So you want to cut the home-gym commute. 30 minutes a day adds up, after all. You've been entertaining the idea of a home gym...

You're hesitant about the upfront costs versus the subscription you currently pay to your gym. You're starting to think it might be a good idea purely for convenience, but should you make the plunge?

Here's what we'll do for you. We'll front you some garage gym ideas and give you our in-depth analysis comparing your in-the-works garage gym lab with an ongoing gym membership.

Garage Gym Lab vs. Gym Membership

Let's delve into the analysis. We'll cover cost, convenience, and results (after all, you want your home gym to support the fitness regimen of your needs).

Home Gym Pros and Cons

How do home gyms measure up to commercial gyms? How easy is it to acquire home gym equipment? These considerations definitely factor into your decision, and we want to break it down for you.

Pros:

• An investment that pays off in the long-run
• Flexibility to add to the gym whenever you want
• More convenient by far
• More hygienic as you don't have to share equipment
• Available 24/7

Cons:

• Higher upfront costs
• Setup time
• Costs (?)

Gym Membership Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Lower upfront costs
• Wide range of equipment, some of which might be expensive to acquire
• Social experience
• Access to professional trainers

Cons:

• Sharing equipment
• Time lost to commute
• Lower cost-efficiency
• Too many people
• Not available 24/7

In sum, it seems that a gym is better for those that prefer the social aspect of things. Maybe you like the community or the motivation you get from a personal trainer.

The downside is that you're essentially paying a lifetime subscription to use someone else's equipment, and you're losing time and money to the commute (especially with sky-high gas costs).

For those that would like the convenience of home and access to a gym 24/7, and don't mind the upfront costs, a good home gym is a great option. You can view some garage gym ideas here.

Some of this is probably fairly obvious to you. However, you're probably wondering about cost efficiency.

Cost Efficiency of a Home Gym

What about home gym costs? You'll have to front a cost of anywhere between a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

For gym power-users and serious trainers that use a gym every day, a garage gym lab is definitely more cost-efficient.

For a $500 gym setup, using it every day would amount to $1.3 dollars a day per year use, for a one-time payment. After a year, that would be "paid off" and you'd have gym equipment for free. Perhaps, you'll have to pay some maintenance costs, but those should be minimal.

A more expensive home gym setup would be around $10K to $20K, but you can add to the set up at your own pace.

Cost Efficiency of a Commercial Gym

A gym membership costs between $20 to $200 a month, depending on what kind of gym you go to.

Let's say you pay $20 a month over 25 years to your gym. That's a whopping $26000 invested. If you pay $200 a month, that's a dizzying $260000.

You could build a top-of-the-line home gym for a lot less. Therefore, it's no wonder that anyone who is really committed to working out would choose to front the costs for a home gym. Remember, you can get quality gym equipment for less by buying secondhand or from shopping sales.

Follow for More Garage Gym Ideas

If you're down to delve into the world of home gyms, then we're with you. We think they can be a wonderful investment for those who are committed to using their equipment for life.

If you're in it for a social experience, though, you may want to continue going to the commercial gym.

For more garage gym ideas, get in touch with us!