Post: #1

I am a naive person, especially about costs and probably about work too.

I was driving around with my sister(well, sister drove me) and saw a sign saying [brand] gym- $15 a week. I thought NZ$15 was relatively low, but then I realised itd be NZ$60 a month(so like US$50). I asked her if it was standard for gym to cost that much, and she said yeah, thats on the cheap end too.

This got me thinking. At my age, you would work for $10-15 an hour, probably. So you would have to work for 4-6 hours or so just for only one month of access to the gym. Im no fan of working especially as I am depressed enough that everything is a struggle, so I would never work unnecessarily.

The only things I would use in the gym are the barbell weights/squat rack. The tanning beds too(better than Vit D supps), or the free classes etc. I take a long time to recover from weights(I work till failure, so this may not be normal) so I would basically only go once or twice a week. The treadmills or other cardio machines seem like a rip off.

But I can do bodyweight exercises really effectively too. And you can also probably buy squatracks/weights for a few hundred dollars and resell them for a similar price.

What I do is get dumbbells parents have already bought which are 6kg apiece and I squat on one leg with two of them. I weigh ~65 so I basically squat ~90 without having to buy 90kg of weights. I also do pullups on a pullup bar or climb things parkour style to work my arms/chest.

Is there a point to gym that I am missing? Is NZ$60/month(US$50) a good price, or is that expensive in other parts of the world? Am I thinking it is a large amount when really it isnt, and maybe do people my age generally get paid more than that? Is it a good deal for older people who can afford it?

Post: #2

$1.67 a DAY to keep your body in shape.

If people can't afford that maybe they should drop the $6/day Starbucks habit.

Can you put a price on your physical well being?

The most I've paid for a gym membership is $35/month and that's basically pennies a day. If you have a gym close you can walk or drive. I don't have a gym membership now, because my complex has a sick 24hour gym with free weights and everything I need.

Post: #3

The exercises you think are good and you can do at home, even if investing in a few hundred dollars of equipment, aren't close to being a replacement for the options and versatility you have in a gym.

With all due respect, you don't appear that dedicated or experienced. Any decent weight lifter needs dumbell racks going up to at least, at a minimum, 50-60lbs. But you said you only use barbells with plates, which might mean you're not really doing nearly as much as you can. A squat rack at home would cost hundreds/thousands and isn't all that versatile.

Going to failure on exercises makes no difference in recovery. Once you're in shape and your body adapts, you can go 4-6 times a week. I lift to failure on most sets and am in there almost every day. It seems you don't know how to split up your workouts. If you need suggestions, I'd be happy to offer some basic advice.

And that doesn't get into that working out at home is boring as shit. There's no eye candy. No opportunities to practice game. just being around good looking women in the gym, smiling, sharing a few words, whatever, boosts your confidence when going out and gaming.

Honestly, point blank, it seems you think it's a waste because you're not into it. your workout schedule and what you use in the gym does not coincide with someone serious about their fitness. Your choice. If you want to get serious, keep the membership or find a cheaper one. But telling yourself you are serious about fitness and dropping the membership to workout at home is lying to yourself.

The only exception I've seen, and I worked in the fitness industry for years, is those P90X guys. But that takes discipline. You'll have a ripped body, but all the hot girls will be back at the gym you're no longer a member of.

Post: #4

I would never work out at home for the sole reason that going to the gym is an experience and puts me in the mood to workout. If I worked out at home, I may run upstairs when the phone rings and abandon my workout.

The gym puts you in an "all business" environment, your focus is on the weights, you have your headphones in, and you tune out the rest of the world for that hour and a half. You have all the equipment that would cost tens of thousands of dollars to buy, and you have the huge guys as motivation to get bigger/leaner etc.

Post: #5

I think a lot of it is mental. If you have weights at home it can be easy to slack off but if you make the effort of driving to the gym you at least feel like you should do something while you're there.
Home gyms work for some people but not for others. Really all you need, IMO, is a squat rack and a flat bench, and maybe dumbbells. You can bench out of the squat rack, plus Deadlift, squat, row, shoulder press, and any Olympic lifts ( if you have the ceiling space).

