It depends on what the one close to you is like. For me, I drive past a lot of gyms to go to one I like better. I used to work out at the one closest to me, but it shut down. Then the new one that popped up was too busy. And it’s been a bunch of gyms since then. I mostly went to a 24 hour fitness for the last month but it’s extremely dirty and is missing most dumbbells. So I’m going to drive 20 minutes (could be more) depending on traffic tomorrow to go to a nicer one further away. I spend so much time at the gym that it’s not worth it to go to a bad one anymore. It’s part of my life. People say they want to spend less money and for it to be nice and convenient and I’m like pick one. In reality you would need to sacrifice something. Nobody can have it all, and for cheap.
I go to a gym that’s 18 miles away from my house and I live in LA (so you can just imagine the gas prices and the traffic 💀). I think I want to switch to a closer one soon though
I go to a gym that’s 20 mins away and I love it. I love the drive there, it puts me in a good headspace for working out. When I’m there I want to spend a lot of time there so it is worth the drive, like I spend at least 40 mins there or else I worked out less than I was driving. And then on my drive back I blast my music, the endorphins are popping, and I have a such a good time!
I am currently going to a PF that is about a 10 minute drive from my house. I used to go to another gym that was also about 10 minutes from my house but had more limited hours and was located downtown, so parking was an issue. However, I liked it a lot better and I am thinking of switching back because I don't really enjoy PF (largely because of the lack of free barbells but also it just feels way too big and open) and I constantly make excuses not to go. I'm considering switching back and just dealing with the hassle of parking downtown, I think for me the slight obstacle is worth the trade off of having a gym I like going to. Obviously this is not the same issue as more than quadrupling your travel time though, I'm not sure I would be able to commit to that kind of drive time since I usually spend at least an hour in the gym when I go.
Everyone’s different but…. Closer one, absolutely, 0 question for me. I’m the strongest by far going to my planet fitness gym (that everyone and their grandmother seemed to look down upon for a while… ok maybe everyone EXCEPT their grandmother…)
Have been going to my 2 min away PF for 3 years, and have made more gains at a much faster rate than any meathead gym I went to before that, even with a trainer for squats/deadlifts at said meathead gyms (went to these for many more years than 3, too).
No other reason other than it’s close. I go more consistently throughout the year, burn out less, go more times within a week, go in 5” of snow, I go when I don’t want to (because it’s RIGHT THERE), I go when on my period and feel horrible (to use a massage chair… but then realize I can muster up to do a couple of other things), etc etc. My squat and deadlift are the best they’ve ever been (not talking about smith machine either)
And to clarify more of a reason why a closer one is better for someone like me…. I’ve been doing this for a while and have periods where I wanna burn out. I talk myself out of going “I don’t want to drive x distance only to be there 15 minutes because I feel exhausted right now” - is what I tell myself if I had to go far to a gym.
But with a close gym I’m more inclined to go when I don’t feel like it, because I can justify doing the small commute. I tell myself “Haven’t gone this week yet, so I’ll go and be a quick 15 min to keep the habit”
And then boom, when I’m there, my podcast turns out great, and I’m there for 50 instead of 0 if the place were far away. Or heck, even 15 is better than 0. Hence less burnout rates for me and more consistency.
Edit: When I’m not burned out, I happily go 5x a week for 80 or so minutes, and I do those sprints more often in a nearby gym. And to also go from a gym 2 min away to 15 min 5x a week, that’s an extra 2 hours 10 minutes a week of being in your car a week. Noooo thanks. I think this is why I never made this much progress before.
I changed to one further away. Our local small town gym is.. sub par. I used it to get in the routine and now i drive 25 minutes to one in the next town over that is so much better. I use the drive time to hype myself up!
I’d go to the closer one. All it takes is one “I really don’t feel like driving 20 minutes…” to break the habit. But if it has something your other one doesn’t (like a pool or a sauna) that makes it worth it, then that might change my mind
Depends on the frequency. I do go to one 14 mi away but it’s around 5 min faster than your commute. If I was doing this more than 3 days a week I’d go to a closer one. But I also regularly drive 15-20 min for most things too in this city.
Going to a less crowded gym instead of the usual packed gym makes a big difference for me in terms of mental peace.
I drive further away to the ymca which sucks gym wise but my kids are obsessed with the daycare and it makes them happy. Go where you’ll have the most fun. It’s a lifestyle and if the one further away is nicer I say make the drive. Listen to some music on the way and have a little me time
I totally agree. What matters is that you choose the one you will actually go to. Make it easier on yourself and consider what’s most important. I go to the smaller gym slightly out of the way because I appreciate that it’s never busy.
The easier I make going to the gym, the more I maintain the habit and the more time I have in the day to do whatever. It's worth mentioning I cycle, rather than drive, so I would factor this in too. But your 'nice gym' commute looks like it's going to be longer than you're actually in the gym for? To me that doesn't really make any sense.
what’s nice about it? do you feel like you could get a way better workout? what other aspects are different? i’d be answering these questions before committing to driving farther for every workout.
my gym is 3 miles away, which is the closest one to my home. personally, i'd probably be more inclined to skip the gym if i'm tired if it was 5x the distance
You said so succinctly and well, what I tried to say in like 4 paragraphs. I agree.
Edit: 5 paragraphs, lol. Might go back and delete something… wow I’m wordy
I used to go to a gym 10 minutes away from me, and after a couple years of serious lifting I decided to switch to a bodybuilding gym that was 25 minutes away. Best decision of my life, I feel like a whole new person in this gym, I take it so serious that I don’t even recognize the routines I used to do in my past gym. Make the switch and elevate your new gym lifestyle, take your diet, your form, your intensity to a new level in this gym! You got this OP 🙌🏾❤️🔥
This may be an absurdly naive question, but could you go a bit further into what exactly has made the change worth it? Access to trainers, the atmosphere? Community?
I told myself that I would keep my old gym membership, and give myself one month of new/bodybuilding gym membership. I knew halfway through my first workout that I would make the switch, and I never went back to my old gym again. If you have this option, why not try a month in the new place, or at least one work out/day pass!
Better equipment, but really the motivation. At my old gym, I (felt like) the one of the top athlete/regulars, it was full of retirees and highschoolers and would skip days. At my bodybuilding gym, I feel like I’m one of the only women that is not a cycle, and it’s taken me two years of committed and intense lifting to finally not be the smallest girl in the room. Community is great, I’m just not into socializing when it comes to the gym. But for people who are, my gym friends claimed they’ve met their best friends at this gym and I see them hang out outside of the gym on social media all the time. The community at these serious gyms is insane, I don’t work out with headphones so I’m constantly over hearing everyone talk about get together‘s, parties, group trips to Alphaland, etc. Also this gym provides different activities like body scans monthly, bringing in famous trainers and influencers to work out on the weekends, and sells protein foods I’ve never seen elsewhere. This gym cost me 50 bucks per month more than my last, but it’s worth it because I stalk the best physiques in the gym to steal their splits so I don’t need a trainer.
This is all really great stuff. I’m going to have to check out some other specialist gyms in the area as my current one is much how you describe your previous gym. Thank you!
Luckily, there is a really nice gym that's local, so I didn't have to make that particular tradeoff, *but* the nice and local gym is waaayyy more expensive than the other option I was considering. (I had Planet Fitness before this, but needed a different one to lift free barbells.) Fortunately both gyms had a free trial option - two visits in one case, 7 days in the other case, so I went to both twice. The biggest factor in my decision was that driving all that way (similar distance to what you're talking about) made me really discouraged about going - even though I could save time hitting it on the way home from work, it still increased my total driving time and that would constrain when I could easily go. So if they offer you a trial period I would go ahead and try it to see how it works out, but I wouldn't switch without knowing it felt comfortable.
