Which would you choose?

My Doc said I need to train my upper back and neck as had some bad neck spasms/sciatica.

I ride a lot but thinking or either buying some bands/dumbbells or pay for the gym?

I already have a room dedicated to turbo training.

Gym locally is £22 per month.
Bands £20.

I would see a Sports Physio and get some exercises specific to your issue.

Here’s a summary of a great study on physical training programs:

The Study EVERY Trainer and Coach Should Read and Understand

basically without proper guidance on form, they don’t achieve much in terms of health benefits…

I did. They train the upper back, neck and my weak supraspinatus. Stretch neck daily.

The bands are cheap but the gym has only one rope machine being hogged last time I was there.

Will you use them at home? I have various fitness related things at home that were bought with the best of intentions but never get used. Also have a gym at work that I never use.

My wife goes to a gym and has been pestering me to join for a while so I accepted a 3 day free trail. Went down last week and did one of the classes. Haven’t been able to move since but will be joining up on the back of it due to enjoying the class and the structure it gives to the workout. You don’t need to think about programs etc, just turn up and have someone tell you what to do at specific times that you can fit in to your weekly routine. Reckon it’ll work for me.

Which would you choose?

Gym membership.

If I go to the gym I’m fairly focussed on getting my stuff done.

If I try at home I get crumbling Lego constructions thrust in my face with an impatient four year old demanding I fix it NOW.

Gym membership, without a doubt.

I have a power cage and bench at home, but still prefer to go to the gym and just do the lifts I could’ve done at home. Floor mats are better for stretching and the cardio kit is helpful for a warmup/warmdown.

I’m clued with training and was a gym junkie for decades.

I have my turbo for bad weather but like the idea of escapism too.

It’s on the way home too.

Borrowed a friends bands and will see if it fits my door for attached exercises.

Whichever you think you are more likely to stick to. Personally there is no way I could stick to an exercise plan that just involves a few bands and dumbells.

About 18 months ago, having started getting those age related back aches and joint pains, I decided that regular workouts with weights was required. I looked at the options and decided to get a decent home setup (squat racks, olympic bar and plates and a good bench). Cost quite a lot, but it was easy to keep to stay committed, just get changed and train, doing 5×5 twice a week takes as long at home as it would to just travel to and from the gym. That said I do have a gym membership as well, but tend to use that more for cardio circuits than weights.

I do think that lifting some heavy’sh weights in compound movements, a couple of times a week is really important for all over health, and you can’t really replicate it with bands and dumbells. Especially as we get older, complimenting endurance sports with weight workouts is much better for health.

I decided that regular workouts with weights was required. I looked at the options and decided to get a decent home setup (squat racks, olympic bar and plates and a good bench).

Basically what I have now..

[url=https://flic.kr/p/24BcGVF]Workshop gym[/url] by Ben Freeman, on Flickr

“My Doc said I need to train my upper back and neck as had some bad neck spasms/sciatica”

This sounds like a load of rubbish to me (https://www.painscience.com/articles/structuralism.php). How did they determine that you have a weak upper back?
How on earth did they then determine that this causes neck spasms and sciatica (more likely disk herniation or tethered sciatic nerve)?

If you want a proper workout, gym is always better. If you just want to strengthen your upper back, get a pull up bar at home.

Mick

Home for me

No gym kit, no changing, no driving, no leaving the front door. Lucky in that I have a large garage, accessible via the house, I open the door and workout in my pants !! LOL … Literally 45min/one hour and I’m done.

Skipping rope, kettle bells, TRX type straps, and “Crossover Symmetry” bands.

Take a look at calisthenics. Can do it almost anywhere. Minimal kit needed so very cheap.

Stay home and use a macebell…

Very time efficient and very good for stabalising the back due to the offset nature of the weight.

Combine with some Indian clubs for even more effectiveness

£22/month is pretty cheap. I’d be going to the gym for that price as long as it’s conveniently close.
As above I like to “go to the gym” rather than exercising at home. It just seems better for focus etc + they’ll have a wider variety of equipment if you need to have a change/variety.

gym and do a full body workout too. It’s very good for you and your cycling. that gym price is very cheap. i would not think twice about that deal.

Gym, I’ve got bands, suspension trainer, turbo, skipping rope etc at home, but only used them when working away in hotels (apart from the turbo). Sold my weights bench.

Downside is unless you’re doing something specific like the stronglifts* program it can feel a bit pointless. At least with squats etc there’s something quantitative to improve on rather than just levels on a machine.

*sorry, I realize it’s not 2018 anymore and every ones favorite “I can’t believe anyone would go to a gym and not do…….” activity is probably now something else.

Go for whichever you’re likely to stick to. If you decide to join a gym, make sure it’s convenient to get to and you are happy to be there (e.g. you might not want to go to a steroid fueled body building gym, unless that’s your scene, or you feel comfortable being there).

I think its easier to commit once you’re at the gym. Too many distractions at home. (sofa/laptop/TV/tea/biscuits/)

I’m going for the gym for the month.

If I stick with it 3 times a week then I’ll keep going!

I’m staying longer at work and hope by 1800 most people have finished and less queuing for the equipment.

Thanks for the advice too!

Gym everything. Might meet people to motivate you, leave the sweat smell away from home and get your stuff nicked out of a locker.

