Have you noticed that gyms have become very popular in the past twenty-five years? They can be a great way to get in shape, especially if you want to get out, meet people, or use a special kind of equipment. Their popularity may be due, in part, to their being repackaged as "health clubs" in order to attract a wider audience.

Less attractive are the sales efforts of the salespeople and their ongoing about-to-expire deals. Indeed, gym membership has been declining in recent years, as advances in home exercise equipment have made buying it for home use more attractive.

An important reason people give for not working out at home has been that they just don't have the room. The big clubs have enough space for the big equipment, while people usually don't have that much room at home. The advent of fold-up, movable treadmills and compact multi-exercise gyms make this reason much less compelling.

Other advantages of working out at home include that there is no need for spotter when lifting heavy weights. The home gyms generally don't require this and are thus safer in that way.

A little-mentioned reason for working out at home is privacy. Many people are just too embarrassed to go to the gym. "I'll go when I look better" is a handy excuse that explains why the people you see in gyms tend to be the people who seem to need to be there the least.

Perhaps the most compelling reason for working out at home is the cost. The cost to go to a gym very from hundreds to thousands of dollars per year. Maybe you go; maybe you don't. However, the outlay for home equipment, perhaps less than $1,000, generally occurs just once. The total cost estimate must include how much your time is worth in traveling back and forth to the gym.

There is one reason for going to a gym that cannot be overcome by buying home equipment. Many gym-goers believe that, once they get to the gym they will work out, whereas if they are at home with TV and refrigerator handy, they may not. Ah, discipline! How do you prevent that nice equipment you just bought from becoming a clothes hangar? Many people do this successfully by setting aside specific time each day, locking the door, and turning off the phone.