Let's Get Ready to Rumble: Home Gym vs. Gym

Deciding between a home gym vs. gym has become a hot topic nowadays. 

FULL DISCLOSURE: We have a horse in this race so we're not going to try and/or pretend to be unbiased. I'll be sure to include some resources that are more objective so you can do your own research and form your own opinion. However, after reading the strong argument given here for a home or garage gym of your own, I think you'll agree with our perspective. 

Home truth?

Be an Early Adopter and Join the Revolution

Look, I’m going to get straight to the point for you. You’re here because you’ve already bought into the garage gym revolution or you're on the fence. But there’s another revolution going on. I’ll get back to that in a second.

For now, let's imagine building Rome.

Adopt Early, Prevent Pain and Avoid Joining the Herd

And by building Rome, I mean turning YOU into Rome, you beautiful beast.

But your garage gym can look like Rome too. In fact, that would be stellar.

At the same time, you’ll be an early adopter of prudence. Prudence, what does that mean?

This is the other revolution I’m referring to.

Health care.

Health care costs are out of control in the United States.

An average hospital stay now costs over $10,000 according to Business Insider.

In 2016, CNBC reported the average cost for health care for a single American was $10,345, and the average deductible for an individual was $4,358.

Even with an employer plan, individual coverage still has a deductible of $1,500.

Couple this with the fact that 60% of Americans don’t have the savings to pay off a $1,000 emergency medical bill.

This puts millions of people into a position where they simply can’t afford to be sick or be in the hospital.

This is a burden of pain and a large group of Americans that no one wants to be a part of.

How do you avoid the status quo?

Become a Fringe athlete.

Be on the Fringe of Society

Get strong and stay strong.

When you notice large numbers of people doing the same thing, don’t do what they do.

Being healthy and strong subverts the status quo.

Here’s the bad news.

We’re all going to die.

Here’s the good news.

We can influence how we die.

Ultimately we can’t control how we die, but we can certainly veer towards avoiding a painful end, wrought with suffering.

Look at the top 10 causes of death in the United States.

The first 3 in order are heart disease, cancer, and chronic lower respiratory disease. Accidents/trauma comes in at #4, with diabetes is #7 and suicide at #10.

Painful ways to die, some worse than others.

Now, look at the benefits of strength training.

Exhibit A: better cardiovascular health, controlled blood sugar levels, reduced cancer risk, lowered injury risk, and strengthened mental health.

Exhibit B: helps prevent/manage type 2 diabetes, improves cardiovascular health, reduces blood pressure, and enhances mental health.

Now, let’s look at the most expensive medical conditions:

#8 high blood pressure

#6 chronic lower respiratory disease

#5 cancer

#4 diabetes

#3 trauma-related injuries

#2 heart conditions

#1 mental disorders

What's the #1 preventative solution is to American’s leading causes of death, joining a top 10 list as a stat, and going bankrupt is?

Getting a garage/home gym.

Let Me Stop You Before You Even Ask…

“Can’t I do this at any gym? Why does it have to be at home?”

Sure, you can get strong and healthy at any gym, whether it’s a garage, a playground, a franchise chain of millions or a YMCA.

They’re all great and we fully support and endorse training in any and all of those.

But, you’ll get stronger and healthier at a garage gym.

You know why?

It’s quite simple.

One word…

HABIT.

I Hear It Already, “But It’s Cheaper.”

Yeah at first glance getting a membership appears cheaper.

You’re right.

But we're not here to bad mouth gyms of any kind.

If it wasn't already, to make it absolutely clear, let's say it again.

Fringe Sport LOVES all gyms.

We don’t want to get into the nitty-gritty, financial breakdowns of why gym memberships often equate to flushing money down the toilet, which 99% of the time owes to your lack of self-discipline. (More on that in a second)

But if you want that kind of info, you’re welcome to it.

I urge you to read the article anyway, as it’s an insightful read.

The best parts come from the readers when they chime into the comment section below.

Brad Morris aptly points out that the article should be retitled to "Gym Memberships Are Only Worth It If You Use Them." 

He’s absolutely right.

This is where habit comes into play.

Most gyms count on you not showing up.

Now riddle me this.