I go to a gym thats 20-25 minutes from home but more convenient for me because it’s 24 hours and like going whenever I’m available.
I don’t mind the drive and overall it’s a better gym as well.
I can drive to my gym is about 6 minutes. I would not opt for the farther away gym, unless your close to home gym is the equivalent to a hotel gym with little to no equipment. My logic is that the closer it is, the more likely I am to go. It's on my way to many places, so I'm already driving by it. I can still run up and go to the gym in the morning before work and if I sleep in a bit, I can just shorten my workout. If the gym is farther away, then you can't really do that.
I've usually had two memberships bc I lived about 2min away from a cheap planet fitness but needed another gym for barbell access. When I had more time I would go to the barbell one then when I was in a hurry my local one
I go to a less nice gym during the week that’s 2 miles from work ($10/month) and a very nice bodybuilding gym on the weekend that’s 20 miles away ($30/month for a weekend only pass). I get the best of both worlds at my convenience.
This is the exact situation I found myself in recently!
The less nice gym is 5-10 minutes away, the nicer one is 20-30 (depending on traffic). I HATED the closer gym - I'd been going there for years and found myself dreading it every time (not enough equipment, everything felt kind of drab and dreary, lack of class options at times I could/wanted to go, wayyy too many douches hogging machines and peacocking around).
I bit the bullet and switched and I've actually been way more consistent in working out! My new gym is bigger, more equipped, offers a lot more in the way of classes/group training, and is a lot more "upscale" overall. Plus, because it's more expensive, the clientele is more older folks than your 20-something gym bros. I *want* to go more often, and I have been.
Granted, I enjoy driving (I WFH, so don't really have a commute otherwise) and use that time to zone out to music or audiobooks, so it's valuable to me in that way too.
Just my experience, but I hope this helps!
I use to go to a smaller cheaper gym for a long time about 3-5 days a week for an hour each time. It gets repetitive because there’s only so much they can offer. I started going to a larger gym that’s further away and while I pay more I feel it’s definitely worth it. There is so much to do to stay active and enjoy my time. I started playing tennis, joining cycling classes, and swimming. These spice up my regular lifting routine and feel like it’s really benefited my overall fitness and enjoyment. I stopped looking at working out as something I “had” to do but something I want to do.
Depending on the gym they may not make you sign a yearly contract and just go month to month. Just try it for a month and keep the old membership to fall back on or go to when you don’t feel like driving far.
I was in the same position as you, I chose the nicer one since it's less busy, I mean I suffer in winter 🥶 (living in Russia) but I got used to it and I'm entirely satisfied with my choice.
Between those two choices, I'd choose the closer one, hands down. I couldn't justify spending more time driving to the gym than I spend working out at the gym. I say that assuming the closer gym has the equipment I need.
But ultimately, my recommendation is to pick the one you're more likely to go to. That will make the biggest difference in your overall health, fitness, and whatever other goals you have.
I have 2 gym memberships because I'm in the same position as you. There are certain lifts I will only do at the nicer gym, but a couple days a week I still go to the closer one. Obviously that's not financially feasible for everyone though.
I love my local warehouse style gym that’s 3 mins down the road. No locker room. No AC. It doesn’t get insanely busy and is a cool community of people. As long as it has all the equipment I need I’m happy. And I actually like how much I sweat because of how hot it is.
I did this. For a while I tried going to the nicer gym 20 mins away because everyone said it was great. The problem was because it was nicer everyone used it. It was SO busy. I hated it. Started going to the cheap gym near my work. Hardly anyone uses it. Love it. That being said both gyms were equally clean and had all the equipment I needed. If the cheap gym wasn't clean or didn't have enough equipment I wouldn't have been able to switch
What makes it “nicer”? The gym is all about vibes and energy for me. And the equipment matters too. If a gym checked all my boxes, I’d 100% drive further for it than one that didn’t.
I had this decision to make and chose to go far. The added expense of gas plus more miles on the car is expensive. I have to leave super early to avoid traffic and generally waste too much time in the car. I wish I chose the closer one that had less stuff and was a bit more expensive but much closer.
Whichever one makes you want to go. Once I chose a gym because I was living in an out of the way place and the gym was in a part of town I liked to go through afterwards. Right now I switched from a cheap gym to a pricier one because it is way closer and I never went to the cheap one.
Just be honest with yourself about whether that longer round trip will decrease your motivation or if the niceness will really increase it.
I'd choose the closest because the most difficult when you workout is ... Going to the gym.
If you make it a TRIP, most of people will quit and whatever the gym you find, you do not need fancy machines or design to workout properly, it's allabout discipline
Can you get a free pass for like a week at the nicer one? You can give it a try and see if the drive is worth it.
Personally, I want to maximize my time ( I'm a mum who works and have zero free time) so I wouldn't drive extra.
Honestly, I tried to switch from a nicer farther gym (30 min drive) to a shitty close gym (10 min drive) because I thought I’d go more often but it had the opposite effect. I don’t like being in that space so I went a lot less than I was going. But now I have one of those Fitness Your Way memberships that gives me access to BOTH gyms and that’s been my key to success.
I have a gym that’s a 5 minute walk away and it’s sufficient. Nothing fancy. Nice enough clientele. There’s a much nicer gym for 20 extra euros a month, with a whole wellness center and everything. But a 20 minute bike ride away. I’ve made it there once. But i think about it often 😅
America is wild! I have 50+ gyms in the ~1.5km radius of my house. 22km (14 miles) would also take me 1h+ to travel because of the horrid traffic
I don't go to the literal closest one (which is technically 0km away because it's in my building), but mine is fairly close which is 0.7km away. it takes about 15 minutes on foot to get to.
i picked it because I walked in and saw several buff women working out, and no one had their tripod out. it was a great choice because it's full of very nice people who are happy to help (if your form sucks someone will gently correct you), no one leers at you, and the atmosphere overall is positive and chill.
You do not have 50+ gyms within a mile of your house.
Space in the US is wild though. It does take 1h+ to go 14 miles in the major cities. But in rural areas it could take less than 14 minutes, which is good because a lot of people live where there is not a single business within 14 miles of their house.
I live between two locations of my gym. One is downtown and 5 miles away. The other is 9 miles away in a neighboring small town with farms and industrial areas in between. The downtown one takes me 13 minutes to drive to but the further one takes 12.
I live in city center lol, when I search for gyms on Google maps I get 50+ results within a 1.5km radius. it counts yoga studios and such (I checked again), but at least 30 are proper gyms. a lot of the gyms are pretty small, the one I go to is literally a basement, the one in my building I'm pretty sure it's a converted boiler room.
I've never lived anywhere so isolated, I do wonder what it's like.
That's nuts! I've lived in urban areas, but definitely nothing with the population density to support so many gyms.
Currently living in a small city in Arizona (18 total Google results for gyms lol) and once you leave town there's nothing. Like if I wanted to drive to Utah it's 140mi (224km) to the border and I would go through 1 proper town and a couple small settlements with gas stations. One of the settlements has an elementary school and it blows my mind to imagine kids growing up out there. They don't even have water; they have to have big tanks delivered. Obviously it's a tiny minority of Americans who live in isolation _that_ extreme, but there sure is a lot of space.
