Why I Won’t Be Going Back to the Gym Anytime Soon

While everyone’s opinion on this topic is subjective, it’s still an interesting topic to have and I’d love to hear if you guys are planning on going back to gyms once they reopen?! To be honest, I actually started building up my home gym about 6-8 months prior to COVID-19 so it had always been a goal of mine regardless of the pandemic.

The reason being? I was spending a fortune. I had been paying for a personal trainer for about 3 years which meant I was shelling out about $1500 every 2-3 months. Listen, that ADDS UP!! I did a lot of research and found a few smart home fitness machines that could essentially do everything I needed/wanted and realized yes, I had to buy the equipment up front but in the long run I would be financially more comfortable. So I did, and truly haven’t looked back since.

I get people here and there that say well, you work from home and work out at home, don’t you want to get out?! My answer is not for that. I love working from home and I equally love working out at home just as much. It saves me so much time to just drink my pre-workout while getting some emails done, getting a quick workout in and then immediately jumping in the shower with no downtime whatsoever.

Here are a few reasons why I won’t be going back to the gym anytime soon.

working out around your schedule

Exercising on your time is one aspect that makes these new fitness solutions attractive over the traditional gym experience. It’s tough to force yourself to exercise, and it’s even tougher when you have to juggle workouts with work and commuting. Fitness apps and home gyms eliminate some of the stress. Once people get accustomed to the convenience, I am not sure they will want to go back to larger gyms.

This, of course, comes with peace of mind that you won’t be around or exposed to people who may be sick. When you’re exercising from home, chances are you’re probably the only one handling the equipment. At the gym, meanwhile, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people use the restroom without washing their hands. I mean…

temperature checks at the door

The virus can be spread by asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic people who have no fever. That doesn’t necessarily make me feel at ease.

required masks

People already half-ass their mask-wearing in the real world, on average. I simply don’t trust a bunch of sweaty people breathing hard to keep their masks in place, and partially removing a mask or putting it on and taking it back off is not a lot better than not wearing one at all. If you’ve ever been into a gym before, you know virtually no one cleans their equipment already. I highly doubt this is the occasion that people will rise to the occasion. Am I right?

cost

I mentioned this earlier but it’s no secret that the price of gym memberships and fitness classes can put a strain on your budget. You can work out at home for a total of zero dollars. The Internet has tons of free videos and resources for people looking to learn new routines and master new exercises. Whether it’s yoga, kick-boxing, or pilates, it’s all right there at your fingertips. For a small investment, you can pick up equipment like dumbbells or pilates straps, but if you’d rather not, you could always use bodyweight exercises that require no equipment at all.

privacy

It’s not easy to build up the confidence to exercise in front of other people. And others, no matter how physically fit, may always prefer to workout in the comfort and privacy of their own homes instead of a public space like the gym. At home, you don’t need to worry about having an audience as you exercise or the stress that comes with comparing your fitness level to that of your peers. You’re free to be yourself!

So tell me, are you guys going back to the gym or have you committed yourself to other ways to get your body moving daily!?