Working out in a gym can actually help you lose weight and exercise more efficiently. Gyms and health clubs offer skilled fitness professionals to help you plan weight loss and fitness goals, offer specialized workout routines and give you motivation. Another perk is when you are in the gym, the only thing to do is focus on your fitness. Gyms offer freedom from unexpected phone calls, getting caught up in a TV show or finding other diversions from exercise.
Workout Equipment
Gyms provide a vast array of workout machines and aerobic riders that cannot be compared with a home gym. This helps overcome boredom with a variety of machines and free weights to exercise the whole body. Gyms usually offer a large number of aerobic riders so you can work out with a friend. Having a friend on the next bike or treadmill will make your workout less boring and help you stick to your exercise routine, advises the National Institutes of Health in its Weight-control Information Network. The exercise machines in gyms will keep your body posture correct and teach you the proper way to lift weights. They also have weight stacks that allow you to increase the weight incrementally as you grow stronger.
Fitness Experts
Gyms provide fitness experts, also called personal trainers, that can help you design an exercise program, show you the proper way to lift weights and help you plan weight loss or other fitness goals. Gyms attract many fitness experts and athletes who can offer exercise tips and strategies. If you are new to exercise, getting a few personal training sessions can help you get focused and learn the ropes in the gym. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends getting instruction from a personal trainer before using strength-training equipment.
Varied Workout Programs
Another gym workout program is group exercise. Most gyms offer various classes at different times to suit your personal exercise style and schedule. Most gyms provide step aerobics, some sort of kickboxing, Pilates, yoga, body pump and water aerobics. Water aerobics is especially effective exercise for people with rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study headed by Angela Reid published in the 2011 issue of "BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders." The study concluded that RA patients engaged in planned, structured and repetitive exercise experienced improved physical and psychological well-being without exacerbating the arthritis.
Recovery and Relaxation
Gyms provide saunas, hot tubs and steam baths that help you relax and recover from your workout. These can be nice ways to wind down from a workout and pamper yourself. Treats such as a spa at the end of a workout gives you something to look forward to at the end of your training session.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Recommended Exercise Methods; Harvey Simon, M.D.; May 2009
- National Institutes of Health: Weight-control Information Network; Tips to Help Get You Active; January 2009
- "BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders"; Randomised Controlled Trial Examining the Effect of Exercise in People with Rheumatoid Arthritis ...; Angela Reid, et al.; January 2011
- "European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology"; Contribution of hGH20K Variant to Blood hGH Response in Sauna and Exercise; S. Dore, et al.; 1991
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