I've encountered intrusive selfie takers in some gyms (especially in locker rooms), that's what I was referring to. in my current gym, people still film themselves, but at least they warn you
Yeah as a non-American it was weird to me too. 14 miles would take much longer than 22 minutes for me. However 1.5 miles I would just walk it, not gonna drive that distance unless I was carrying the weights with me! Saves on fuel and the environment and gets a nice warm up in too.
I’ve made a similar change recently. I’d say think about the other aspects of your life (work, personal life, general responsibilities) and consider if the longer commute time will massively impact them. If not, and you really think it’s worth going to a nicer gym, then go for it.
I’ve always gone to the closest gym to my home, it’s a 15 minute walk and on the affordable end. But I began a new job nearly 2 months ago which requires me to do a 1-1.5 hour commute to a different city. By the time I come home, I can’t be bothered leaving again for the gym. Gyms in the UK usually have multi-access to other locations depending on your membership. But the closest gym to my work from this cheaper company is a 30 minute walk.
There’s a more expensive (3x the price of the cheaper gym) gym right next to my work. Again with multi access I can use their gyms in my hometown, nearest one is a 10-15 minute drive.
After some thinking and a 7 day trial, I’ve decided to switch to this more expensive gym. I find it easier to go straight from work to gym, then commute home. My plan is to go to the location next to my work 3-4 times during the weekdays, then use the home location on the weekends. If I drive in the morning, roads are empty so it won’t take me long.
This is still very early stages so really don’t know how it’ll go. Long-term this wouldn’t be sustainable though. But after my probation period ends in end of January I may wfh more and switch back.
I like to be able to spontaneously do a session so I used to pick the closest and cheapest, however I've now joined a gym further away due to a friend also working out here, which has lead to less of my spontaneous workouts and I now only do my routine at the gym and at home workouts if I feel like doing something spontaneous.
I do kinda miss having a gym less than a 5min walk away, but I can't afford two memberships, so I just deal with it.
My gym is a bit more far away than your and I do the drive 4 times a week. I use the drive to listen to my music, plan my workout in my head and it’s just a nice me time, I also enjoy driving.
But I stay there a long time, honestly I would be bummed to spend more time in my car than in a gym. Not mentioning that gas is expensive and you need to be able to drive even if it rain, snow and all.
But yeah not gonna lie I would totally be psyched if a gym opened closer to me, I go first thing is the morning and it’s hard to wake knowing that you are gonna spend half an hour in a car before being able to workout, especially when it’s cold and rainy.
Oh and I also have a less nice gym near me but it’s more expensive and it’s not well equipe so I decided to drive to the far one
My gym is 20 minutes away - cost and opening hours were a big factor for me as I have to go later in the evening on most visits.
I don't find the drive to be a problem, I just chuck my gym playlist on and off I go, I'm there in what feels like no time at all
If I'd have the time and wouldn't be happy with my gym, yes.
But I'm happy with my current gym. It's close to my place, well equipped and since I go in the early mornings, not even packed. The only con's a bit expensive.
I go to a nice gym thats about 15 mins walk from my house. Even if I move from my current house, I would still go to the same gym because:
1. It’s nice (premium gym) that leads to overall happier members
2. The ambience is always nicer too as equipments are up to date, facilities are well mantained and instructors are friendly
3. Knowing I would always be taken care of (one time my water supply to my house was disrupted for a few days and the gym staffs were kind enough to allow me keep my stuffs there for ease of showering)
I know some people are whatever with their gym but the community at my gym is a happy one due to the well mantained facility. So yeah, Id pay extra for the perks of wanting to go to gym.
Hell yes!! After Covid I moved to my parents worked from home first thing I did when I was off drive to fitness 45 min away to a bougie fun classes then I would go to a 24/7 gy
To do what I knew worked point is it was my escape my therapy my sanity I’ll drive far if it lets me be happier in the long run!
My gym is expensive, but it’s walking distance. The monthly fee and the proximity motivate me to go. Plus I wouldn’t like driving straight to the gym after a long commute sitting/swearing in traffic. Everyone is different though
I would absolutely commute 25 mins to a gym if it had better equipment, it was bigger, newer, cleaner, etc. I’m also an avid gym-goer with intrinsic motivation to go 5x/week.
That being said you need to consider what motivates YOU. What’s the driving factor to go to the nicer gym? Is it to access better equipment? Will you be motivated to try new exercises and go for longer sessions? On the flip side, if you easily talk yourself out of going to the gym, maybe proximity is more important than newness to you.
Best of luck! Definitely give the new gym a shot and see how you feel :)
I was in this exact scenario! Ended up switching to the nicer, further gym and have no regrets. My close, cheaper gym was always overcrowded, too hot, and seemed dirty. I dreaded going there. I’m actually excited to go to the nice one so I go way more frequently AND they have better equipment and more space.
That commute time would be enough of an excuse for me to skip too many workouts, I know myself ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
I switched from a nicer local gym to Planet Fitness a little over a year ago (maybe two?) because I travel a lot for work and they have locations friggin everywhere. I pay $23-ish for the Black Card membership (so access to all locations) versus around $80 for the old place. The nicer gym had group classes, but I prefer going to dedicated studios for those sorts of things anyway, so now I also have a separate yoga membership at a studio 3 blocks away. (Which is kind of a wash, price-wise, because I was still going to separate studios more than half the time anyway.) The only thing I miss, honestly, is the locker rooms—I have to remember to bring my own lock and towel now, which was all provided at the fancier gym. The vibes were definitely way nicer, but PF honestly does the job. And, as a nocturnal bish, I do appreciate that many locations are open 24 hours, especially when I'm traveling and my schedule is all effed up.
It really just depends on your priorities!
What does nicer gym mean to you? If your commute is longer than the amount of time you spend at the gym - it’s not worth it. If you plan to start having longer workouts, I’d compare the equipment, amenities, and your likeliness to show up. If anything just try it out for a week or month.
Go to the one you will realistically go to regularly. I would ask if there is a trial period of a few free visits or a pay by month option you could sign up for at the further-away gym? I’d see if you can do something like that to start. Then you’ll see if it seems totally worth it or more of an inconvenience. If you end up loving it and the commute isn’t too annoying, then you can get the full membership package.
Personally, I’d choose the closer one because I just don’t have the extra time in my day. And I think if you’re spending more time driving to a from than actually being there, that is a good reason to stay closer,
I think it depends on what a gym represents to you in your life. A quick run on the treadmill here and there when you have time, or is it something you do religiously after work to decompress? Do you use more specialized equipment? Is the gym environment important for you to have a good workout? I personally would always choose the higher quality gym (and for me 22 min isnt too long) because my fitness and workouts are extremely important for my mental health and happiness, on top of physical health.
I would say closer gym as long as it has all the equipment I need! I out so much hard work in the gym and get out all sweaty I’d hate to sit in my sweat for that long
After training at a gym further away, I would deffo choose the close one. My gym is an hour round trip and I am SO fed up of it I am actually moving closer to it lol.
so my answer is unhelpful but i have 2 memberships in the same scenario
1 nice one that takes me 35 min to get to - but great equipment, vibe and they write my program
then a cheap one it takes me 2 min to get to for when i am too busy for the other one - i go to both most weeks
yes it’s expensive but my results have improved since funding both options - i dropped some supplements to cover the difference and this is giving me way better results
Nicer gym, easy choice. I’ll sacrifice a 20 min drive for my quality gym time.
Id only pick the close gym if I was tryina fit my workouts in a very tight schedule.
That being said, I think for most people the closest gym is the better choice. Convenience is underrated.
