What kind of shape do you want to get into, and how do you define “shape”? These are the first questions you should be asking yourself before deciding whether or not you’ll need a gym.
What is it that you actually want to do, and what do you actually enjoy doing? These are important questions too.
100% you do not need a gym to get in ‘shape’ – there are thousands of bodyweight, nutrition, flexibility and home workout programmes out there with minimal equipment. You only need to do a quick search on Google to find a whole host of them, that can all help you to get in shape.
What is your goal?
Whether your goal is muscle gain, weight loss, “toning up” or getting stronger – at some point self-discipline is required. In order for anyone to get results in the long term, consistency is and always will be key.
You need to commit to regular exercise; this could be going for runs, working out in the living room, doing yoga in the garden -which are all great and if these are things you do regularly and enjoy then keep it up. We always tell people that the first thing you should consider is to find something you like and do that.
Otherwise, you won’t do it.
For most people, however, the place they go to get in shape is the gym (whether they enjoy it or not!)
What makes gyms so popular?
Firstly, there’s all the equipment which you may not have access to elsewhere and there’s also the fact it’s not working out at home, which can be a tad uninspiring when the sofa is just a 5-second trip away.
What you also get from a good gym is the support network, the community, and friends that you meet.
Long term these are huge factors as to what keeps people inside gyms, which is a big reason why smaller independent gyms are starting to take over the big commercial chains.
A great example of this is CrossFit, which is becoming so popular even though it may be considered dangerous to the unconditioned trainee, the sense of community, accountability, and structure is what keeps people coming back.
Think about how much easier it is to motivate yourself to get to the gym if a) you have already paid your membership for it b) you know there’s a structure/plan to follow and c) you have booked into a class and you are going to meet your friends there.
As mentioned before, you can set yourself up with a structured plan at home, purchase some weights or map out a run around the local park without the gym membership, which is great. However if you are looking to get stronger and lose some weight, you’ll most likely fast track your results somewhere where you can feed off others motivation and with the guidance of a coach/credible personal trainer.
Fitness on your own is a lot harder than doing it with a support network if you become a part of a fitness community with a clear structure, support systems, and an accountability program, then you’re more likely to get better results than going solo.
So the long and short of it is, yes, of course, you can get in shape without a gym, however for the majority of people, they require a little more than just the actual exercise itself.
So how do you find the right gym for you?
Before joining a gym, have a think about what it is you actually want to do, this will help you decide whether you need a gym or a fitness coach.
Most gyms offer trials which is a great way to test drive and see whether it’s the right fit for you.
Here are other factors that might determine whether its the right fit for you:
- Were you made to feel comfortable?
- Do you like the atmosphere?
- Are the coaches helpful and attentive?
- Are the coaches knowledgeable?
- Do you enjoy the structure of the workouts?
- Is the gym clean?
- Is it convenient for you?
- Can you see yourself fitting in there?
If you aren’t currently getting the results you want by working out at home alone, perhaps it’s time to consider a fresh approach by getting a coach or joining a gym that can help provide you with the support you need, in order to get what you want.
Our mission is to help people live their best lives outside of the gym by providing the best possible standards of personal gym training in London.
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