Since the pandemic hit, we have been getting used to doing more from our homes than ever before. Homelife, work, and even working out have all been brought into the same place. Even with things starting to reopen, you might have decided that you like doing some things better at home. A home gym gives you more opportunities to exercise, and in the long run, it turns out to be much cheaper than a gym membership.
With a home gym, any downtime you have is a chance to burn calories. With a gym membership, you always have to trek out to the gym, and even those times may be limited by the hours they are open. The convenience alone is reason enough to consider a home gym for yourself. Gym membership costs can be money better spent in other ways if you consider how often you find yourself able to get there.
For the initial cost, you may see the prices of some equipment and worry about spending that much. But, in reality, if you break down the cost of a good machine versus your monthly membership fee, multiplied by all the months you’ve had it, chances are you’ll have huge savings. Let’s break it down here.
Gym Membership Costs
First, let’s take a look at how much that gym membership is costing you. The average gym membership costs $30-$45 per month. Excluding the annual fee that many gyms charge in addition to your monthly plan, that’s at least $360 per year. The first year can cost you even more when you add in sign-up fees and other hidden costs.
Even at the bare minimum of $360, that is no small change. That’s nearly a dollar a day, every single year. Think about that for a minute—hundreds per year with no end to that cost in sight. Most budgets don’t allow for that, and if they do, you can undoubtedly find a better way to spend that money. Now let’s compare the gym membership costs to that of a home gym.
Home Gym Costs
A home gym can cost as much or as little as you’d like, with the typical range being anywhere from $300 to $15,000. The average falls around $2,000. For $300, you can likely start with some basic weights, a yoga mat, and a set of resistance bands. That’s one year of a gym membership fee traded in for a one-time purchase of a handful of versatile items.
If you’re looking to get a bit more from your home gym, or to have a more dynamic setup, then investing in an exercise machine is your best bet. Before you worry about how much they cost, take a breath. We’re not going to touch the high end of that typical range, even with an innovative state-of-the-art machine.
You can equip your home gym with a brand new 2-in-1 cardio machine that is the first of its kind for $1,899 to $2,229, depending on which model you choose. That upfront cost can sound like a lot, but it is less of a financial burden if you break it down into payments of $94 or $119 per month until paid off. Best of all, those payments have an end date, and before you know it, you won’t be paying to exercise anymore.
For $1,899, you can purchase the SKI-ROW AIR. This all-in-one cardio machine gives you endless options for full high-intensity interval training workouts in just one section of your home. You can perform various movements, with the resistance depending entirely on your intensity and energy output. That means you can burn a ton more calories than you would in any other form of exercise and in less time. Because the resistance matches your force, this is an excellent option for people of all ages and abilities. The difficulty level customizes itself for you.
For $2,229, you can purchase the SKI-ROW AIR + PWR and add more control to your workout. This model has magnetic resistance and the air-flywheel, so you can create a baseline for resistance that will stay the same regardless of your rep speed or intensity. This is great if you’d like to challenge yourself with more external force while still having the versatility of the SKI-ROW machine.
Comparatively speaking, even the more expensive SKI-ROW comes out to the cost of roughly six years at a lower-cost gym. The lower cost SKI-ROW comes out to about five years of gym membership costs. That’s a lifetime of gym workouts that you can do as frequently as you’d like, for a fraction of the price that you’d be spending continually paying for gym access.
Why Cost Matters
You might be thinking to yourself, “Why worry about saving money in the long term like that when the monthly fee feels like less of a hit to your wallet?” The truth is that the monthly fee is impacting you more than you might think. First, how often do you honestly go to the gym right now? If you’re not going nearly every day, that cost per day is even higher for you. And think, how else could I use that money?
Did you know that making an extra payment to your mortgage’s principal can take years off your mortgage and save you thousands in interest? That is money much better spent than a fee to simply access exercise equipment. So if you purchased a SKI-ROW and you put that gym membership money elsewhere, you could be cutting down on your debts faster than you would have had you kept going to the gym.
What Else Adds to Home Gym Costs?
If you have more room in your budget to build out a complete home gym, you may be wondering what more you can do and for how much. With a bit more money invested, you can bring not only the SKI-ROW to your home but create a more workout-friendly environment.
Here are some more ideas:
Adjust the Flooring
If your workout room has hardwood floors, tile, or another unforgiving material, you may want to think about changing it out for gym flooring. Depending on how deep a renovation you are looking to do, you could even replace the subflooring. Doing this can create a softer ground for your feet, knees, and back, improving your comfort. You can expect this to cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on the size of the room, your floor and subfloor choices, and installation.
Lighting
Maybe your corner lamp isn’t quite the best for workout room lighting. You can install better fixtures to brighten up the room for under a thousand dollars. This is good for making sure you can see clearly when adjusting equipment and looking at your form in the mirror.
Mirrors
Speaking of mirrors, they are a great addition to any exercise area. You’ll be able to check your form with a glance and feel more confident that you are doing your exercises correctly. Good form is key to success and injury prevention, so for under $500, adding a suitable mirror or set of mirrors is worth it.
Alternative Options
If you’re looking to take your home gym a step further and have a few thousand more to invest, you can do even more. If you like to distract yourself while you work out, consider getting a TV and mounting it at a comfortable level for viewing while using your equipment. This can make the time fly!
Depending on your setup, you may also want to add a ceiling fan or air conditioning, any electric wiring needed, or if you’re taking a previously unfinished space like a basement or garage—then you could remodel entirely.
A Home Gym Is a Worthwhile Investment
The options are unlimited for your home gym setup. The upfront cost may seem high, but when broken down, it’s a long-term investment that will continue to serve you into the future. Your home gym will start paying for itself in just a few years, as opposed to a never-ending monthly fee from your local health club.
Sources:
2021 Cost of a Home Gym | Build a Home Gym | Home Advisor
Average Gym Membership Cost 2021 [Gym Price Analysis] | Run Repeat
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