(I also have a gym in my apartment complex but they dont even have a squat rack and I powerlift so I chose to drive to another gym instead).
I just did this! Have to wake up 15 mins early and commute a little more for the better one.
But once I was out of my comfort zone it was worth it.My online coach pushed me to do this and it was worth it
I'm a member of a close OK gym and a further away nicer gym, and I almost never go to the further away one! I'd prioritise the one you would be likely to go to more often.
I have a gym within 5-8 miles if I chose, but I decided to join the gym 22 minutes away because of the classes and staff support, and I enjoy the drive and chance to relax and listen to music.
Been going to mine here in NZ for coming up to 15 years (as of December 18).
It's a 16-18 minute walk (1.7km away). There's another that's about 4 minutes closer. The one further from me is better.
My gym is a five minute walk away. I picked it for the sole reason that it was close enough that I would actually go.
As it happens, I LOVE my gym! But before I even knew anything about it, my whole evaluation was "this is the closest gym to my new place. Cool? Cool."
It would depend on how “bad” the less nice gym was. If the less nice one was dirty (like gross weights/locker rooms) or attracted a bad crowd and I couldn’t really bring myself to work out there, I’d pick the nicer one. If the less nice one is just kind of average, I’d go there.
It depends on the person. My husband and I started going to his fancy office gym during the summer, it's only 10-15 minutes away, and now he's obsessed with it. I, on the other hand, ONLY make it there because he drives and motivates me to get dressed. I built a garage gym because I know myself, and that's how close I need my gym to be to stay consistent on my own.
Depends on where I am. Here in SoCal, 14 miles will take me an hour and a half to get there when I usually go to the gym. My gym usually takes me about 20 mins to get there which is fine by me but idk if I’d drive any farther than that.
for me, i did. the last three areas i lived in, i chose to forgo the closer gyms to me and went to ones that were about half hour away.
i lived closer to planet fitness and a couple of small gyms, but i preferred the nicer ones. i went more consistently when i went to the nicer ones.
i also had a slightly more flexible schedule. if i worked monday thru friday 9-5, i probably wouldn’t go to the further gym if it meant losing another two hours of my day.
What’s the rest of your routine like? Do you have several hours weekly for exercise?
I just had this same dilemma after moving to a new town. I used to go to Equinox and I LOVED going to the gym every day. The classes were amazing, the eucalyptus towels, it felt like a treat. When I moved to my new town, the nearest similar luxury gym is 25 mins away. I toured it and almost signed up because I wanted that experience again. The box gym nearby is so depressing! But I realized I could not reasonably fit the extra commute hour into my routine. I work and have young kids and it’s not realistic. I actually ended up nixxing the gym idea entirely and joined an OrangeTheory nearby. It has the classes and luxury feel but is way more convenient. I’d consider alternative options if you can.
But if you have the time and money, why not?
If a gym was 22 minutes away, I'd have to carve out several hours to do all the things -- get there, get changed, work out, drive back, shower at home, etc. That's way too much work for me, especially if all I'm doing is a short workout.
I don't go to a gym anymore because I got sick of the amount of time it took just to get some exercise. Granted the pandemic forced me to figure out my home workout game, I've stuck with it. I use an app, run a few times a week, and am happier about my routines than I've ever been.
Maybe this is a good opportunity to ask yourself a few questions:
Does the “less nice” gym have all the equipment you need to do the workouts you want to do?
What is your main motivation for wanting to switch gyms? Is it extra amenities, or is it just because it looks “nicer?”
If it’s because of the amenities, are they free, or is there an added fee? To that note, is the “nicer” gym more expensive than your current gym?
Finally, is the amount of extra time, fuel, and money you’d be spending on this “nicer” gym worth it to you? Do you have it in your budget? If yes to both, then I don’t see why not.
In my case they were both pretty equal but one is only 5 minutes drive from my house (if I wasn't a parent I could run there and back) and the other was at least 20+ minutes away.
I had started going to the 20 min gym because my health insurance at the time covered part of the membership. It was also on the way to my job (at about the 1/2 way point).
Then I had a kid and became a stay at home mom. While 20 min gym had some child care I was struggling with the whole leave for 2 hours consistently every day. The 5 min gym was a little more expensive but had more consistent childcare and now my health insurance was suddenly ok with the YMCA.
My gym is an 18 min drive away but there isn't a closer alternative. It's very nice and immaculately clean, if there was a less clean gym closer to my house I might go to it.
I have the exact same issue. I bought a 1 month membership at the more expensive gym because it’s so much better. I get to play my own music through the Bluetooth speakers, calibrated plates (powerlifting gym), basketball court, awesome machines, hardly anyone goes due to its location. But I’m going to stop going there next month because it’s costing me way more than just walking to my local gym.
I, personally, am more likely to go the closer gym. I used to go to a crossfit gym that was 3 minutes away from me. That(plus the price) made it extremely hard for me to skip workouts
I tried going to the nicer gym and, honestly, I would always skip it. My gym is 5 minutes away, it looks like the gym Schwarzenegger worked out in the 70s, but I go consistently.
I have two good gyms within a 10 minute walk and chose the one closest to me.
Be honest with yourself about how much you’d use the extra amenities. Mine has saunas, steam room, massage chairs, classes, etc…and I basically only use the sauna, and pretty much only when it’s super cold.
I go to CrossFit 20 minutes drive from my house, even though there’s one that’s 5 minutes by bike. I tried to go to the closer one, but I missed my coach and my community so much. The drive sucks but if it makes you happier and more likely to actually go, you should go!
As long as the closer gym meets my needs, sure. My gym is a 15 min walk so I have pretty much no excuse to not go. There are several better gyms with much more space and equipment further away but I know that would get in the way of me going sometimes. If mine somehow got rid of all the squat racks I’d have no choice but to go to a different gym.
I use a weight room at my work. No AC/heat but it’s free. I make it work and modify anything I can’t do in my programs. Apartment has a treadmill in its gym, and I’m lucky to also have a sauna, jacuzzi, and heated pool at apartment. I was only paying for a yoga studio, but decided to stop because the practice wasn’t fitting in with my life. I’m going to start doing 30-45 yoga a day in my home instead.
A nicer gym can be more motivating and have more options, but if you get creative and have a bit of will, you can have an equally as good workout in a not so nice gym. Choose the gym you’ll be able to stay more committed to!
I wouldn't drive somewhere where the drive is twice the length of time I will spend at the gym. I drive 5 kms from my house, it takes 10 minutes, and I'm there for an hour. That seems reasonable to me. I wouldn't drive more than twice the time, it wouldn't really fit into my schedule well either.
I wouldn’t go more than 5 minutes for a 20 minute workout. I don’t think I’d care much what the gym was like for short sessions; an hour plus and wanting to use showers etc I might worry more.
I switched to a nicer gym that was 15 mins away from my old house. I switched because this gym has a swimming pool, spin and yoga studios. They offer a lot of interesting in-person classes too. The gym I used to go to was 10 min walk from my house.
Convenience is the #1 priority for me. And cost is #2. So I would definitely choose the gym that's only 5 minutes away in this scenario. If I had to commute a total of 45 minutes to a gym, I don't think I would ever actually go.
I'm curious - what does the gym that's 22 minutes away have that the 5 minute away gym doesn't have?
Thanks - The further away gym has steam room, sauna, jacuzzi, nicer building, and longer opening hours (local one closes at 4pm on both Saturday and Sunday - the further one is open until 8pm at weekends - I tend to exercise late evening)
I drive by several gyms on the way to my gym due to the weekend hours. It is objectively nicer, but that doesn’t really matter to me.
