Earlier this week I posted an article discussing some of the benefits of having a home weightlifting gym. I am a huge fan of having a home gym as anyone who knows me will attest. ‘The Young Family Gym For Middle-Aged Muscles’ is one of my favorite places to be.
With that being said, having a gym membership has many benefits too, and as I pointed out in my home gym article, having both a home gym and a ‘regular’ gym membership gives you the best of both worlds.
I get a significant gym membership discount through my health insurance and encourage readers of this article to check with their health insurance providers to see if they have a similar program. Below are some benefits of having a gym membership.
Better Equipment
One of the greatest benefits of having a gym membership is the quality and quantity of the equipment they have there, assuming that it is a decent gym. In my home gym, I have an adjustable bench, a treadmill, a pullup bar, some dumbbells, a barbell, and some resistance cables/bands. It is more than enough to get in a decent workout, however, it pales in comparison to what is at the gym where I go.
A machine like a leg press is not something that most people can fit at their house. The same goes for things like a squat cage, pulley cables, Hammer Strength machines, Nautilus machines, and several other pieces of equipment that are common at ‘regular’ gyms. There is more to choose from at a gym, and since the equipment is built for commercial use, it is heavy-duty, and that typically allows people to lift heavier if they want to.
Removing Distractions
One thing that I like about going to a gym to workout is that I can leave all of my life distractions at the gym door. Life is full of distractions – work, various functions, bills, and other sources of stress. To be fair, life also has many distractions that are not necessarily stressful, but they can be distractions nonetheless. When I am on my way to the gym, I put all of those things out of my mind, and instead focus on the reps and sets that I am about to knock out. When I am in my home gym, it can sometimes be harder to focus on the task at hand because of various interruptions that don’t happen while at the ‘regular’ gym. I find gym sessions to be therapeutic, and I leave the gym feeling accomplished and better prepared to get back to the grind of life (the good and the bad!).
Classes and Trainers
A gym is a great place to learn. You can learn from the staff and trainers that work there, and/or by taking classes. Both working with a personal trainer and taking classes at a gym are great ways to learn more about fitness and to get motivated. I don’t take classes too often because I prefer to lift weights, but I know a lot of people who love the environment and structure of gym classes. The same goes for working with a personal trainer. I am blessed to have a father who was a longtime personal trainer, but for people who don’t have that benefit, working with a personal trainer can provide structure and help keep people motivated.
Make New Friends
Making gym friends is another great benefit of joining a gym. I recently saw a meme featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu with the text reading ‘Maybe the real gains are the friends that we made along the way’ and it is one of my favorite memes of all time. Making ‘swolemates’ at the gym is a great way to boost accountability and motivation, and it gives you people to compare fitness journey notes with. It also helps you go harder in the gym by having someone who can spot you and give you tips about improving your form.
Improves Mental Health
A major potential benefit of working out at a gym may be improved mental health. A study conducted in January 2025 by researchers affiliated with various health and academic institutions in Spain, Chile, Finland, and the Netherlands looked at ‘exercise type and setting, quality of life, and mental health.’ The researchers found that exercise in a gym setting improved mental health among the study’s participants, “whereas home-based programmes were not significantly associated with improvements in these outcomes.” Something to think about!
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Disclaimer: The contents of this article and this website are not meant to substitute for the professional advice of a doctor, nutritionist, and/or certified personal trainer. This content is provided as an educational tool to help people on their fitness journeys. While we strive to research topics as much as possible and provide useful and accurate information to the best of our abilities, we also strongly recommend talking to your doctor, nutritionist, and/or certified personal trainer before starting any workout, therapeutic, or nutritional regimen, as each individual’s needs and situations vary depending on the person.