The Challenges of a Home Gym

Erin Mellinger • February 8, 2021

Due to Covid, many people have given up their gym memberships in hopes of creating a home gym to help them stay active. We know that because of the large decline in gym memberships, and the fact that it is nearly impossible to find dumbbells or weight benches anywhere right now.

The caution of spreading germs is very understood and appreciated, but there are some challenges to a home gym that you should consider before investing in that gym equipment.



Challenge Number 1: You need to purchase a lot of equipment to do it right.

Although many different products have been invented and advertised as all you need to get a total body workout, none of them are effective at getting you the variety, balance, and effectiveness you can get from a gym or studio.

For example, bands are a great way to work the muscles. They hit your muscles and joints differently than free weights do, so they are great to include in any fitness routine. But if you only lift with bands, you are not getting the advantages of free weights, Olympic style lifts, or stability work.

Also, if you think you can get away with a few dumbbells, you won’t get an effective workout for all your muscles either. For a typical Axio client, we may give them 15 lb. dumbbells to do an incline dumbbell press, 10 lb. dumbbells to do bicep curls, and a 35 lb. dumbbell to do one arm rows. If you just had 15 lb. dumbbells, your bicep curls and rows for your back muscles would not be proper and effective.


Challenge Number 2: There is a Higher Risk of Injury

Even if you have all the equipment needed for an effective total body workout, there is still a risk of injuring yourself. If you are not experienced with exercise, you may risk improper form or using the wrong type of equipment for an exercise. A personal trainer is great for monitoring form and ensuring exercises are done with the proper equipment.

Injuries are a sure way to slow or stop progress all together. Preventing injury during exercise should be at the top of your mind always.


Challenge Number 3: You Have No Accountability

Personal training naturally provides the best and most effective accountability. But even gym memberships provide accountability because you are paying every month to use the facilities. When you don’t want to waste your money by never going to the gym, but you know you shouldn’t cancel your membership because you need to do something, you naturally get a level of accountability a home gym does not provide.

Although gym equipment for your home is not cheap and it can add up to a large investment, once it’s paid for, you aren’t feeling the same sting as a regular charge do your bank account. You may use the equipment for a while “because you paid for it” but after a while the financial sting is totally gone and many people struggle with the motivation to not waste the money invested in a home gym.


Whether it is a gym membership, home gym, or any type of fitness studios, I encourage you to do something. A home gym is better than not trying anything at all. So, if you feel it is right for you, please do it! We all need to be more active and exercise regularly for the rest of our lives.

But if you are self-aware and you can understand how any of these three challenges could prevent you from seeing results, I encourage you to consider Axio Fitness before investing in home gym equipment.

At Axio Fitness we are not a gym. We have very small, personal, and low traffic facilities. Our clients are only with one trainer, who wears a mask, and no one else in the same room as them. A very safe environment to prevent the spread of germs.

Many of our clients at Axio Fitness come to us to learn how to exercise properly, what equipment they like and need, and then go on to purchase home gym equipment with confidence. Before investing in home equipment, please give us a call and learn all the ways we help our clients.

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