Post: #6

I think that "Waste" is your wrong choice of wording here. Like everything else, a gym membership is an investment; what you put in is what you get out.

Of course, I feel good after a daily run, set of abs and different activities on the good old pull-up bar -- but nothing beats the gym mindset, fitness options and feel-good aspects of physically going to a gym.

Post: #7

I work at home so going to the gym is a great excuse for me to get out for an hour or so. I'm only paying $10 a month at Gold's Gym and it's got everything I could possibly need from state of the art cardio machines to Olympic style free weight racks.

Post: #8

You American's get everything so cheap... University gyms are $50-$60 a month in Australia, commercial gyms like $75.

I'd have to drop a lot of coin to set up a home gym. I have an exercise bike at home which is where I do my cardio, but for me to lift at home I'd have to buy a squat rack, a deadlift platform, an Olympic barbell, a fully adjustable bench and all the weights. Plus I'd have to stop using machines too. I doubt it's worth the cost, not to mention the space.

Post: #9

Yeah, you "could" do that.

The question is, are you?

Post: #10

If you CAN workout at home that's great. Not a bad idea to do that instead of going to the gym. You'll save time and money, and won't have to deal with the idiots you see at the gym. Problem is that most people don't have the motivation to work at home. If you can, then that's great.

Post: #11

Whenever I'm not in University, I use the local rec center's weight room. Its approximately $20 a month. If you're in an American suburb or city, I'd strongly recommend using the local rec center. Unfortunately, IDK much about other countries.

Post: #12

You guys might be misunderstanding me.

Ive never paid for a gym. I do all my weights at home. My equipment is probably much worse than a gyms but I get my legs and my chest so I dont mind. When Im highly depressed I stop doing them, but that means that I dont even have the energy to go out of the house or do anything. But when I feel good I can often have a few month streak of doing weights about twice a week.

Just curious. Why do a lot of you think going to a gym requires less motivation? Obviously, as I havent gone myself, I cant compare it to anything. I feel it is far easier for me to spend 10-20 mins picking up the weights at home than it is to change clothes/shower/travel to the gym and back. Not to mention having to set up payment and all the other paperwork. What is so motivating about a gym? I know some of you have given examples why but its hard to wrap my head around.

Post: #13

(06-03-2014 10:24 PM)cooledcannon Wrote:  I am a naive person, especially about costs and probably about work too.

I was driving around with my sister(well, sister drove me) and saw a sign saying [brand] gym- $15 a week. I thought NZ$15 was relatively low, but then I realised itd be NZ$60 a month(so like US$50). I asked her if it was standard for gym to cost that much, and she said yeah, thats on the cheap end too.

This got me thinking. At my age, you would work for $10-15 an hour, probably. So you would have to work for 4-6 hours or so just for only one month of access to the gym. Im no fan of working especially as I am depressed enough that everything is a struggle, so I would never work unnecessarily.

The only things I would use in the gym are the barbell weights/squat rack. The tanning beds too(better than Vit D supps), or the free classes etc. I take a long time to recover from weights(I work till failure, so this may not be normal) so I would basically only go once or twice a week. The treadmills or other cardio machines seem like a rip off.

But I can do bodyweight exercises really effectively too. And you can also probably buy squatracks/weights for a few hundred dollars and resell them for a similar price.

What I do is get dumbbells parents have already bought which are 6kg apiece and I squat on one leg with two of them. I weigh ~65 so I basically squat ~90 without having to buy 90kg of weights. I also do pullups on a pullup bar or climb things parkour style to work my arms/chest.

Is there a point to gym that I am missing? Is NZ$60/month(US$50) a good price, or is that expensive in other parts of the world? Am I thinking it is a large amount when really it isnt, and maybe do people my age generally get paid more than that? Is it a good deal for older people who can afford it?

If you think $50 a month is expensive you need to get off this forum and get hustling.

Post: #14

Good luck doing flat bench at home and not killing yourself when you max out. Several people die this way every year.

The gym is an investment in your health. Don't be cheap about looking after yourself.

