strength, focus on a workout that utilizes dumbbells. If you want to improve your cardiovascular endurance, power, and explosiveness, you might find HIIT beneficial. If you’re recovering from a back injury or you’re six months pregnant, scale your workouts so that they make sense for you.
Get your money’s worth and build your home gym with quality, not quantity, in mind. It’s not about how many pieces of equipment you have, but how each piece effectively contributes to your fitness journey. You’d be surprised how much you can accomplish with nothing more than a dumbbell.
Get Your Home Gym Started with Tempo
So, you now know that a smart home gym system can be the answer to all of your fitness needs. How can you invest in a home gym that offers you more value for your money? Tempo is an award-winning AI-powered compact home gym system that goes beyond fitness hardware. We take the guesswork out of your exercise regimen with interactive one-on-one coaching and access to thousands of guided workouts.
But how does it stack up against your current gym membership? Let’s break it down!
- While you might currently be paying for every class you take, Tempo comes with more than 2,000 workouts for you to choose from, all for one monthly price.
- Work out right at home, whenever you want. No matter what time of day (or night) it is, our workouts and guided coaching are available to you. Plus, since our system is compact, it can be used just about anywhere.
- Train on your terms. We’ll help you customize your workouts based on your unique goals. We’ll even make recommendations for the weights you should be using, the rep schemes you should follow, and how you can improve your performance and technique. Your coach and our AI-powered sensors will always help you train safely and efficiently.
- Easily track your progress right within Tempo so you’ll know exactly how you’re improving over time — and where you might need to direct more of your attention.
- Get the most with the least amount of equipment. In our opinion, less is more. We have plenty of bodyweight options within our workouts. Beyond that, we’ll show you how to get stronger and leaner using nothing but free weights.
How exactly does it work? When you join Tempo, you get the monthly membership, which includes one-on-one fitness coaching, access to more than 2,000 guided workouts (which cover a variety of activities, including HIIT, yoga, and pilates), and our compact equipment setup. This contains up to 75 pounds in weights and two dumbbells, which you can store in a sleek compartment, hidden in plain sight. Use goal-based, weekly activity targets to keep yourself on track and always know where you stand.
Tempo’s mission is to make it possible for you to become a healthier, happier, fitter version of yourself without ever leaving your home. Let’s do it together, one workout at a time. And remember that even though you’re exercising at home, you’re never alone. Our coaches will be there to direct you every step of the way! Get all the equipment and guidance you’ll need by training with Tempo. Sign up for a membership to try Tempo, and see for yourself how we can help you hit your health and fitness goals.
