I’ve had a love/hate relationship with gyms. I suspect many of you can relate.
Like expensive coffee, high-end gym memberships are a hot topic in the budget-sphere. There’s arguably inherent value in having unrestricted access to a local gym but the hefty price tag often deters cautious consumers.
A modern phenomenon
Still, the fitness center trend continues on a steady upswing with the U.S. market alone generating $34 billion in the past year.
Gymnasiums for formal athletic training have been around since Ancient Greece but the trend towards contemporary gyms designed for the general population didn’t start until just a half century ago.
The first ‘health clubs’ as they were originally dubbed were born shortly after the consumer treadmill was invented in the late 1960’s. Aerobic exercise was popularized around the same time by health researcher Dr. Kenneth Cooper. Together, they contributed to the rise of the global fitness trend we see today.
From practical to psychological
However, mere health and weight loss are no longer the main appeal for gym traffic. What started out as a practical means to fitness is now driven by more complex motivations that help explain why we continue to shell out thousands of dollars a year on gym memberships.
As early as 1972, journalists marveled in Today’s Health that “…part of the appeal and actual value of a health club, it seems, is as much psychological as physical.”
There are many factors that render a gym-going experience worthwhile as opposed to a nightmare. However, the biggest contributor to satisfaction in gym memberships is not how we use the gym, but why.The biggest contributor to satisfaction in gym memberships is not how we use the gym, but why. Click To Tweet
Here are some reasons why I believe reasonably-priced gym memberships are worth it:
Social engagement
It’s no secret that social interaction is one of the biggest advantages of going to a gym in lieu of other exercise options.
From the sense of community felt in group exercise classes to friendly fitness competitions, gyms do a good job of feeding our human need for socializing.
Beyond these obvious perks, however, lies some additional benefits observed in recent research studies.
In one journal article by researcher Marc Stern, we gain reassurance from joining a gym and feel socially connected watching others while also being observed doing the “virtuous” act of working out. This provides a sense of validation that trumps the misery felt during exercise.
“…the longing for validation helped drive the exercisers to greater efforts in this panopticon of self-imposed discipline and punishment, where public pain was gain in both the physical and psychological sense,” explained Stern.
Belonging to a gym also fosters accountability between workout partners, whether directly or indirectly. You might promise to meet someone at a certain time or informally commit to showing up to the same class every week.
Either way, there’s a certain “moral pressure for attendance,” as Stern calls it. This kind of accountability helps us stick to workout regimens instead of skipping out and spiraling down a slippery slope of excuses.
While home gym equipment and technology has gotten quite advanced, “there is simply no replacing the interactivity and engagement that comes with a fully-fledged gym membership,” concludes this article on the future of gyms.
Even with the advent of alternatives like YouTube fitness channels and workout instructions via blogs and social media, physical gyms continue to anchor the bulk of the fitness industry.
Convenience
Modern gyms strive to cater to members’ every challenge or need. While convenience seems like a practical benefit to gym membership, it can also have psychological effects.
Some might find the vast array of equipment and amenities offered at the average gym overwhelming, but seasoned gym-goers may appreciate the variety as a means to experiment and get out of workout ruts. Trying out different equipment and activities keeps exercise interesting. It also prevents your body from adapting to certain workouts which could stall you from reaching your fitness goals.
Most gyms are open before dawn all the way through late evening (some even 24 hours). Their ability to accommodate a wide range of schedules prevents us from making excuses about getting up early or working late. Likewise, gyms operate rain or shine, nixing bad weather as an obstacle to exercise.
My favorite convenience factor of gym membership, though, is child care. As a mother of three with a husband who frequently travels, child care at the gym has been a life saver. After hours of mediating and petty interventions, it’s refreshing to take a break from the littles.
Even when I don’t intend to work out, simply having the luxury of dropping them off for a couple of hours while I catch up on work in the lounge provides a much needed refuge. I’m not ashamed to say a big contributor to my success in passing the CFP board exam last year was the hours I spent studying at the gym while my kids were in child care.
Personal investment
The biggest objection to gym membership is usually the cost. But that could also be its biggest advantage when you view it as an investment in yourself.The biggest objection to gym membership is usually the cost. But that could also be its biggest advantage when you view it as an investment in yourself. Click To Tweet
Amidst our modern day stories of wild consumption are the ones lauding extreme frugality as the golden antidote to materialism. Yet, fixating on thrift at the expense of health can be detrimental to our long-term wellbeing.
I believe investing in our health and physical wellbeing should be just as important–perhaps even more important–than investing in other aspects of our lives. What good is a large investment portfolio if we’re not physically well enough to enjoy it? How can we expect to be healthy in retirement if we’re not willing to be healthy now?
If nothing else, stepping up to pay for a gym membership is an affirmation to ourselves that we’re worth the investment. The conscious decision to prioritize our personal health is just as worthy an expense as any other, regardless of how many times we go each week or whether we’re ‘getting our money’s worth’. We need to believe that it matters–that our health and wellbeing is worth fighting for–before we can work to preserve it.
Researcher Nick Crossley writes, “The gym was defined as a place where [members] could get away from the demands of work and family. Time spent at the gym was perceived as time spent upon oneself.”
This may sound like a selfish thing to do. After all, no one else is benefiting from our workouts but us, right?
Actually, exercising can be one of the most selfless things we do–it’s a labor of love. When we take care of our bodies, we’re empowering ourselves to be that much more capable of serving others. Going to the gym regularly enables us to be more physically, mentally, and emotionally fit so we can give our best to our families, our jobs, and our communities. And that is priceless.
Subjective value
At the end of the day, the value of gym memberships can be debated either way. It could be the biggest waste of money or it could be worth every penny. It all depends on how you look at it.
If you focus purely on the practical reasons for working out at a gym (i.e. get fit, lose weight, build muscle tone, etc.), it may not be much more compelling than other fitness options.
But examining more closely the ‘why’ of gym membership and considering its social, logistical, and deeply personal impact on wellbeing may better illuminate the real value of continuing gym patronage.
Whatever your conclusion, exercise within any venue is better than no exercise at all.
As fitness guru Jane Fonda says, “―exercise isn‘t a panacea for everything…But there‘s no question that much of what ails us can be lessened by making the heart and lungs really work.”