How can you not show up to the gym, when it’s in your house?

You'll be ballin' when your gym is next to your house.

Proximity = consistency, and consistency = $$$.

Let me explain.

Brad pointed it out by saying “…if you use them.”

It’s no big secret that in most cases, the closer you are to the gym, the likelihood of you making it a routine and forming a regular habit, increases greatly.

The Wall Street Journal tells us that the average gym member travels 4 miles to the gym.

The same piece also reveals:

“Longer commutes are associated with fewer visits, the data found. People who go to the gym once a month travel a median distance of 5.1 miles. Those who go five or more times a month travel 3.7 miles.”

Proximity = consistency.

Imagine the number of gym visits a month when the gym is in your garage!

Now, how does consistency = $$$ you say?

Garage Gym = Your Own ATM Machine

Well, you can already calculate your savings on health care and hospital visits. Factor in a multiplier of 2x or 3x dependent upon your marital status and if you have children or not.

You’re well into the thousands of dollars.

We haven’t even figured out if you’re eligible for a fitness reimbursement program like this one, and if you can be getting hundreds of dollars put in your pocket.

Oh, and I haven’t even touched on car savings.

No more 8 mile round trip to the gym?

How much do you save in gas, and maintenance on your car, having a garage gym?

How much do you save in time, and how much is that worth to you?

You can see the dollar signs beginning to stack up in your favor.

Here’s the kicker.

A peer-reviewed journal study, conducted by researchers from University of California Berkeley and the London School of Economics, found that “…Approximately one-third of subjects formed a habit equivalent to the effect of a $2.60 per-visit subsidy…”

Yes, they were studying habit formation and gym attendance.

This means with your already guaranteed proximity, and probable, higher consistency rate, you have good chance of putting $2.60 in your pocket every time you use your garage gym.

365 days a year multiplied by $2.60 = $949 back into your pocket every year.

What are the odds of you going 365 days a year to a gym 4 miles away?

What are the odds of you going 365 days a year to a gym 0 miles away?

I’m betting that with a garage gym, you’ll make at least an extra $900, taking out a few days for holidays and such.

Once you add in how much your time is worth to you, it's easy to say you're saving over $1,000 a year.

A garage gym makes you money.

Watch as your med balls turn into money balls.

Can You Put a Price Tag on Your Body?

If you can do this and have a clear conscience, then, by all means, do NOT buy a garage gym.

If you can’t put a price tag on your body, then you’re a born garage gymmer.

Your body is a gift, and when treated as such, bestows many blessings upon you.

Why not give it the best?

Not only are you nearly guaranteed to still be working out in February (January always has the highest gym membership sign-ups), but if you’re working out past 66 days, congratulations!

You have a newly formed habit and are well on your way to avoiding groups of statistics and top 10 lists that nobody wants to appear on.

Enjoy an investment in your self, that transforms you, and everyone around you in turn, because healthy living is contagious.

A garage gym lifts you beyond the ordinary.

Why a Garage Gym May Not Be for You

Since we're not gym membership or globo gym types, we'll let other people do the talking for us. 

Here's a good place to start with some crowdsourced feedback from Quora.

Our friend Brett over at Art of Manliness always has a credible and legit take on home gym vs. gym.

This piece from Gym Person does an exhaustive job of covering the pros and cons of garage gyms and joining a gym.

Finally, the crew over at Bodybuilding doesn't leave a single stone left unturned with their in-depth coverage.

Now that you've hopefully done your reading homework, you have all the necessary info to support your decision in the great home gym vs. gym debate.

Have images dancing in your head?

Cleaning Out Your Garage?

If you've made it this far, you probably already have a garage gym and I'm simply preaching to the choir. 

Whether you're new to the garage gym revolution or already enlisted, I'm going to safely guess it likely means you're choosing a home/garage gym over joining a gym.

In this case, I want to offer some solid places to jump off from here to get your garage gym fix. 

Take a look at this listicle of 10 home gym essentials and look here for tips on building out your garage to make way for the gym.

And if you're tired of reading, you can watch this:

Thanks for reading Fringe Nation. 

Have freakin great day, stay awesome and lift yourself beyond the ordinary!