I trained from 1999 to 2004 in a commercial gym. It had everything you need. A Squat rack. Two benches. Several Olympic barbells. Iron plates.
I trained in other gyms too. But none was as good as the gym I went to for 5 years. Except for my home gym. Best buy of my life. Here’s why.
Cuts Expenses. A friend told me he pays 50€ gym membership a month. Wages in Belgium average 1250€ after tax. 50€ is close to one day work. Add to this car fuel. A lot of money to stay healthy.
Compare with a home gym. One investment. Lasts for life. Barbells get rusty but don’t wear out. And if you ever quit strength training, you can always sell your home gym equipment. It doesn’t lose value.
More Time. You’ll win close to 1 hour a day by training at home:
- No time lost waiting for the squat rack or bench.
- No time lost waiting in the showers.
- No time lost driving to the gym & back.
Training after work is impossible. Especially on Monday & Tuesday. Everybody is benching. Even if you train legs, you’ll lose time waiting someone finishes his sets of biceps curls in the squat rack.
Better Opening Hours. These were my gym’s opening hours:
- Mo-Fr: 10:00-22:00.
- Sa-Su: 16:00-20:00.
- Holidays: 14:00-18:00. Sometimes closed.
Compare with a home gym: open every day & all day long.
Your Rules. Most commercial gyms don’t allow:
- Deadlifts. Too much noise.
- Power Cleans. Too dangerous.
- Chalk. Dirty.
- Grunting. Be quiet.
Nothing is more irritating than training with the Pet Shop Boys playing on the background. When you train at home it’s your rules: chalk, shirtless, scream whatever.
Better Equipment. Good coaching is rare. Commercial gyms choose safety & simplicity: machines and attached barbells.
Unfortunately machines don’t give the same results as free weights. And some, like the smith machine, cause injury in the long run. Here are some examples of bad equipment:
- Barbells with no knurling on the inside
- Dumbbells with plastic handles
- Dumbbells up to 25kg
- No plates of 1,25kg & 2,5kg
- Small plates
If you got the place, invest in a home gym. Next week I’ll show you how to build one.