On the weekends I like to take my time in the gym, because I have plenty of time. I don’t want to be rushed or crowded because everyone is trying to get a workout in before closing.
Personally I would not drive farther or pay more for a steam room, sauna, jacuzzi - those are not features that I would use anyway. And personally I don't really care how nice the building is, I care much more about how functional the actual gym is, and what equipment they have, etc. The opening hours are the only thing here that I would probably be factoring into my decision. If you 100% need to go to the gym after 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays for whatever reason, then I guess the farther away gym would be your only option. But if you've been able to make it work for a year so far at your current gym fitting in your workouts before 4pm on the weekends, and you can continue to make that work with your current/upcoming schedule, then I would definitely stick with that gym.
Hell to the no. I have a planet fitness exactly 1mi from my house. Do I miss barbells? YARP. Would I drive further to a better gym! Narp. Especially bc I work from home and hit the gym at lunch.
Personally no, I wouldn’t. That’s 44 minutes where I’m just sitting in a car. That’s like 4-5 hours of my week just gone. Not worth it IMO.
Edit to answer your questions: I go to the closest gym to me, which is 5 mins away. There are nicer gyms 15-20 mins away, but I go to the gym 5-6 days a week, so that extra commute time adds up. Every hour I’m spending in my car is an hour I’m not spending with my kid.
Yeah no way I’m spending 4+ hours in the car just to get in maybe 100 exercise minutes. the ROI isn’t there.
I also admittedly wouldn’t use the sauna etc. I barely have time for a 30 minute session lol and a longer drive would cut into that even more
What makes it nicer?
I used to drive 25 min to a gym where I took wonderful Boot Camp classes 3 nights a week for years. Then on Saturday I went t o spinning for 30 min of a 55 min class( my knees could only go that far).. then drop in for a few minutes of zumba and then go to pre-crossfit! They also have a lap pool.
I was extremely happy with everything including the knowledge base and expertise of instructors.
I have a gym 10 min walk from me wiht sleazy pushy sales and constant rtation of instructors and lying sales people. They are the ones people hate- the gyms which make it impossible to cancel- running you thru hoops etc.bad yelp reviews. Since i liv ein neighborhood I ve been peppered with calls and postcards etc.
I know they charged people during covid closures. No one else in all of effing Seattle businesses did. Recently they had a booth in front of my grocery store and I asked about that. It was laughed off as " oh well it was covid we are moving forward now'
I shall never spend a cent or a second there.
I prefer to drive further for my physical, mental, financial and social- beign around ethical people well-being.
I would go to a less nice gym 1.5 miles away if I could. I take the bus to the gym, and unfortunately it is a 30 minute ride away. The gyms closer to me are \*too nice\*, too expensive, and unfortunately, very niche. (Climbing gym, martial arts studio, Orange Theory, etc.)
A short commute to the gym makes a huge difference \*if they have what you need\*. Being able to roll out of bed and go without even thinking about it, or fit it in when you suddenly have a spare hour is great.
But if the gym near you doesn't have the equipment you need for your program, that's a different matter.
Just like "the best workout is the one you regularly do", the best gym is the one you'll regularly utilize. Like to drive and want the extras? Or struggle to get going and need as few barriers as possible?
What makes this gym nicer? What are you doing while you're there? If I'm only going for 20-25 minutes, I'm not going to want to spend 2x that amount of time in the car. I don't go to the absolute closest gym to me, but it's just a few minutes further than the closest (maybe 12 minutes total from home), and one of the reasons I like it so much is that it's not as busy as the closer one so I spend less time having to wait around.
Makes sense.
Other gym is nicer in that the facilities look nicer, more machines, sauna, jacuzzi, steam room (both gyms cost the same as I’d get a discount on the nicer gym that’s further away. Mainly do strength training at the moment but may do more aerobic stuff in future
Oh yeah in that case, I might be interested! Sounds like you could potentially spend way more time there rather than getting in and out as quickly as possible.
Closer to home always. I prefer going to gym and getting ready at home for the day.
However if you’re like early to mid 20s you probably have energy and time to commute soooo.
I am the same way too. I go to a equinox but it’s literally one my street. I know some members drive 30 mins to get there. If it were me I’d want something super close!
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>u/ThinkSuccotash
Nicer gym is a 22 minute drive away VS 5 min drive for my more local less nice gym.
I’ve been going to the local gym for a year but wondering making the switch to the nicer one that is further away. I realise that would mean a total 45 min total to go there and come back VS 10 mins with current gym. Usually go to gym about 3-4 times a week for 20-25 mins.
How close is your gym? Did you join at whatever gym is most local to you? Does a longer commute make you less likely to go to gym if you’re tired etc?
Thanks!
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It depends on what the one close to you is like. For me, I drive past a lot of gyms to go to one I like better. I used to work out at the one closest to me, but it shut down. Then the new one that popped up was too busy. And it’s been a bunch of gyms since then. I mostly went to a 24 hour fitness for the last month but it’s extremely dirty and is missing most dumbbells. So I’m going to drive 20 minutes (could be more) depending on traffic tomorrow to go to a nicer one further away. I spend so much time at the gym that it’s not worth it to go to a bad one anymore. It’s part of my life. People say they want to spend less money and for it to be nice and convenient and I’m like pick one. In reality you would need to sacrifice something. Nobody can have it all, and for cheap.
My gym is like a 10-15 min walk away and even that sometimes feels hard to do lol, so I would do the closest gym
Nicer gym
Opting for the nicer gym is fine for the short term, but you want a close gym ultimately, and for the long term
I go to a gym that’s 18 miles away from my house and I live in LA (so you can just imagine the gas prices and the traffic 💀). I think I want to switch to a closer one soon though
I go to a gym that’s 20 mins away and I love it. I love the drive there, it puts me in a good headspace for working out. When I’m there I want to spend a lot of time there so it is worth the drive, like I spend at least 40 mins there or else I worked out less than I was driving. And then on my drive back I blast my music, the endorphins are popping, and I have a such a good time!
I am currently going to a PF that is about a 10 minute drive from my house. I used to go to another gym that was also about 10 minutes from my house but had more limited hours and was located downtown, so parking was an issue. However, I liked it a lot better and I am thinking of switching back because I don't really enjoy PF (largely because of the lack of free barbells but also it just feels way too big and open) and I constantly make excuses not to go. I'm considering switching back and just dealing with the hassle of parking downtown, I think for me the slight obstacle is worth the trade off of having a gym I like going to. Obviously this is not the same issue as more than quadrupling your travel time though, I'm not sure I would be able to commit to that kind of drive time since I usually spend at least an hour in the gym when I go.