Am i the only one that hates the gym then?
Soulless hatefull places, can never get on the free weights and if you do people are looking to what you lift. Get obligatory few who chat whilst sat on some of the equipment.

Recently became a member of a council gym scheme but mainly to use the swimming pools.

Am i the only one that hates the gym then?

No, I hate them too. Crap music on too loud, people who don’t understand personal hygiene so stink, shouty weight lifters, posers, pervs perving over the girls on the treadmill, people not wiping sweat off machines, people taking 12 selfies while sitting on machines that people are waiting for.

Then there are the old naked people walking up and down the changing room, wanting to chat about brexit or the weather while bollock naked, the bloke who dries his arse and ballbag with the hairdyer, people who take the entire bench and block half the lockers while getting dressed.

Generally, just people.

Am i the only one that hates the gym then?
Soulless hatefull places, can never get on the free weights and if you do people are looking to what you lift. Get obligatory few who chat whilst sat on some of the equipment.

I dislike them too. And the strange mirror gazing Love Island wannabes who seem drawn to them. I’ve had my own free weights since I was about 18 which means they’ve now lasted several decades. Also a pull-up bar and a TRX suspension trainer bought cheap from Sportpursuit last year – also great to taking on work trips.

I’m quite motivated and happy to train at home, but I also get that some people like the whole gym experience, find it motivating, like to chat to other people – personally I just get on with it – etc.

Oh and the crap music, I’d forgotten about that. I once made the mistake of suggesting to the manager of my old local gym that they switch it off and give people the option of choosing to use an MP3 player and listen to their own tunes. Nope, ‘people like the music’.

But if all that stuff works for you, then fair enough.

Maybe in 20 years time you will discover the macebell and then regret not trying one earlier…

I use the gym for the rowing machine and try and go three times a week. 2 rowing sessions 1 weights. I don’t mind most of the stuff mentioned above but people chatting right next to me for ages when I’m on the rowing machine AAARRRRGGGHHH! A couple of times my exhalations have sounded remarkably like **** the **** off. :-/

I do like the look of the Indian clubs and mace thingy

I’m back into gym training after years away, I’m fortunate to work at a Uni and use the very well equiped gym at lunchtime and very motivated to use it which I wouldn’t be if having to go once I’d got back home after work. Can be a bit crowded with young ladies though….

I like gyms, just hate most gym goers; hence train at home. Never have to wait for any equipment….

I quit the gym 2 years ago to train at homeand in the park. last week I got a free gym pass and results are interesting.

I’ve dropped around 20% ish of what I used lift. i.e. Back squatting 40kg instead of 50kg for my old rep/set routine. Similar with bench/dead etc…

So I guess its possible not go to the gym and still be in the ballpark for strength.

However working out at home means I’ve got time to do lots of other stuff too like stretching and smaller muscle work for rehab. I’m much better for it.

And I do them when I want and where ever I want. 100 pressups before lunch on Monday, 50 pull ups before lunch on Tuesday, 200 lunges before lunch on Wed…

The only concession I’ve made is I don’t bar bench at home, just use dumbbells; not prepared to drop 100kg on my neck and I don’t trust the spotters on my squat rack…

hooli that’s so funny and correct.

Our ‘snug’ is also my exercise cave.

Tacx Neo/turbo bike/zwfit on a pc mounted telly and a monster industrial fan.

TRX and a mount point on the ceiling

Kettle bells – 12/16/24kg

Swiss ball

Does me – I have a free small gym less than 200m away and still the home gym is the default option.

How about the local park? It’s free and open all year round, most are well equipped with monkey bars and picnic benches

I’m staying longer at work and hope by 1800 most people have finished and less queuing for the equipment.

6pm is peak **** at most gyms. Lunchtimes, if you can do it, are quiet times. Early morning is generally when the highest percentage of serious types are there.

YMMV.

Well I used a free pass to try it out.

It was super loud even with my headphones.

I had to queue for machines as people didn’t share between sets and rests.

Only one rope machine which I need for my injury.

People didn’t have sport towels for wiping their sweat.

Body odour was bad. Not mine.

The changing room stunk.

It was the cheap price that attracted me.

Think I’ll stick to bands and free weights at home while riding hills.

Guess I could pay more for a better gym.

Too much time eaten for gym. Home for me. I have no motivation problems only time problems.

But anyway, yeah weight lifting has improved my back no end. Used to really suffer, not anymore.

Maybe in 20 years time you will discover the macebell and then regret not trying one earlier…

Maybe. But rightnow i think having a shitter in the corner of my massive workoutspace is what I’ll try first.

Whatever you decide steer clear of any exercise you are good at. Form as Footflaps says is everything, if you do pull-ups train from deadhang, squats below parallel, ensure you get a good trainer to get you on the right path and put mobility above strength.
I like going to the gym so I can blast out some weighted pull-ups while the bicep curling bro’s watch in awe.

You thought about bootcamp? Train with lots of other like minded people, outdoor and exercises the whole body.
I’ve been doing it a couple of times a week as I previously had only been doing cardio. Really enjoying it. Bootcamp UK offer 10 sessions for £10 as in into. Not sure if that’s close to you though

How about the local park? It’s free and open all year round, most are well equipped with monkey bars and picnic benches

You can use the Calisthenics Parks app to find these. or I may be biased but The Great Outdoor Gym Company We have a find a gym page on the website.