Plus, when you pay for something you are more likely to take it seriously. Do you value a book you picked up for free or downloaded as a torrent? No. How about one you paid $30 for? You bet. There is a lot of psychology involved. I pay $90/month for gym + maybe $100 in protein powder and this makes sure I commit to working out nearly every day. If it was free I doubt I'd be as motivated.

(06-03-2014 10:56 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  I work at home so going to the gym is a great excuse for me to get out for an hour or so. I'm only paying $10 a month at Gold's Gym and it's got everything I could possibly need from state of the art cardio machines to Olympic style free weight racks.

Pure jealousy. Gold's costs $140/month over here and doesn't even have a platform.

Post: #15

(06-03-2014 11:32 PM)RXB Wrote:  If you think $50 a month is expensive you need to get off this forum and get hustling.

Im intrigued. What do you mean exactly by hustling?

Post: #16

Let's face it, if at your most dedicated you're only doing weight training (dumbbells only) twice a week, you're not serious about exercise. No offense.

Post: #17

There are plenty of people who work out at home. Great examples are Scooby (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1XHNZDn3btv7454Pkz7THg) and Mehdi, the guy who created Stronglifts 5x5 (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpTEaSO-..._VY7gatw).

I don't get all the hate the OP is getting, it seemed like a pretty innocent question and the you guys came with all this haterade for no reason.

I work out at home. It's not optimal, but I make slow, steady strength gains, and most importantly, I can't make excuses to not work out with my weights staring me in the face every day. When I was a gym member, I always ended up making excuses not to go; when I decided instead to invest in some equipment, it was pricey but worth it. I work out far more frequently and with more enthusiasm at home. I can put on whatever music I want, I can wear whatever I want, I don't have dudes trying giving me unsolicited advice, I don't have to wait in a line, I don't have to breath in other people's sweat, I don't have to wobble all the way home on leg day.

Post: #18

(06-03-2014 11:50 PM)cooledcannon Wrote:  

(06-03-2014 11:32 PM)RXB Wrote:  If you think $50 a month is expensive you need to get off this forum and get hustling.

Im intrigued. What do you mean exactly by hustling?

Urban Dictionary:

Quote:Anythin you need to do to make money... be it sellin cars, drugs, ya body. If you makin money, you hustlin.

If $50 over a month is putting you off going to an environment that provides:

- exposure to fit women
- the opportunity to get in better shape
- mental release. You've mentioned you get depressed. Working out produces natural endorphins and is in my experience one of the best things to do to clear your head.
- the fellas have mentioned other benefits

you need to get into action and put yourself in a position where $50 isn't a big deal.

My challenge over the next two months is gonna be maintaining gym access while on the road.

Post: #19

I've had a home gym for ~5 years now; most of my gear was accumulated on CL and direct from Rogue.

I started in CrossFit, then switched to Starting Strength/barbell work for the past 3 years. I've been slowly downsizing my setup for the past two years, eliminating a lot of stuff I never really used (GHD, reverse hyper, kettle bells, Concept 2 rower etc.).

I was fortunate, I started buying gear when demand was much lower. These days people can fetch top dollar for anything CrossFit-related. Pretty much all I have now is a Rogue Cage, steel plates, bumpers, an Airdyne, and a bunch of various barbells (Texas Power Bar, Texas DL Bar, Rogue Bar, etc.). Many of the items I've purchased were sold @ profit (EX: Bought reverse hyper for $600, sold for $1400).

I'm pretty sure I'll be moving back to the city in September, which likely means I will be storing my most essential gear (bars, plates) and selling the rest. Training @ a gym will be a nice change.

PROS

-No time constraints
-No fighting for equipment
-Better equipment (most commercial gym's have SHIT bars/cages)
-Logistically beneficial
-Pays itself off within a few years
-No one curling in the squat rack

CONS

-No women
-No spotters
-No competitive drive (if you train a gym with 50 500lb squatters, you will too)
-Higher up-front cost
-Moving considerations/limitations/higher rent for garage
-Lack of coaching/training partners

SUGGESTED GEAR

Cage: Ensure it has plenty of pin adjustments, quality J-cups, is sturdy, and has a chin-up bar.

