8 Reasons You Should Consider a Home Gym vs. Gym Memberships

The surge of inflation has forced many of us to explore alternatives to our fitness lifestyles. The gym wasn’t spared from the wave of rising costs, and we’re fairly confident that this trend will continue. 

It’s no coincidence, then, that the home gym has become the most discussed fitness trend of 2024. People are starting to realize that there are numerous options (...*cough*) to create an affordable, effective gym setup in their own homes. That being said, home gyms aren’t for everyone. 

For those on the brink of making either commitment, we’ll try and bring some clarity to your decision. Here are 8 reasons you should consider making your own home gym! 

8 Reasons to Create Your Own Home Gym

1) Long-term cost-effectiveness 

Gone are the days of sub-$20 gym memberships. If you want to work out at a decent-to-nice gym, you’ll find yourself shelling out anywhere from $30 to $70 a month or more. Add in yearly maintenance fees, initiation costs, and extra group class expenses — it’s a hefty subscription to keep up with. 

Now, building your own gym might have a bit of a startup cost, but considering it’s a one-time thing, you save BIG in the long-term. Take the middle-of-the-road gym membership ($50/month) and calculate what you’d be paying in a year ($600) — a lot, right? Here’s how you can build a cost-efficient gym for even less:

• Checkered Exercise Puzzle Mat ½”, 24 Sq Ft: $25.99
• Adjustable Weight Bench w/out Resistance Bands: $109.99
• Multipurpose Olympic Barbell: $199.99 - $219.99
• SR Bumper Plates (Single) 10 lb (x2): $29.99/each
• Adjustable Dumbbell and Barbell Set 55 lb: $109.99
• XFit Power Resistance Bands: $11.99 - $24.99

Total: $517.93 - $550.93

This is only one setup, but you can get massive benefits with much less! The home gym flooring protects your space, the combination of barbells and dumbbells give you all the tools you need for muscle-building, and the resistance bands give you a cost-effective way to ramp up the resistance — all this workout equipment for less than the cost of one year’s membership. 

2) Convenience 

How many times have you started the day motivated to hit the gym, only to end up skipping? For me, it’s too many to count. Workdays, stress, hunger — they eat away at our motivation and by the time we have to go to the gym, that’s the LAST thing we want to do. But having the gym at home? Game-changer! 

All of a sudden you have access to weight equipment before work, after work without all the travel drama, and even late at night. No need to plan around the gym; you can fit it in whenever life allows. The time you save? You can use it to make your workouts more intense, spend time with family, or even do some meal prep. 

3) Judgment-free zone

Ever feel like everyone’s eyes are on you at the gym? It’s a major hurdle, especially if you’re new to working out. Your home is your comfort zone, and your home gym becomes an extension of that. No judgment, no eyes on you – just you, your workout equipment, and pure focus. And hey, if nothing else, your home gym is the perfect place to build that workout confidence, so if you ever decide to hit the gym, you can do it with renewed confidence.  

4) You don’t have to wait for equipment

Exercise is time-sensitive, and waiting for equipment at a public gym can throw your whole routine off. We’ve been there — ready to move on to the next exercise, only to find every bench, squat rack, or leg press machine occupied. Forget the battles for workout equipment at the gym; a home gym lets you focus on your workout without the waiting, delays, or frustration. 

5) Customizable 

Creating your own gym can become a hobby in and of itself. Maybe you’re into yoga, with no interest in weights. Perhaps you’re a weightlifter who couldn’t care less about cardio. Or you might be a cardio enthusiast who just needs a treadmill, bike, or row machine. Your gym, your rules. You create your gym atmosphere to be a place you WANT to workout in, with only the things you need to do it. 

We love discovering new products or accessories to upgrade our setup – you can check out some of the best home gym equipment on our site! One such item can add a level of customization to your home gym — our versatile Exercise Puzzle Mats! Mix and match them to create your perfect setup. 

6) Cleanliness 

After the whole pandemic situation, exercising in a clean and sanitized environment matters more than ever. Gyms have tried to up their cleanliness game, but who knows who’s been touching what equipment? (I’m sure we all have stories of sanitary gym nightmares!) In your own gym, your weight equipment is touched by only you, and you don’t have to worry about the risk of catching something out of your control.  

7) Easier to stay consistent 

Consistency is a struggle for everyone. Life gets busy, priorities shift, and building a consistent workout routine requires everything to align perfectly. Having a home gym won’t solve all your problems, but it takes care of a few. You don’t have to worry about giving up the gym to do other things. Your gym is open 24/7, so when life’s priorities are taken care of, you can still get a workout in. 

That’s the beauty of it, too — building consistency doesn’t require grand workouts every day; it just requires showing up day after day. And it’s much easier when “showing up” means heading home. 

8) No distractions

What do you think?