Regular exercise is important for a healthy body. One of the biggest questions when developing an exercise regimen 
is whether to buy a treadmill or get a gym membership.
The best way to answer this is to weigh the pros and cons of each.
Let’s find out why you should buy a treadmill or whether it’s a waste of money.
Contents
The Treadmill
A treadmill is a convenient piece of equipment for exercising.
It does not require a lot of space to set up. Setting it up is really straightforward and really easy.
Pros of Using a Treadmill
Anyone can simply get on one and start walking. It does not take too long to prepare unlike when you’re preparing for gym routines and workouts. Anyone can use the treadmill anytime of the day.
You can use it no matter what kind of weather you have outside. Hence, the treadmill can help people stick to their exercise schedules without too much hassle.
If you get home at night and want to exercise at 2AM, get on a treadmill and start walking. You won’t have to worry about your safety like when you go outdoors at night.
Some treadmills have added features for different workout intensities. You can run or walk on a treadmill depending on your preferred mode or level of exercise.
On a treadmill, the main muscles getting a workout are the quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. The core muscles of the abs and the back are also used. Swinging the arms can help recruit many other muscles in the body for an overall workout.
This is a good option for certain fitness goals. For instance, treadmill is good for quicker weight loss goals. An hour running on the treadmill can effectively burn 750 calories.
The type of running surface of the treadmill is also better on the joints compared to outdoors. The hard asphalt is uneven and often hard. The impact this kind of surface creates can have a negative effect on the joints. At times, the surface might be wet, which adds to safety concerns.
Place the treadmill in front of a window, on the porch or right in front of a TV to get the preferred environment for working out. It allows users to multi-task while exercising on the treadmill. This can be good option for people who want to get a few things done while exercising, such as watching TV or making calls.
Compared to the gym, having a treadmill eliminates waiting time. There are many instances when the gym is packed and people have to wait more than a few minutes before they can use a particular piece of equipment. This waiting period can interfere with achieving continuity in muscle activities. Fitness goals can be delayed significantly just because you had to wait before you can one equipment and then another.
Cons of Treadmill
A treadmill is for walking, jogging or running. These can utilize many major and minor muscle groups. However, it may not always give the desired amount of focused workload on certain muscles.
Despite some of the settings options offered by many kinds of treadmill, there is a limit to the type of workload on the muscles and the joints. People with joint problems may find the treadmill to be too jarring. The weight bearing it promotes on the knees and ankles, for example, might be too much in some joint and muscle conditions. The gym might be able to offer alternative equipment to provide exercise with much less stress on affected joints.
The Gym
There are many different types of equipment in a gym. One can perform several types of exercise routine. There are dumbbells or kettlebells for weightlifting exercises. These can also be used to add weight and tension to certain muscle movements. There are also pull-up bars, bench press machine and other equipment.
Pros of the gym
The variety of exercise routines available at the gym is one of its most attractive features. There are pull-up bars with varying plates allow for designing the preferred workload. There are dumbbells in varying sizes to meet personal fitness goals. The benches can be used for biceps curl or bench press. Workout sessions can be revised to match goals.
Going to the gym is also an opportunity to socialize. The shared fitness goals and the challenges in meeting these goals can be topics to strike up conversations with fellow gym goers.
Exercise can be more fun in groups. This can make it less boring, too compared to doing it alone.
Gyms usually offer more than just the equipment and the space. The amenities can be quite interesting as well. Some gyms have snack bars that offer a healthy menu. This can help you get a healthier pre-workout or post-workout snack or smoothie. That also means less effort on your part to prepare snacks and drinks yourself. It’s more convenient and you get to put more focus on your exercise routine.
Other amenities may seem simple but can make it easier for you. Take the towels for example. You won’t have to deal with finding a clean towel or washing it after use. Some gyms also offer personal trainers. They can help you perform exercises properly to reduce injuries and achieve optimum results.
The drive to the gym can be a pro or a con. The ritual of preparing and going to the gym can contribute to psychological preparedness. Some people use the preparation and travel time to get their minds set on the task ahead.
Cons of gym
As previously mentioned, the preparation and travel time to the gym can be a disadvantage. It can be quite a hassle.
The number of gym goers can also be a downside as well. There may be too many people with too little equipment to go around. You might have to wait for an equipment to be free before you can move on with your exercise routine.
The people at the gym might help boost your confidence or encourage you. However, there is also the likelihood that someone might be more of an interruption.
Gym schedules are also a possible drawback. Some gyms may not be open around the time you prefer to workout.
However, there are some that keep open to accommodate people with crazy exercise hours, e.g., exercising at 3AM, for instance.
Conclusion
Treadmills and gyms come with their own advantages and disadvantages. The choice mainly depends on your fitness goals, personal preferences, convenience and schedule. The most important thing is to get the right amount of exercise to keep healthy.
