With a reported 45 million people in the US taking out gym membership at an average cost of $55 per month it is easy to see why the fitness club and gym business is very lucrative. Even as the economy has shrunk it is still believed that the market size of the health and fitness market is in the region of $23 billion and showing a small growth as people become more and more health conscious.
This article was written exclusively for NuWave Fitness by our author Lily. Any outside links do not represent NuWave Fitness or are endorsed by us.
With the increasing popularity of sports like UFC and MMA there has been a significant rise in the amount of people taking an interest in getting involved in personal exercise. Fitness is no longer a zone just for athletes or sports people it is now commonplace as people embed it into their daily routines.
However, not everyone chooses the gym as their workout of choice and with $39 per month as the average loss to individuals through unused gym memberships it is financially more viable for people to look to alternative ways to exercise.
Gym vs Home Workout
Gym alternatives
Aside from the nice surroundings, latest training equipment and organisational aspects of a gym there many advantages to an exercise regime conducted in your home environment. Without even considering the obvious financial savings, your home is a great place to start to begin your workout. For a start it is comfortable and familiar and there is no pressure to look good and there are no shared facilities. If your home is big enough there is nothing to stop you from investing in some home gym equipment or weights to bolster your home workout options.
A home workout is great for people with low self esteem. At home you can try out different things and find out what works and what doesn’t work for you without the public humiliation that a gym environment can bring. For those who are particularly body conscious because of being overweight or even underweight, having a gym membership can be a barrier to exercise and a reason to put off going. There are no such pressures at home and providing you have the self motivation then getting started at home is quick and simple. A home workout also maximises your time as there is no traveling to and from venues or being restricted to the opening hours of the gym.
Home based programs
Many would argue that the support from fitness professionals in a gym environment is invaluable. However, even at home there is nothing to stop you employing a personal trainer who can help you design a program that works for you in and around your home. Add to that the increasing recognition that people want a more hardcore workout at home with programs such as P90X or Body Beast now in the market place for people to purchase and complete at home. These two specifically designed intensive programs mean that people can have the best of both worlds by bringing the intensity of the gym to a home workout.
Health focus
There are many ways to help you get started at home and a workout at home is no longer just about standing in front of the TV to an aerobics video. Home fitness has come on leaps and bounds; you only have to think of the introduction of things like Xbox Kinect or Wii to realize how popular the home now is as a place to exercise. In addition to that doing your research is much easier too as you can browse online to the various options available and the results people can achieve by looking on fitness websites and forums.
So much advice is available online as to how to get started especially about P90X and Body Beast as well as supplement and diet advice as both are just as important as the regime you choose. Obviously it makes sense to talk to your doctor about using Cialis or any other drug to boost testosterone or even before you begin training to avoid any pitfalls and give you peace of mind that you are medically sound.
The most important thing for any fitness success is that you are having fun and you are comfortable in your environment. Being at home means that you can go at your own pace, exercise at a time to your choosing and there’s no excuse – your home will never be too busy or crowded, there’ll be no parking issues or a queue for the shower cubicle!
