Almost everyone who sticks to their workout routine has found a type of fitness they love. This can mean taking Crossfit classes several times a week, running a run every morning, or hiring a personal trainer to guide you through an individual workout. However, everything comes at a cost.
So let’s talk about what you’ll spend in a variety of scenarios, from the cost of each type of gym, to the upgrades you’re likely to want, to the cost of comparing home alternatives.
Go to a no-frills gym
What it takes to get started: The main cost here is membership itself. Budget chain gyms can be as low as $ 10 or $ 20 a month, with slightly nicer spots around $ 50 or more. Watch out for additional fees in the fine print.
For your first day, you will need suitable shoes, clothes, and a gym bag with some basic items like a water bottle. The cost of this will vary, but you probably already have these items at home.
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Possible upgrades: A good personal trainer can guide you through a workout and reduce your uncertainty about exactly what to do while making sure you are following a program that will lead you to your goals, regardless of what it is. Lessons Estimates An hour-long session with a trainer can average anywhere from $ 35 to $ 120, depending on how fancy your gym is.
If you are not working with a trainer, you can plan your workouts yourself and stick to your goals. Free or paid training programs or online trainers can fill the void. The prices vary widely.
Do it at home: There is no way they can fully recreate the fitness experience at home, since the whole reason to go to a gym is because they have all that stuff. But you can get by with a collection of free weights or resistance bands, a barbell with weights if you can grab one, and maybe a cardio machine or some running shoes. The price of this investment varies widely depending on how much equipment you want to collect.
Crossfit
What it takes to get started: Crossfit Boxing (as they are called) are among the most expensive gyms out there. A typical membership in the United States costs $ 156 per month. after laps for the timeBut that’s an average of unlimited memberships (often around $ 200) and limited ones (e.g., $ 100 for once or twice weekly access). Just like in a regular gym, you need basic workout clothes and equipment to get started.
Possible upgrades: Crossfit enthusiasts often collect specialty items such as different types of shoes, climbing socks, and more. Because exercise combines components like lifting, gymnastics, and cardio, you may need more equipment than a gym where you only do a few of the same things over and over again. If you take the sport seriously, you may also pay extra to spend more time in the gym or class.
Do it at home: Like a commercial gym, purchasing the equipment you need becomes very expensive very quickly. But many crossfit-style workouts can be done with little to no equipment: think burpees and running. You can google free training ideas or sign up for an online service like Parking on the street, which offers home workouts for $ 19 a month.
Indoor cycling
What it takes to get started: Classes in a fancy studio typically cost anywhere from $ 20 to $ 40, with packages and memberships bringing the cost down slightly. My local CycleBar offers a 10-class package for $ 169 or unlimited rides for $ 149 / month; in the same area SoulCycle fees $ 280 for a 10 class package.
Commercial gyms and community fitness centers sometimes offer bike classes as part of membership or as an add-on package for much less than trendy gyms.
Possible upgrades: If you do this long enough, you will end up wanting your own shoes, which cost around $ 100.
Do it at home: Peloton is the classic option here, and there are other companies out there that will sell you a similar smart bike. Peloton’s standard package is $ 2000 for the bike and accessories, and membership is an additional $ 39 per month.
You can also use the cheaper Peloton app (or another app like Apple Fitness +) with an indoor bike that you already own or you can Put your bike on an indoor trainer for a full DIY experience.
To run
What it takes to get started: Shoes to start with. If you have some old sneakers that won’t hurt your feet you’ll be fine, but pretty soon you’ll likely be buying a pair of real running shoes for around $ 100.
And if you have breasts, a quality sports bra is a must. Depending on how much assistance you need, you’ll see $ 20 to $ 50 or more. (Hand wash it after each run and you can get away with just one or two.)
Possible upgrades: If you’re serious about running, you probably want a watch that tracks your pace and other metrics like your heart rate. (Garmins are loved by serious runners; Fitbits or Apple Watches do the trick for most of us casual gamers.)
And then there are races. An entry fee for a local 5K is around $ 25, but marathons and halves can easily cost $ 100 and up. Big ticket marathons can cost $ 300, if you can even get in, and sometimes runners plan a vacation around their dream race. This is a sport that can cost as much or as little as you want.