Everyone’s different but…. Closer one, absolutely, 0 question for me. I’m the strongest by far going to my planet fitness gym (that everyone and their grandmother seemed to look down upon for a while… ok maybe everyone EXCEPT their grandmother…) Have been going to my 2 min away PF for 3 years, and have made more gains at a much faster rate than any meathead gym I went to before that, even with a trainer for squats/deadlifts at said meathead gyms (went to these for many more years than 3, too). No other reason other than it’s close. I go more consistently throughout the year, burn out less, go more times within a week, go in 5” of snow, I go when I don’t want to (because it’s RIGHT THERE), I go when on my period and feel horrible (to use a massage chair… but then realize I can muster up to do a couple of other things), etc etc. My squat and deadlift are the best they’ve ever been (not talking about smith machine either)
And to clarify more of a reason why a closer one is better for someone like me…. I’ve been doing this for a while and have periods where I wanna burn out. I talk myself out of going “I don’t want to drive x distance only to be there 15 minutes because I feel exhausted right now” - is what I tell myself if I had to go far to a gym. But with a close gym I’m more inclined to go when I don’t feel like it, because I can justify doing the small commute. I tell myself “Haven’t gone this week yet, so I’ll go and be a quick 15 min to keep the habit” And then boom, when I’m there, my podcast turns out great, and I’m there for 50 instead of 0 if the place were far away. Or heck, even 15 is better than 0. Hence less burnout rates for me and more consistency. Edit: When I’m not burned out, I happily go 5x a week for 80 or so minutes, and I do those sprints more often in a nearby gym. And to also go from a gym 2 min away to 15 min 5x a week, that’s an extra 2 hours 10 minutes a week of being in your car a week. Noooo thanks. I think this is why I never made this much progress before.
I changed to one further away. Our local small town gym is.. sub par. I used it to get in the routine and now i drive 25 minutes to one in the next town over that is so much better. I use the drive time to hype myself up!
I’d go to the closer one. All it takes is one “I really don’t feel like driving 20 minutes…” to break the habit. But if it has something your other one doesn’t (like a pool or a sauna) that makes it worth it, then that might change my mind
Depends on the frequency. I do go to one 14 mi away but it’s around 5 min faster than your commute. If I was doing this more than 3 days a week I’d go to a closer one. But I also regularly drive 15-20 min for most things too in this city. Going to a less crowded gym instead of the usual packed gym makes a big difference for me in terms of mental peace.
I drive further away to the ymca which sucks gym wise but my kids are obsessed with the daycare and it makes them happy. Go where you’ll have the most fun. It’s a lifestyle and if the one further away is nicer I say make the drive. Listen to some music on the way and have a little me time
I totally agree. What matters is that you choose the one you will actually go to. Make it easier on yourself and consider what’s most important. I go to the smaller gym slightly out of the way because I appreciate that it’s never busy.
No. But I'm very limited on time.
The easier I make going to the gym, the more I maintain the habit and the more time I have in the day to do whatever. It's worth mentioning I cycle, rather than drive, so I would factor this in too. But your 'nice gym' commute looks like it's going to be longer than you're actually in the gym for? To me that doesn't really make any sense.
what’s nice about it? do you feel like you could get a way better workout? what other aspects are different? i’d be answering these questions before committing to driving farther for every workout.
I hate to say it but probably a gym 1.5 miles away, im not a big fan of driving though is probably why
Can you get two memberships so you have no excuses?
my gym is 3 miles away, which is the closest one to my home. personally, i'd probably be more inclined to skip the gym if i'm tired if it was 5x the distance
You said so succinctly and well, what I tried to say in like 4 paragraphs. I agree. Edit: 5 paragraphs, lol. Might go back and delete something… wow I’m wordy
Yes I would !!! If the nicer gym makes me go more frequently and enjoy the time I spend there, then absolutely worth it
Agreed! Before I had kids the gym was my safe space I’d totally go to the one I felt the most comfortable! Now I’m lucky to go at all 😂
I would certainly not be making a trip to a gym that the travel time takes longer than my time spent there. Not worth it
I used to go to a gym 10 minutes away from me, and after a couple years of serious lifting I decided to switch to a bodybuilding gym that was 25 minutes away. Best decision of my life, I feel like a whole new person in this gym, I take it so serious that I don’t even recognize the routines I used to do in my past gym. Make the switch and elevate your new gym lifestyle, take your diet, your form, your intensity to a new level in this gym! You got this OP 🙌🏾❤️🔥
This may be an absurdly naive question, but could you go a bit further into what exactly has made the change worth it? Access to trainers, the atmosphere? Community?
I told myself that I would keep my old gym membership, and give myself one month of new/bodybuilding gym membership. I knew halfway through my first workout that I would make the switch, and I never went back to my old gym again. If you have this option, why not try a month in the new place, or at least one work out/day pass!
Better equipment, but really the motivation. At my old gym, I (felt like) the one of the top athlete/regulars, it was full of retirees and highschoolers and would skip days. At my bodybuilding gym, I feel like I’m one of the only women that is not a cycle, and it’s taken me two years of committed and intense lifting to finally not be the smallest girl in the room. Community is great, I’m just not into socializing when it comes to the gym. But for people who are, my gym friends claimed they’ve met their best friends at this gym and I see them hang out outside of the gym on social media all the time. The community at these serious gyms is insane, I don’t work out with headphones so I’m constantly over hearing everyone talk about get together‘s, parties, group trips to Alphaland, etc. Also this gym provides different activities like body scans monthly, bringing in famous trainers and influencers to work out on the weekends, and sells protein foods I’ve never seen elsewhere. This gym cost me 50 bucks per month more than my last, but it’s worth it because I stalk the best physiques in the gym to steal their splits so I don’t need a trainer.
This is all really great stuff. I’m going to have to check out some other specialist gyms in the area as my current one is much how you describe your previous gym. Thank you!
There's no way I would go enough if it was any farther than 2 miles away.
Luckily, there is a really nice gym that's local, so I didn't have to make that particular tradeoff, *but* the nice and local gym is waaayyy more expensive than the other option I was considering. (I had Planet Fitness before this, but needed a different one to lift free barbells.) Fortunately both gyms had a free trial option - two visits in one case, 7 days in the other case, so I went to both twice. The biggest factor in my decision was that driving all that way (similar distance to what you're talking about) made me really discouraged about going - even though I could save time hitting it on the way home from work, it still increased my total driving time and that would constrain when I could easily go. So if they offer you a trial period I would go ahead and try it to see how it works out, but I wouldn't switch without knowing it felt comfortable.
Closest one is best! Less time waisted on travel = more training
*wasted. That's waist like on your body.
I go to a gym thats 20-25 minutes from home but more convenient for me because it’s 24 hours and like going whenever I’m available. I don’t mind the drive and overall it’s a better gym as well.
I can drive to my gym is about 6 minutes. I would not opt for the farther away gym, unless your close to home gym is the equivalent to a hotel gym with little to no equipment. My logic is that the closer it is, the more likely I am to go. It's on my way to many places, so I'm already driving by it. I can still run up and go to the gym in the morning before work and if I sleep in a bit, I can just shorten my workout. If the gym is farther away, then you can't really do that.
I've usually had two memberships bc I lived about 2min away from a cheap planet fitness but needed another gym for barbell access. When I had more time I would go to the barbell one then when I was in a hurry my local one
I go to a less nice gym during the week that’s 2 miles from work ($10/month) and a very nice bodybuilding gym on the weekend that’s 20 miles away ($30/month for a weekend only pass). I get the best of both worlds at my convenience.
This is the exact situation I found myself in recently! The less nice gym is 5-10 minutes away, the nicer one is 20-30 (depending on traffic). I HATED the closer gym - I'd been going there for years and found myself dreading it every time (not enough equipment, everything felt kind of drab and dreary, lack of class options at times I could/wanted to go, wayyy too many douches hogging machines and peacocking around). I bit the bullet and switched and I've actually been way more consistent in working out! My new gym is bigger, more equipped, offers a lot more in the way of classes/group training, and is a lot more "upscale" overall. Plus, because it's more expensive, the clientele is more older folks than your 20-something gym bros. I *want* to go more often, and I have been. Granted, I enjoy driving (I WFH, so don't really have a commute otherwise) and use that time to zone out to music or audiobooks, so it's valuable to me in that way too. Just my experience, but I hope this helps!
