Timecosts of going to the Gym?

[tsjechov]

Hi all,

Out of curiousity & and maybe inspiration to go again
I have some questions about:
a. How much time do you spend at the gym every week?
b. How much days in the week are you there?
c. And how far from your home is the gym (mile/km).
d. Do you go there by bike, foot, car?

Mine will be 1,2 km from my home (under a mile)
So that is really not so far. BUT...
Problem 1 is getting there. Then going there like 3 times in the week and really work out. It would even be better if i would go every workday as it would become a routine for me then.
Problem 2 is that I don't like to shower there, that is another thing that bothers me. I could walk in more sportive clothes there, and walk back and shower at home.
Problem 3 is that i do a lot outdoors and i prefer that. But i know going to a gym can really do you good to prepare for outside sports.

If i won't go the next days then i will quit my gym... Paying for nothing does not help. I do a lot outdoors, in the nature, bring my dog along... but for my backproblems and on bad weatherdays the gym is better offcourse... and it must be possible to have fun there...

Greetings, Tsjechov!

[Inthon]

Great questions.

You don't necessarily need a gym to get a great workout. If you live near an open field you can do high intensity sprints like suicides, or do deep stretching/breathing to increase flexibility and wellbeing.

For strength exercises, you can do pushups, pullups, calisthenics with very little space. I've used YouTube in the past to get a great bodyweight workout.

To answer your questions:
1) I spend about three hours a week
2) Probably 4-5, depending on the week
3) I live in a furnished apartment, so I walk downstairs! :-)

You might want to see if you can pay for each time you use the gym, rather than pay for a whole month.

[harry35]

I stopped going to gym, unless it's raining heavily.

I find that just going out there to run is good and simple way enough to work out. For other gym stuff, I could mostly do from my own home, with a few simple workout equipments.

[shasah]

tsjechov "Out of curiousity & and maybe inspiration to go again
I have some questions about:
a. How much time do you spend at the gym every week?
b. How much days in the week are you there?
c. And how far from your home is the gym (mile/km).
d. Do you go there by bike, foot, car? "

a&b) I go six mornings a week, 5 days at 5AM, and saturday whenever for weights and then 3 evenings a week for cardio. So about 9 hours + a week. Definitely get my moneys worth.
c) the gym is about 5 miles away
d) definitely drive

I used to run at a park, but one morning a couple of fellow runners warned me that there were some questionable characters there so I changed over to the gym. A woman running alone is too good of a target. I'd be lost without my gym time now

[tsjechov]

Thanks you for your replies, interesting, makes me think.

Inthon, Good idea to pay per day for the gym. The problem is that that is not possible here and also too expensive. Now i pay every month for the gym but i hardly go... Maybe it is better to quit the gym and go to the swimmingpool (then i only have to pay when i go) and do outdoorsports, biking, kanu, running, and excerxsise/weights at home. I also have a dog so i go outside 4 times at least with her. I also bought a stepbike (big one) which is emazingly good for shaping most of your body.
So i actually donnot need the gym... although it is handy...

Harry35, I can understand really! I see so much people jog outside, they pay nothing and that is free! The only problem will be in the winter, but only ice would really stop me i guess. I could go swimming more often then.

Shasah,
Wow you work out a lot, great!! You do what i wanted but i just don't do it!! You take good value for money.
Hmm... inspirational... but is it for me?!
Yeah, i know as a female it is not always so safe in the park, in Germany a woman got stabed yesterday in the park when she was jogging

*Still thinking*

[tsjechov]

Inthon, i like the suicide runs!
I started some runningthing with my dog, She starts at the other side of the fence and we run 35 meter to see who gets to the end the soonest! She is faster though!!

[vilbara]

I've heard that if you are having "backproblems", you should consider swimming and riding a bicycle instead of jogging.

[tsjechov]

No backproblems for me! It is true that you need to take care of your 'core' when you run or jog.
But you didn't really answer the question :-D

[ginkgo]

I have at home weights. Also at a yard sale I bought a Total Gym for around $30, years ago. Two months ago I bought a Gazelle at a yard sale for $55 for cardio. So I have no monthly or annual costs and no travel time.

Space is not an issue since they fold up and in use use take almost no space. They could even fit in a prison cell. I will put up a new thread on this.

[Chillax]

Originally Posted by tsjechov

Problem 1 is getting there. Then going there like 3 times in the week and really work out. It would even be better if i would go every workday as it would become a routine for me then.
- You get used to it, plain and simple, and if you take it seriously, you find ways to fit it in. On Friday, I have to take a 2hr bus ride to get to the gym.

Problem 2 is that I don't like to shower there, that is another thing that bothers me. I could walk in more sportive clothes there, and walk back and shower at home.
- Neither do I, bring some clothes

Problem 3 is that i do a lot outdoors and i prefer that. But i know going to a gym can really do you good to prepare for outside sports.
- When you are in the middle of your workout, you won't care. Working out is not about relaxing, it's about pushing yourself HARD. Anything less and you're wasting your time IMO.

If i won't go the next days then i will quit my gym... Paying for nothing does not help. I do a lot outdoors, in the nature, bring my dog along... but for my backproblems and on bad weatherdays the gym is better offcourse... and it must be possible to have fun there...
- Don't think of off days as paying for nothing, just cause you're not in the gym 24/7 does not mean you're wasting money, if you're going to go 3 days per week, might as well get a membership.

just my $.02

[Amandaaa]

I don't go to the gym. (Partly because there's only like 1 gym in this entire state, and partly because I have too many DVDs and "home gym" pieces that are free and always there for me to use.)

If I could find a good deal on a gym closeby, I would totally get a membership though...just so I could use the elliptical.

[tsjechov]

Instead of an elliptical you can use a stepbike or a dogscooter. They have different versions now and it works great to sculpt your body.

[openeyes]

I lift weights at the gym 2 miles away 2-3 times per week for about 30-40 minutes each time. When I go by myself I'm apt to ride my bicycle, but when my girlfriend comes along we usually drive as we end up wandering off elsewhere afterward.

Though I get a fair amount of exercise outside the gym, for $15 per month it's nice having access to a steam room, sauna, excellent showers, and lots of free weights (I'm unlikely to ever touch most of the machines). When I drive instead of biking over I love to warm up on the concept 2 rowing machine.

[tsjechov]

Openeyes, wow your gym is cheap! Well here in Europe most are 3 times more expensive (in euro though). There are some gyms for 20 euro though.

Hmm i am thinking at the moment and i want to go to the gym for one more month. Just see in july how often i go there, i want to go there every morning as my goal of july. Don't know yet... *thinks* Maybe just get in shape again before i start swimming again... A gym is, if you work from home, a great way to get out of the house and get rid of your negative energy - especially in the winter.

[openeyes]

Originally Posted by tsjechov

Openeyes, wow your gym is cheap! Well here in Europe most are 3 times more expensive (in euro though). There are some gyms for 20 euro though.

Most are here too, and if my only option were the $50-70 monthly gyms (plus a high initial fee) I might have just continued adding to my own exercise equipment. I grew up with a home gym since I was too young to go work out with my dad and I have some equipment at my apartment now, but I haven't wanted to fill up my spare bedroom with too many things.

Gym membership (or even lots of gear at home) isn't necessary in order to be fit, but it can be helpful. My girlfriend likes the energy of the place we go to since everyone there is focused on improving themselves.