Bar: A good bar is worth it's weight in gold. If you're doing powerlifting, consider a Texas Power Bar or a Rogue Rippetoe/Burgener bar. For olympic lifts, a Rogue Bar is a good choice.

Plates: Standard Barbell steel are fine, basic bumpers will do for olympic stuff. Neither are calibrated, but are significantly cheaper than Pendlay's etc.

Bench: Needs to be wide, flat, thick, heavy, and have hard edges. Don't buy any dogshit from a sporting goods store. A good bench will save your shoulders, and maintain kinetic chain for better lifts.

Airdyne: These are brutal HIIT tools, and much cheaper than a C2 Rower.

Post: #20

Maybe if you actually lifted heavy and went to the gym more than once or twice per week you wouldn't be so depressed.

Post: #21

Cooledcannon I'm gonna go on a hunch here, no disrespect intended, but how often do you blaze?

Post: #22

(06-04-2014 01:04 AM)LeBeau Wrote:  Cooledcannon I'm gonna go on a hunch here, no disrespect intended, but how often do you blaze?

Actually, never.

But Im the kind of person who looks like I do all the time, so close enough. I probably would if I could, its just I never had the energy to increase my social circle, so I dont actually know anyone who would sell me anything.

Post: #23

Socializing also lifts your mood and makes you less prone to depression. A gym is a good place to socialize.

Post: #24

(06-04-2014 01:09 AM)germanico Wrote:  Socializing also lifts your mood and makes you less prone to depression. A gym is a good place to socialize.

Interesting. I actually should go out of the house and socialise more.

Ive only done it at the beach since I live less than a kilometer away, but I live around 3 km from the city center where other people are around, so when summer is over I actually have to put much more effort in because I have to catch the bus. Its also hard when you dont know anyone. I mean I can talk to people alright in friendly convo but not really arranging meetups and such.

Post: #25

You're right cannon - it IS a waste of money.

Here's a post I made on another thread about it:

Quote:After getting sick of spending $40 a month on a gym with 100 treadmills and bikes and dozens of cable machines that I never used - but only a single squat rack, I put together a home gym in my garage with all I needed, mostly second hand from gumtree (an australian online classifieds site).
Best of all it's only cost me $100 for:

squat rack
Adjustable bench
doorway chin up bar
2 barbells
1 ez bar
4 adjustable dumbells
~300kg weight


Weights and fitness gear is something that a lot of people have lying around that they want to get rid of, but they often don't know the going rate. By checking the site for new ads often, I was able to pounce on underpriced deals quickly. I bought a few of these packages, I was able to accumulate close to 500kg of weight at around $1 per/kg, which is ~1/2 the going rate for second hand weights and ~1/4 the price of new, and got the squat rack and adjustable bench for just $100. When I went to collect these items, each and every person remarked how the phone just didn't stop ringing from the moment they posted the ad - proof that there are quite a few people doing the same thing, and that the deal is a good one.

Of course, nobody needs dozens of 2.5 and 1.25kg plates, so I took the bars and plates that I needed, and put together my own packages to sell online at the proper market rate, recouping most of my costs. The only thing I wasn't able to get cheaply were the rubber floor tiles which cost $50/sqm, but are a must to stop from cracking my homes foundation when dropping heavy deadlifts, .

I keep my workouts simple:

Deadlifts
Squats
Bench press
Overhead press
Chins

And if I wanted to, I could do all sorts of dumbell and vanity exercises. There's nothing holding back my progression - I've got more weight than I can lift, and for the chins, I use a martial arts belt to add weight. And best of all, I can lift barefoot, wearing nothing but my undies

The only thing I miss from the gym is checking out the fine girls, but I can live with that.

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I've had this set up for 18 months or so, so would have saved $1000 or s and gained in convenience. Throwing money away doesn't prove that you're "dedicated". It's much easier to force yourself to go into your own garage and smash out a few sets than to drag your arse off to the gym.

I might also add that a very common theme on this forum is how hard it is to open girls at the gym, so don't feel like you're missing out on much there.