Gyms are great. They offer their users the latest and greatest exercise gadgetry, well lighted spaces, wall-to-wall mirrors, and strategically placed TVs you can watch if you get tired of staring at yourself sweating.
For some people, gyms are also a place to meet folks and to enjoy camaraderie with fellow fitness buffs and fitness seekers. There are people there to spot you on difficult or potentially risky exercises, or to give you advice on the best ways to flatten a tummy or build bulging biceps.
If you can afford the fee--and, more importantly, if you have the commitment to actually go on a regular basis--by all means, join a gym.
I always advise my own clients, though, to begin their weight training program at home. There are several reasons for this:
Beginners, especially, are often self-conscious working out in front of others--particularly if those others happen to be better toned or more chiseled than they. This is not often a problem in one's own home (where you can even close the blinds if need be!).
At home, you can exercise practically any time of day or night. No need to forgo a workout because the gym is closed or it's inconvenient to get up and out the door to drive there.
Starting a workout program at home offers an inexpensive way to give weight training a tryout before committing deeply to it.
Although I happen to think that weight training is good for everyone, I know, realistically, that some individuals just aren't going to stick with it for more than a few weeks at most. |