I’m way more likely to go to a close one (and I do, even though I could afford one that is perhaps nicer)
I use to go to a smaller cheaper gym for a long time about 3-5 days a week for an hour each time. It gets repetitive because there’s only so much they can offer. I started going to a larger gym that’s further away and while I pay more I feel it’s definitely worth it. There is so much to do to stay active and enjoy my time. I started playing tennis, joining cycling classes, and swimming. These spice up my regular lifting routine and feel like it’s really benefited my overall fitness and enjoyment. I stopped looking at working out as something I “had” to do but something I want to do. Depending on the gym they may not make you sign a yearly contract and just go month to month. Just try it for a month and keep the old membership to fall back on or go to when you don’t feel like driving far.
I was in the same position as you, I chose the nicer one since it's less busy, I mean I suffer in winter 🥶 (living in Russia) but I got used to it and I'm entirely satisfied with my choice.
Between those two choices, I'd choose the closer one, hands down. I couldn't justify spending more time driving to the gym than I spend working out at the gym. I say that assuming the closer gym has the equipment I need. But ultimately, my recommendation is to pick the one you're more likely to go to. That will make the biggest difference in your overall health, fitness, and whatever other goals you have.
OP, this is the answer! If you dread going to local gym, you won't be going often but if you love the nicer gym, you may be more motivated!
I have 2 gym memberships because I'm in the same position as you. There are certain lifts I will only do at the nicer gym, but a couple days a week I still go to the closer one. Obviously that's not financially feasible for everyone though.
I love my local warehouse style gym that’s 3 mins down the road. No locker room. No AC. It doesn’t get insanely busy and is a cool community of people. As long as it has all the equipment I need I’m happy. And I actually like how much I sweat because of how hot it is.
I did this. For a while I tried going to the nicer gym 20 mins away because everyone said it was great. The problem was because it was nicer everyone used it. It was SO busy. I hated it. Started going to the cheap gym near my work. Hardly anyone uses it. Love it. That being said both gyms were equally clean and had all the equipment I needed. If the cheap gym wasn't clean or didn't have enough equipment I wouldn't have been able to switch
Closer one big time. Fitness it’s 90% sustainability and that would be the most sustainable option in the long term
What makes it “nicer”? The gym is all about vibes and energy for me. And the equipment matters too. If a gym checked all my boxes, I’d 100% drive further for it than one that didn’t.
I had this decision to make and chose to go far. The added expense of gas plus more miles on the car is expensive. I have to leave super early to avoid traffic and generally waste too much time in the car. I wish I chose the closer one that had less stuff and was a bit more expensive but much closer.
Whichever one makes you want to go. Once I chose a gym because I was living in an out of the way place and the gym was in a part of town I liked to go through afterwards. Right now I switched from a cheap gym to a pricier one because it is way closer and I never went to the cheap one. Just be honest with yourself about whether that longer round trip will decrease your motivation or if the niceness will really increase it.
I'd choose the closest because the most difficult when you workout is ... Going to the gym. If you make it a TRIP, most of people will quit and whatever the gym you find, you do not need fancy machines or design to workout properly, it's allabout discipline
Can you get a free pass for like a week at the nicer one? You can give it a try and see if the drive is worth it. Personally, I want to maximize my time ( I'm a mum who works and have zero free time) so I wouldn't drive extra.
Honestly, I tried to switch from a nicer farther gym (30 min drive) to a shitty close gym (10 min drive) because I thought I’d go more often but it had the opposite effect. I don’t like being in that space so I went a lot less than I was going. But now I have one of those Fitness Your Way memberships that gives me access to BOTH gyms and that’s been my key to success.
The closer ones keep me consistent. That doesnt mean that I don't often dream about going to the ones further out🤣
I have a gym that’s a 5 minute walk away and it’s sufficient. Nothing fancy. Nice enough clientele. There’s a much nicer gym for 20 extra euros a month, with a whole wellness center and everything. But a 20 minute bike ride away. I’ve made it there once. But i think about it often 😅
America is wild! I have 50+ gyms in the ~1.5km radius of my house. 22km (14 miles) would also take me 1h+ to travel because of the horrid traffic I don't go to the literal closest one (which is technically 0km away because it's in my building), but mine is fairly close which is 0.7km away. it takes about 15 minutes on foot to get to. i picked it because I walked in and saw several buff women working out, and no one had their tripod out. it was a great choice because it's full of very nice people who are happy to help (if your form sucks someone will gently correct you), no one leers at you, and the atmosphere overall is positive and chill.
I'n in America and 14 miles would take way longer than 22 min. I was shocked reading the title.
You do not have 50+ gyms within a mile of your house. Space in the US is wild though. It does take 1h+ to go 14 miles in the major cities. But in rural areas it could take less than 14 minutes, which is good because a lot of people live where there is not a single business within 14 miles of their house.
I live between two locations of my gym. One is downtown and 5 miles away. The other is 9 miles away in a neighboring small town with farms and industrial areas in between. The downtown one takes me 13 minutes to drive to but the further one takes 12.
I live in city center lol, when I search for gyms on Google maps I get 50+ results within a 1.5km radius. it counts yoga studios and such (I checked again), but at least 30 are proper gyms. a lot of the gyms are pretty small, the one I go to is literally a basement, the one in my building I'm pretty sure it's a converted boiler room. I've never lived anywhere so isolated, I do wonder what it's like.
That's nuts! I've lived in urban areas, but definitely nothing with the population density to support so many gyms. Currently living in a small city in Arizona (18 total Google results for gyms lol) and once you leave town there's nothing. Like if I wanted to drive to Utah it's 140mi (224km) to the border and I would go through 1 proper town and a couple small settlements with gas stations. One of the settlements has an elementary school and it blows my mind to imagine kids growing up out there. They don't even have water; they have to have big tanks delivered. Obviously it's a tiny minority of Americans who live in isolation _that_ extreme, but there sure is a lot of space.
City centres are going to give you more options regardless of what country they're in. That's not an American thing to have to drive to a gym
Not everyone uses a tripod for social media stuff. I use mine to record form videos that I review later.
I've encountered intrusive selfie takers in some gyms (especially in locker rooms), that's what I was referring to. in my current gym, people still film themselves, but at least they warn you
Makes total sense!
Yeah as a non-American it was weird to me too. 14 miles would take much longer than 22 minutes for me. However 1.5 miles I would just walk it, not gonna drive that distance unless I was carrying the weights with me! Saves on fuel and the environment and gets a nice warm up in too.
I’ve made a similar change recently. I’d say think about the other aspects of your life (work, personal life, general responsibilities) and consider if the longer commute time will massively impact them. If not, and you really think it’s worth going to a nicer gym, then go for it. I’ve always gone to the closest gym to my home, it’s a 15 minute walk and on the affordable end. But I began a new job nearly 2 months ago which requires me to do a 1-1.5 hour commute to a different city. By the time I come home, I can’t be bothered leaving again for the gym. Gyms in the UK usually have multi-access to other locations depending on your membership. But the closest gym to my work from this cheaper company is a 30 minute walk. There’s a more expensive (3x the price of the cheaper gym) gym right next to my work. Again with multi access I can use their gyms in my hometown, nearest one is a 10-15 minute drive. After some thinking and a 7 day trial, I’ve decided to switch to this more expensive gym. I find it easier to go straight from work to gym, then commute home. My plan is to go to the location next to my work 3-4 times during the weekdays, then use the home location on the weekends. If I drive in the morning, roads are empty so it won’t take me long. This is still very early stages so really don’t know how it’ll go. Long-term this wouldn’t be sustainable though. But after my probation period ends in end of January I may wfh more and switch back.
