Gym or Home?

[SisterImpera]

Hi everyone! 5 years ago I was training in a gym with a PT and loved it, although I was lazy and didn’t work out unless I was with the PT, though I should have.

I’m pretty fat so along with dropping weight using diet, I’m looking to train for strength initially but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t after a muscular physique eventually :)

I stopped lifting when I needed abdominal surgery but when I recovered, I never got back to it. Now I’m keen to start again! I have some Powerblocks at home and a bench, but no space for a barbell and a rack. Just wondering whether to join a gym again to get access to a barbell, but it’s more hassle to go than training at home so I’m not sure I trust myself to use it enough to justify it.

Would love anyone’s opinion on whether I can work effectively at home or if I need that barbell. And some of the lovely machines that I like :) Am not massively confident I can train legs very well with dumbbells.

Aargh, I just need to crack on, don’t I, whether at home or at the gym!!

If you want to progress the gym would be better. Having access to various weights whether DB, barbell or cable will help with strength training. Training legs will require heavier weights, plus having access to the gym will keep training more interesting.

Why don’t you start at home, and see if you actually stick to it before you spend money on a membership ?

Gym every time for me. Nothing hits like a heavy barbell. You could get heavy dumbbells and do things like increase time under tension to make it hard enough. But there's nothing cooler than a barbell. But then I really like the gym environment too and hate being stuck in the house.

I don't think I could find the time to go to a gym 5 days a week. I'm lucky enough to have a garage though so I do have rack and barbells which I think are essential.

Finding a gym that’s close and/or easy to get to, to easily add to a routine helps. I walk to mine after school drop off and I find being in an actual gym motivates me to push myself. Plus the staff are lovely, I don’t think i’d work as hard or be as enthusiastic at home.

As a PP says, there’s nothing quite like loading up a barbell, having the equipment to push yourself rather than the weights you have at home is great.

Thanks guys, read through your comments and on balance decided that the gym is a good idea. I also realised today that my health insurance gives me a decent discount on the membership of my nearest one, so that’s more of a bonus.

Another thing I thought about is that I work almost 100% from home nowadays, which is okay but I do get a bit fed up of being in the house ALL THE TIME - so the gym is also good idea from the point of view of getting me away from the four walls.

Just bought Strong by Alwyn Cosgrove and Lou Shuler, which is an update to New Rules of Lifting for Women (I liked that book a lot!), so I’m going to use Strong for my start back program.

Interesting! I didn't know there was a later book. Have fun!

Being polite, I think it’s best you do it as you say, rather than talk about it and read about it. There is no reason you can’t start immediately and then move to the gym. Good luck.