Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Gym Membership

I have been toying around with the possibility of canceling our YMCA membership for a few months. We currently have a family membership monthly fee of $62 ($744 a year). Basically I utilize the weight room 2 to 3 times a week, cycle class twice and month, and every now and then I will throw an alternate class or a swim in just for a change. The location is very close (.73 miles) from our house so I often just run there and back to save on gas. Other than that I am always running or cycling outdoors. Mainly running of course.

My resistance training can just as easily be done from home. Will I be as focused? Will I feel disconnected from our running friends if we leave? What are your thoughts on this bloggers? Do most of you have memberships to a gym?

On the workout front: (Storms prevented any running last night)

Elliptical 60 minutes hard (Gym benefit)
Upper and lower resistance weight training
Core

Tonight I will join my husband down town for a run through the park. Still pretty sore from the lunges from last night and looking forward to working that out tonight. This is something that I have needed to add to my workouts and my body is letting me know it!! Greenville has plenty of hills so my sore hip flexors and hamstrings will feel it for sure.

One other note about the gym membership is that the extra money could sure be used to cover all the expenses that running can have. Race entry fees, more shoes, messages, clothing, more shoes…. and not to mention travel cost to out of town races. I am a budgeter and love to justify what our family spends.

So bring it on…. Thoughts anyone??

Robin

13 comments:

David said...

Scott seems to use it for the pool, and if Greg uses it (or will) it's worth keeping the family membership. Otherwise, it is a cost that it seems you could do without. You could buy an indoor trainer for the bicycle for about 2 months membership or so, and have that for rainy day workouts in the garage any time. If you want to borrow ours to check it out, please be our guest. Just don't think you are getting away from our house without having at least one frosty and delicious BPD.

Overpronator said...

My vote is to keep the membership. I do go to my gym regularly, but you would miss it if you didn't have it ... always there for you ... as an indoor option.

Wes said...

I use my gym pretty much to swim, and that's it. I use one of those Total Gyms at home from my muscle toning. I wouldn't call it strength training :-) We have one of those Fitness 19s right by my house. They are popping up all over. It's 19 dollars a month, no contracts. Have you looked for an alternative?

Deene said...

i cancelled my annual membership at a good gym about a year ago and i miss it sometimes. I was able to find another gym that let me purchase a pass for 20 visits and I'm only on the second pass. I mainly use the currently gym for swim.

Jess said...

I have gone back and forth on the gym debate and currently I am without gym -- it's working out just fine. The only thing I miss are the classes.

Stephanie said...

I couldn't imagine training home alone. Besides the equipment I do get a lot of inspiration from gym members when I see them train. Also new ideas for new exercises, plus I love coming to the gym - everyone knows you and says hello.

Lets say I am injured and can’t run...it is so great to be able to still do something…and get out.

So if you can afford it, keep it;-)

Marcy said...

I don't have a membership to a gym BUT I think I might have to at least think about it once the cold weather comes rolling in. I can't NOT run 4-5 months out of the year :-( If I lived in a more favorable climate state, I probably wouldn't.

Wes has a good point though, maybe a monthly deal? Do any of the gyms do that around there?

Anonymous said...

I have cancelled my 24 hour membership and then re-signed up a few times over the years without penalties... check and see if the YMCA will allow you to do so if you end up changing your mind later...

Scott McMurtrey said...

i cancelled my gym membership soon after i got sadie as a running partner. they wouldn't let her in the gym with me. :( i do miss some of the specialized equipment though, but i find that doing pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, and a few individual leg exercises cover the main stuff well. but i don't have a swimming option, and it was nice to play raquetball every now and then.

oh, and when i was training for mr. universe it was nice to work on my glutes at the gym. just to show off, really. :)

J~Mom said...

I don't have one and I debate all the time. Right now if I was to use a gym it would have be first thing in the morning and I don't see that happening on a regular basis. Once my little guy starts school I might reconsider.

Randy - Maniac #788 said...

We just got a gym membership to mostly help out with crosstraining, which just wasn't happening otherwise. I would opt to keep it or look for a less expensive alternative.

zanne said...

this is an easy one for me. i hate gyms - so i'm all for voting you put the money to good use elsewhere. race fees, clothes, sneakers, etc ... i also agree with the guy who said you can get a good bike trainer for the price of a couple of months & do your bike workouts at home.

Mendy said...

That's hard Robin, considering it's so close and we will be having those summer thunderstorms coming in (like they have been all week) quite a bit. What does Scott think?

I know he's hitting the pool too... I don't know - hard call. Here lately, we've just been using the pool and from time to time I'll do some leg strength training but not too much.