Working out, do you go to a gym, or exercise at home, or not at all

[Captain_Fantastic]

ok here is my question, do you work out ie.exercise if so do you go to a gym or just do things like push ups and jogging

i for one don't like going to the gym to work out mostly because i would be a beginner there and i CANNOT stand the feeling of anybody looking down on me(not viewing me as an equal)
and partially because i would prefer muscle being built off of function instead of the other way around so i keep to doing push ups sit ups crunches all that at home as well as doing basic jobs without machine assistance like chopping wood and walking instead of driving


any tips or advice are welcome

 

[Gaiseric]

The only gym I've been to was at my Jr High and High schools. I'm too self conscious to go to the gym right now so even when I run I do so really early in the morning. I have a bench(used), some free weights(some used), weight machine I got from a garage sale, an exercise bike, and running shoes. I do all of my work out at home except for when I go running that I do outside.

edit: Tips? Whatever you choose to do I'd say to start slow and maybe see your doctor before starting(if you are overweight it might be a good idea). Oh, and if you could exercise while doing a hobby that would be awesome.

edit part 2!: Any discomfort I feel with people watching me workout has begun to dissipate the more I do. Perhaps the fit you become you'll begin to not care or won't feel as if others are looking down on you.

 

[Rawne1980]

I do go to the gym quite a bit.

I've always been a physical kind of guy and with now working from home my activities have lessened somewhat so I go to the gym to keep myself in shape.

I also have a multigym at home for days when I can't get out.

As far as advice goes, you pretty much have the right idea. Gym work is fine but it helps if you have a activities that keep your muscles working much like chopping wood which i've heard is fantastic for upper body ... and co-ordination.

Walking aswell is a good one. Even if it's just for 20 or 30 minutes taking a stroll somewhere, just something to keep you going.

Push ups, sit ups and crunches are good for keeping yourself going and keeping your muscles active.

You don't need a gym to keep yourself fit or build up you just need something to work your muscles and do it on a regular basis. And keep active.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I do my stuff by myself. Weight training at home with regular running/jogging (though I've had to cut back on that recently since basically dropping my futon frame on my toe.. argh). Also, don't just think of working out as lifting weights or running. If you live a generally active life, you won't need to spend hours and hours in the gym. Play a sport, ride a bike, take the stairs, walk to work, etc.

One thing a gym does give you that working out at home won't is gives you some pretty heavy monetary motivation. Once you pay for a gym membership, you're pretty much stuck with it. That can be a pretty powerful motivator knowing that every day you don't go to the gym is money going down the toilet. Gyms also provide easy access to professional training, even if it generally costs extra. A trainer can be a good idea if you're just lost and need someone to guide you along and help in all aspects of your healthier lifestyle.

Lifestyle? Yes, lifestyle. That's actually probably the most important thing. You can spend 23 hours a day working out and it won't help if you eat like crap. As complicated as weight loss or weight maintenance can be, it can also be boiled down to burning more calories than you consume while still eating enough calories to fuel your life.

 

[lobster1077]

Not a big fan of gyms. Do quite a bit of rowing and parkour draped in assassin robes of course. Works like a charm. Don't mean to gloat but I'm in great shape at the moment, six pack and all.

 

[LilithSlave]

I sadly haven't been going to the gym in a while. I need to buy a new membership.

I have, on the other hand, been playing Tennis regularly lately.

 

[SckizoBoy]

I'm a cheapskate, so gym membership is a no-no for me, 'cos it's so damned expensive (and I need to pay for martial arts club membership and all). Besides, I've got a punchbag at home, weights, a cycling machine and my neighbourhood is quiet enough for me to go running at midnight in complete silence.

 

[FilipJPhry]

I go to the gym to work on weight-lifting. Always go with a friend so you wouldn't feel much shame.

If you want to do all of your exercise at home: download a torrent of P-90X, get a set of dumbbells, a yoga mat, and a chin-up bar. You're set! If you have room for a multi-gym, buy one.

