To gym or not to gym?

Ok so I’m working twilight shifts this weekend which means I’m waking up quite late. So I had to make the choice to go to the gym or to workout at home. This got me thinking about the pros and cons of each:

Gym:

• More equipment available
• Help on hand from staff
• Motivation in the form of other people working out 
• Context motivation
• Less distractions 
• (Unless you’re reading this from Aus) Air con

Home:

• No travelling necessary
• Comfort. This is good if you’re a beginner and self conscious
• Can listen to own music without headphones

So as you can see, the gym seems to have more pros except the very obvious time used travelling element. So today I sprung for a home workout using kettlebells, a mat and a stool for tricep dips. I won’t tell you my exact workout because it was devised by my trainer and she has her own blog and business that I don’t wish to tread all over. 

The difficulty about home workouts is that it is so easy to give up half way through because of distractions or because you’re too hot. Today I had to force myself to finish the circuits and I’m adamant I would have worked harder in the gym. 

The other thing about working at home is we tend not to be as prepared. I know people who work out naked and I have tried doing so and working out in my pyjamas. Big no no. Your wobbly bits bouncing around ain’t great for anyone. Also we tend not to wear shoes which means there is less support on the ankles. 

Finally, the problem with home workouts is the difficulty in warm ups. Some running on the spot or star jumps helps. I’ve learned Guru Josh ‘Infinity’ is a fantastic song to jump to and Eric Prydz ‘Call on Me’ is the most distracting. I just want to spent the 3 minutes crotch thrusting. My friends know this is a specialty of mine. 

So, given enough time, I’d go for the gym any day. However, the choice is yours. 

🧳 UNPACKED

The Eternal Question: Gym or home? In The Gym Era, I was firmly Team Gym. More equipment, more motivation, air con (crucial), and fewer distractions. But sometimes life (late shifts, time constraints) means working out at home or not at all.

What I Learned About Home Workouts:

• Way easier to quit halfway through when Netflix is right there
• Working out naked or in pyjamas is terrible (wobbly bits need support, trust me)
• Not wearing proper shoes = dodgy ankles
• Warm-ups are harder without equipment
• The heat gets brutal without air con
• Crotch thrusting to Eric Prydz is unavoidable

The Reality: Given the choice, gym wins every time. But a home workout beats skipping entirely. It’s about removing the “all or nothing” mindset – sometimes good enough really is good enough.

Making Home Workouts Actually Work:

• Get dressed properly (sports bra, trainers, the works)
• Clear a dedicated space with minimal distractions
• Have your kit ready (kettlebells, mat, bench/stool)
• Create a proper warm-up routine
• Accept you might work at 80% capacity vs gym’s 100%

Kit for Effective Home Workouts:

• 📦Pack here A range of kettlebells

Worth Knowing: If you can afford gym membership and have the time, the motivation and equipment variety usually make it worth it. But having home workout capability as backup means you’ve got no excuses when life gets busy.

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