Why do people want to go to a gym?
So that they can look good, feel active, stay healthy, bla bla bla.
Why do they pay lots of money every month towards a gym membership?
Because gyms are committment devices. They work.
How much time is invested in the gym ritual?
More than it needs to be. Mentally prepare yourself, get in your car, drive, change in locker, gym out, and then make your way back home. I think ~60% of the time is spent in non-gym time.
Is there a more effective way to accomplish this?
I believe so. Make a home gym. Now I realize not everyone has spare space to make a home gym. But it is not necessary to go all out. Start small. The basics are: chin-up bar, couple of dumbbells, kettlebell and enough space to do burpees. There is a ton of resources available online to walk you through how to get started. The best, and free, exercise to stay in shape is running.
I have a basic squat rack. I love it because I workout whenever I want. Typically daily. Listen to audiobooks while I workout. I stop wasting the commute and locker time. Have literally no excuses for not going to my home gym. One of the best investments I made.
There are just 5 basic exercises that will cover everything you will ever need to do at the gym:
- Deadlift
- Squat
- Shoulder press
- Bench press
- Bent over barbell row
A basic squat rack will allow you to do all this.
Cardio? Well running is free and can be done anywhere. So this covers everything you need.
We do what we can with what we have