At home is when I do yoga and abs. No longer possible thanks to tiny dorms.
I usually walk whenever possible, frigging gas prices in Canada are insane.

 

[Kpt._Rob]

I exercise at home, mostly because when I started I felt just like you, and now that I don't I'm so used to working out here, and I've got a good enough set up I don't have to move to a gym anyways. If you're willing to get your equipment used (think craigslist, stuff like that), you can get some top notch exercise equipment for cheap. Just imagine how many people were sitting around with a tub of ice cream, saw that commercial, and made a spur of the moment decision that they would change their lives. You think all of them stuck with it? Hell no. Most people are lazy, and just looking for an easy way out, when they realized exercise wasn't it they gave up, and now they've got this machine taking up space in their home, but it's too valuable to just throw away.

So I have a nice weight machine, it goes up to 200LB, though I'm not near that strong yet (so I've still got lots of room to grow with this particular machine). I generally do ladders, starting with 90LB 10-25 times, then 80LB 25-50 times, then 70.... well you get the picture. It kills you. But I've also got an exercise bike, and quite a few free weights as well as strap on wrist weights and a medicine ball. And I also do push ups, bicycle and crunch things, and when I'm feeling genuinely suicidal burpees.

So, after you've secured any equipment you want, and have found some other exercises that you like to use, my first piece of advice to you is this. DON'T say to yourself "well I'll just do so many of this exercise on this day." It's ridiculously impossible to stick with, and while you may be the exception, most people won't stick with it. Instead, designate a time in the morning to work out for a duration of time, doing whatever exercise you feel is right to work on that day, or maybe doing a few and working on different areas. 20-30 minutes is a good time frame to start with. Starting with 40-60 minute work outs it's too easy to get burned out and give up.

My second piece of advice, find something to motivate you to want to work out. What I like to do, is use the money I'm saving on gym membership fees to get cheap shows that I'd like to see on DVD. The first time I watch them through, I'm only allowed to watch them while I'm working out. It works especially well with a show that you really want to see more of, because you get up and you're looking forward to finding out what happens next. By the time you're done, if you've done your work out right, you are covered in sweat, and instead of feeling tired you feel more pumped than you can imagine.

These things have all worked pretty well for me, so take them as you will, but hopefully they'll be helpful.

 

[Berenzen]

I don't work out at the gym, simply because the exercise I do on a daily basis keeps me pretty fit. I'll do 50 sit-ups, 50 V-sit crunches, 2-3 km of swimming (depends on the workout I do, this is usually about 1.5 hours) and anywhere between 10-15 km of biking, which I do as my main method of transportation. I will also run about 20k on Sunday mornings.

It keeps me fit, toned but not ripped, and fairly strong with fairly good cardio. It also fits into my school schedule, I do the crunches in the morning while watching the news, bike to school/work/girlfriends house, and swim at about 7 pm at my university. It works well for me as I live right by campus (maybe 1 km away), though it probably isn't for most people, as I am a university student who still lives with his parents.

 

[AbstractJuggler]

I'll do some of the more basic stuff at home, like dumbbell lifting, cardio on the treadmill (although I could just jog), and exercises you don't need special equipment for, but I also do rugby for around 5 hours a week. I also walk almost everywhere (within reason). As long as I'm doing it well, I don't mind if I'm going to a gym or not. In my eyes, gyms are only really worth it if you can't do it at home, because it just costs more money for a gym membership.
I do, however, have a friend who thinks it is impossible to work out at home, because according to him, you need to use a rowing machine and an elliptical and an exercise bike and a barbell and a treadmill and...etcetera etcetera. Needless to say he knows next to nothing about working out and just pretends he does to look fancy.
Tips-wise, if you're purposely trying to build muscle by doing exercises until you "FEEL THE BURN!", then do it on alternate days to avoid damaging the muscles and to give them time to repair between sessions. For weight loss or just general cardio, you could do something as simple as go for a jog whenever it fits in to your schedule. If you did that on alternate days too (but different from muscle building days), then it would give you something to be doing each day without going over the top if you so wanted.

