3 Ways Your Home Gym is Hindering Your Gains

by | Jan 27, 2022 | Training | 0 comments

What if I told you that your home gym might be hindering your gains?

When the coronavirus forced us into our homes in 2020, I did my first home workout.

I took a backpack, filled up several 1.5-liter water bottles, and did some weighted pull-ups with them.

Since then, I have fitted a variety of exercises into my routine and experimented with different items around the house (like a towel) just long enough to conclude a home gym is probably not my thing.

 


I’ve always made my bread in the gym and in the outdoors. There’s something about seeing those familiar faces at Powerstation Gym. The fist bumps with Gurgel, the banter, and the bear hugs as Mike bark orders in the background like a drill sergeant.

Though for some of you, a home gym might probably have been your best investment over the last two years. 

Repurposing your garage into a home gym is a productive use of space.

Furthermore, home gym equipment has become affordable enough for most households.

There’s nothing wrong with working out at home. After all, most of us are already working from home. 

Having the best home gym setup in the world may help you go viral on social media. But has it helped you achieve the physique that you desire? 

Call me biased but I suspect a home gym might be hindering your gains.

If you are feeling dissatisfied with your fitness progress despite having a great setup at home, you might want to read this.

Here are three ways you could be short-changing yourself with a home gym.

 

You Miss Out on Network Effects

Network effects is a term thrown around a lot in corporate boardrooms, but it’s highly relevant in this context. 

There are several benefits to working out with friends or training partners in a commercial gym. 

Even with the best instructional videos, it can be difficult to get the technique right for certain exercises. Not using the proper form can compromise the effectiveness of your workout.

You can learn from experienced friends or trainers in the gym. Not to mention, the camaraderie will keep you motivated and energized throughout your training.

As a combat sports athlete, training camps are the best preparatory phase for any fighter. Like I told Kevin Hines, surrounding yourself with the right people and training environment will take you to a new level physically and mentally.

Network effects often lead to a more productive workout than you can get from training in your home gym.

 

You May Endanger Yourself

If you frequently train with heavy weights in your home gym, you might be needlessly endangering yourself.

According to a report by MedicareAdvantage.com, at-home exercise injuries resulting in an emergency room visit increased by more than 48% from the end of 2019 through the end of 2020.

It is advisable to always have a spotter on standby if you are gunning for a new personal record or trying to hit your one-rep maximum on a heavy lift. 

Friends or trainers at the gym can act as spotters and prevent unfortunate accidents from ever happening.

On the off chance that you do get injured, people in the gym can get you timely medical assistance. This may not be possible if you are alone in your home gym.

Getting injured can halt your training progress and even undo all the hard work you’ve invested so far.

You could very well be putting yourself at risk and endangering your progress when you train alone at home.

 

You may Procrastinate and become Unproductive

Most people often cite convenience as a major advantage of having a home gym. However, this convenience is also a double-edged sword. 

It may trick you into putting off your workout simply because you believe you can get to it anytime.

As a goal-oriented individual, I believe it is important to take active steps towards your goals every day. 

It may not seem like much, but I enjoy taking my breakfast, starting the car, and making the long drive to the gym. 

These are a series of progressive steps that helps me feel productive and confident that I’m getting closer to my goals.

When you work out at home, you tend to procrastinate and sometimes even slack off while training.

When you don’t have a home gym at the ready, it forces you to maximize every session. 

You will make the conscious effort to wake up early, eat healthily, just so you can clock your workout for the day. This helps you to become more responsible, disciplined, and active.

 

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