From an IE Reader:

“With MED, is it even worth my wife and I keeping our family gym membership?  What do you do?”

Great question and one that I wrestle with from time to time.

My gym membership was only $20 per month to a very nice LA Fitness less than a mile away — about 6 months ago, I cancelled my membership and started working out in my garage twice a week with the Bowflex SelectTech 552 dumbbells and an inexpensive, yet still adjustable bench.

Looking back, I should have gone with the heavier Bowflex dumbbells and a more quality bench but I’m still happy – just not spoiled.

In addition to the weights and bench, I have a 53 lbs fat-handle kettlebell and a large physioball for myotatic crunches and some dumbbell exercises (e.g., butterflies, sitting overhead presses).

Cardio-wise, I’m mostly cycling these days with a longer ride (50+ miles) on the weekend and interval workouts (e.g., 4x sets of 20+ mph for 1 min 30 sec, rest for 1 min 30 sec at 15+ mph) using my CycleOps bicycle trainer.

I’m Indifferent

Whether I recommend you and your family to keep your gym membership or not, it all depends on whether you feel like you need to pay to go to a gym to be happy.  It’s entirely possible to cancel the gym membership and make an initial investment for some gear at home (or in your garage).

Admittedly, I miss the access to heavier weights (mostly for the Yates Row) and access to a warm indoor pool but, as with most others during this time of year, I do not miss how busy gyms can become and having to wait for exercise equipment which, ultimately, was the deciding factors for me to cancel my gym membership.

For me, it works

With that said, I am still able to experience the same muscle/fitness gains I saw at the gym without having to pay the fee or risk altering my workout due to an equipment queue.  For me (and many others), it works beautifully.

I highly recommend all the products listed in this article for anyone looking to begin or continue working out at home.