The Pros and Cons of a Gym Membership | ExpatWoman.com
 

The Pros and Cons of a Gym Membership

Making the decision to become more healthy and active, can often be difficult. Here's the pros and cons of a gym membership.

Posted on

7 March 2016

Last updated on 26 July 2017
The Pros and Cons of a Gym Membership
The transition from a sedentary lifestyle to an active and healthy lifestyle, can be intimidating and pressuring, especially if you are not familiar the gym.
 

From calorie control, to sugar cravings, to exercising, it’s a nerve wrecking shift, and we have all been through it, but ultimately, it all boils down to persistence, determination and dedication.

 

The Internet has helped us understand how to be healthy, to our best ability. By supplying us with healthy and filling recipes, we are already on our way to being fit, but now the bigger question arises, when will we start our gym membership?

Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, sure the gym is a great place to keep you active and get you into shape, but the gym is not necessarily for everyone, so we broke down all the pros and cons of going to the gym to help you decide!


Pros and Cons of a Gym Membership

Pros of a Gym Membership

Equipment


There is absolutely no question about it, the gym is loaded with tons of equipment, some new, some old, but equipment nevertheless, and that helps you achieve your high level of performance, which we guarantee will have you feeling great after a good hard work out!

Classes


Fitness classes such as Zumba, Yoga, MMA, Pilates etc. are fun and they help keep those who need the extra motivation up on their toes. This may be included in your gym membership, or it may come as a surcharge, but these classes can do wonders for you, not to mention the variety of classes and techniques that you can take part in, will keep each workout new and exciting.

Guidance


It comes as a cost, but there are fitness professionals in the gym who can help you achieve your goals, whether you are a beginner or an advanced. Personal trainers and fitness instructors are available to guide you, motivate you and push you through your plateau phase, in order to help you reach your goals.


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Motivation


Some people are not easily motivated, and a simple at-home workout routine, often does not push them to their ultimate limit. Some enjoy seeing other people working out at the gym, as it helps them push themselves past their limitations. This is a great encouraging factor of gym workouts for those who get motivated by their surroundings.


Pros and cons of gym membership
 

Environment
Whether in the blistering cold, pouring rain or the scorching heat, the gym temperature will always remain the same. This means that no matter what, your workout will not be jeopardized by unpredictable weather conditions, thus, your workout will be in the same climate condition each and every time. 

Cons of a Gym Membership

They Cost
You know that song by ABBA- Money Money Money? That’s exactly what you are in for, if you are planning to join a gym. A decent fitness centre can be extremely expensive, especially those pesky registration fees.

Don’t forget, you’ll be needing a good set of comfortable running shoes and workout clothes to match that gym membership of yours too!

SEE ALSO: 5 ways to improve your eating habits

People
People are everywhere at the gym, especially at the peak hours – before and after work. It gets so packed in fact, that there may often be a waiting time for the cardio machines, this of course depends on what kind of fitness centre you are attending.

Once you are finally settled on your machine, should the waiting line continue, you are obliged to only use the cardio machine for no more than 30 minutes, in order to accommodate all the other patiently waiting members.

Environment
The gym environment is not the same as the one you would get outside. Unlike the convenience of being at home and working out in front of your television or even out in the open air, a gym is nothing more than a room full of people and equipment and the variety of entertainment remains the same within your peripheral view.


Pros and cons of gym membership 2
 

The Intimidation Factor
Being at the gym can be very intimidating, with all those unbelievably fit men and women, with their tight abs and their glorious muscles, it can be incredibly daunting.

If you are easily intimidated by other people around you, this will definitely be a factor that you have to take into consideration when signing up for a long term commitment such as a gym membership.

But hey, look on the bright side, if you go to the gym long enough, you can finally conquer that intimidation fear, and you might even end up being the intimidating one!

Convenience
They say that a gym is convenient, especially if they work long hours or are a 24-hour fitness centre. However, if you really think about it, let’s say it takes half an hour to get there, half an hour back, that’s an hour out of your busy day that is now gone.

Supervision
Supervision can be hard to obtain when at the gym, unless your very own personal trainer is there to guide you, there is virtually little-to-no guidance or support, which can lead to injury if you are incorrectly using the fitness equipment.

 
 

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