My second piece of advice, find something to motivate you to want to work out.

This too. Otherwise you'll just wake up one day, think "I can't really be bothered today. But I'll make up for it tomorrow." And then think the same thing the day after, and the day after that, and the day after that...

 

[Boxer.H1x]

I go to the gym almost every day. I've been doing mostly body weights, trying to do Navy SEAL workouts on a regular basis. I've been trying to get started on the pool there, but it's closed, and my back could use a couple good workouts.

I'm getting my friend to help me out with my form with back workouts, and I'm going to see if I can ask a few spare dumbbell weights from the gym to stuff in my backpack to lug around all day. If nothing else, I'll be bringing it up and down 4 flights of stairs.

EDIT: To answer your question for help, start small. Don't worry if people look at you. When I started, I was using the girly two-and-a-half dumbbells to curl with, which is embarrassing.

When I did my first bench set, I had to do the bar with a tiny donut on each side. It looks and sounds embarrassing, but you work through it. You promise to yourself that you'll get bigger, and you'll do whatever it takes.

Honestly, I'd say suck it up and do it. As bad as it seems, it gets better the more you work at it. Eating is important too, so start looking up healthy food groups and good foods to eat to fill those quotas. Your body will fill out. Your confidence will go through the roof. Just keep at it, and whatever happens, don't let that gym intimidate you.

 

[Erana]

I don't mind gyms, really. I don't like working out at home because getting cardio typically involves things that makes vases and the like to wobble disconcertingly and equipment just takes up too much space. There's also the idea that when I go somewhere dedicated entirely to something, I tend to be more focused.

That being said, I do like cardio on a stationary bike because I can play mobile games while doing it. And I always seem to work harder when I'm playing a game, for some reason. You'd think I'd get distracted.

Still, I don't think there's any shame in going to the gym in whatever state. The only time anyone else bothers me is when they either don't wipe down equipment after they've used it or they pick up weight that is waaaay too much for them and make weird, loud grunts that I'd swear sounds like they're trying to be some sort of hydraulic machinery.

If you're a tidy person and do workouts properly, then there's no real reason for anyone to look down on you for something as great as working on physical fitness.

Also, Stretch before you begin. I cannot stress this enough. A good, gentile full-body stretch will both improve your flexibility and drastically lessen the liklihood of injury.

 

[MasterOfWorlds]

I go to the gym at my college since it's free, between two and three times a week. I also chop wood when I take down tree limbs and such as a workout. You'd be surprised at how many calories you burn if you chop wood for five hours a day, five days a week and only eat two meals and drink 4 liters or so of water.

 

[pppppppppppppppppp]

I go to the gym for strength stuff, but I go outside and run a few miles everyday. I'm doing it for health of course, but also I'm training to join our varsity cross-country team next year. Tired of all the bullshit in marching band and wanna try something new, but you probably didn't need to know that.

Anyway, the only advice I have is work hard, don't be stupid, and consult a trainer if you can afford it.

 

[Captain_Fantastic]

well it is true i dont often work out at a set time or date i just do some push ups and all that whenever convenient im a cheap person without much for indoor free space so i don't have much for workout equipment but i balance that loss with having hobbies and a large wilderness area(living in a small canadian town does have some perks) i can go out for a walk up a small mountain chop wood row a kayak around a lake in what i call the wild man workout it works pretty well by my standards

but im by no means the next mr.canada one may say im built like a linebacker i have some "fluff" but i have and am gaining the fitness and muscle to offset that

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Well I have a treadmill and a heavy bag at home for cardio but I got to the gym to lift 4-5 days a week. Since February I dropped 50 pounds and started lifting over the summer and I finally like the way I look so I plan on staying in the gym for a long time.