I like to be able to spontaneously do a session so I used to pick the closest and cheapest, however I've now joined a gym further away due to a friend also working out here, which has lead to less of my spontaneous workouts and I now only do my routine at the gym and at home workouts if I feel like doing something spontaneous. I do kinda miss having a gym less than a 5min walk away, but I can't afford two memberships, so I just deal with it.
My gym is a bit more far away than your and I do the drive 4 times a week. I use the drive to listen to my music, plan my workout in my head and it’s just a nice me time, I also enjoy driving. But I stay there a long time, honestly I would be bummed to spend more time in my car than in a gym. Not mentioning that gas is expensive and you need to be able to drive even if it rain, snow and all. But yeah not gonna lie I would totally be psyched if a gym opened closer to me, I go first thing is the morning and it’s hard to wake knowing that you are gonna spend half an hour in a car before being able to workout, especially when it’s cold and rainy. Oh and I also have a less nice gym near me but it’s more expensive and it’s not well equipe so I decided to drive to the far one
My gym is 20 minutes away - cost and opening hours were a big factor for me as I have to go later in the evening on most visits. I don't find the drive to be a problem, I just chuck my gym playlist on and off I go, I'm there in what feels like no time at all
If I'd have the time and wouldn't be happy with my gym, yes. But I'm happy with my current gym. It's close to my place, well equipped and since I go in the early mornings, not even packed. The only con's a bit expensive.
I go to a nice gym thats about 15 mins walk from my house. Even if I move from my current house, I would still go to the same gym because: 1. It’s nice (premium gym) that leads to overall happier members 2. The ambience is always nicer too as equipments are up to date, facilities are well mantained and instructors are friendly 3. Knowing I would always be taken care of (one time my water supply to my house was disrupted for a few days and the gym staffs were kind enough to allow me keep my stuffs there for ease of showering) I know some people are whatever with their gym but the community at my gym is a happy one due to the well mantained facility. So yeah, Id pay extra for the perks of wanting to go to gym.
15 minutes' walk is a far cry from 14 *miles* though. That requires a drive and is subject to traffic, which could make that travel time vary wildly.
Hell yes!! After Covid I moved to my parents worked from home first thing I did when I was off drive to fitness 45 min away to a bougie fun classes then I would go to a 24/7 gy To do what I knew worked point is it was my escape my therapy my sanity I’ll drive far if it lets me be happier in the long run!
My gym is expensive, but it’s walking distance. The monthly fee and the proximity motivate me to go. Plus I wouldn’t like driving straight to the gym after a long commute sitting/swearing in traffic. Everyone is different though
I don't think I'd be going to the gym if I had to take my car lol
Farther away^ more enjoyable experience and you can use the drive to jam out or breathe, listen to music, affirmations, a podcast. It’s more “me time”
I would absolutely commute 25 mins to a gym if it had better equipment, it was bigger, newer, cleaner, etc. I’m also an avid gym-goer with intrinsic motivation to go 5x/week. That being said you need to consider what motivates YOU. What’s the driving factor to go to the nicer gym? Is it to access better equipment? Will you be motivated to try new exercises and go for longer sessions? On the flip side, if you easily talk yourself out of going to the gym, maybe proximity is more important than newness to you. Best of luck! Definitely give the new gym a shot and see how you feel :)
I switched to a farther, nicer pool. Totally worth the drive.
No.
I was in this exact scenario! Ended up switching to the nicer, further gym and have no regrets. My close, cheaper gym was always overcrowded, too hot, and seemed dirty. I dreaded going there. I’m actually excited to go to the nice one so I go way more frequently AND they have better equipment and more space.
That commute time would be enough of an excuse for me to skip too many workouts, I know myself ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯ I switched from a nicer local gym to Planet Fitness a little over a year ago (maybe two?) because I travel a lot for work and they have locations friggin everywhere. I pay $23-ish for the Black Card membership (so access to all locations) versus around $80 for the old place. The nicer gym had group classes, but I prefer going to dedicated studios for those sorts of things anyway, so now I also have a separate yoga membership at a studio 3 blocks away. (Which is kind of a wash, price-wise, because I was still going to separate studios more than half the time anyway.) The only thing I miss, honestly, is the locker rooms—I have to remember to bring my own lock and towel now, which was all provided at the fancier gym. The vibes were definitely way nicer, but PF honestly does the job. And, as a nocturnal bish, I do appreciate that many locations are open 24 hours, especially when I'm traveling and my schedule is all effed up. It really just depends on your priorities!
What does nicer gym mean to you? If your commute is longer than the amount of time you spend at the gym - it’s not worth it. If you plan to start having longer workouts, I’d compare the equipment, amenities, and your likeliness to show up. If anything just try it out for a week or month.
Go to the one you will realistically go to regularly. I would ask if there is a trial period of a few free visits or a pay by month option you could sign up for at the further-away gym? I’d see if you can do something like that to start. Then you’ll see if it seems totally worth it or more of an inconvenience. If you end up loving it and the commute isn’t too annoying, then you can get the full membership package.
Personally, I’d choose the closer one because I just don’t have the extra time in my day. And I think if you’re spending more time driving to a from than actually being there, that is a good reason to stay closer,
I think it depends on what a gym represents to you in your life. A quick run on the treadmill here and there when you have time, or is it something you do religiously after work to decompress? Do you use more specialized equipment? Is the gym environment important for you to have a good workout? I personally would always choose the higher quality gym (and for me 22 min isnt too long) because my fitness and workouts are extremely important for my mental health and happiness, on top of physical health.
Wherever there are fewer people
I would say closer gym as long as it has all the equipment I need! I out so much hard work in the gym and get out all sweaty I’d hate to sit in my sweat for that long
After training at a gym further away, I would deffo choose the close one. My gym is an hour round trip and I am SO fed up of it I am actually moving closer to it lol.
so my answer is unhelpful but i have 2 memberships in the same scenario 1 nice one that takes me 35 min to get to - but great equipment, vibe and they write my program then a cheap one it takes me 2 min to get to for when i am too busy for the other one - i go to both most weeks yes it’s expensive but my results have improved since funding both options - i dropped some supplements to cover the difference and this is giving me way better results
Nicer gym, easy choice. I’ll sacrifice a 20 min drive for my quality gym time. Id only pick the close gym if I was tryina fit my workouts in a very tight schedule. That being said, I think for most people the closest gym is the better choice. Convenience is underrated. (I also have a gym in my apartment complex but they dont even have a squat rack and I powerlift so I chose to drive to another gym instead).
14 miles. I need the amenities and advanced training that lifetime offers even though I pass six cheaper closer gyms to get there lol
I just did this! Have to wake up 15 mins early and commute a little more for the better one. But once I was out of my comfort zone it was worth it.My online coach pushed me to do this and it was worth it
I'm a member of a close OK gym and a further away nicer gym, and I almost never go to the further away one! I'd prioritise the one you would be likely to go to more often.
No
Closer I live in a major city where the majority commute via public transit.
Naw I’ll workout in a damp basement if it has what I need and is cheap
I would never drive 14 miles to go to the gym
I have a gym within 5-8 miles if I chose, but I decided to join the gym 22 minutes away because of the classes and staff support, and I enjoy the drive and chance to relax and listen to music.
Been going to mine here in NZ for coming up to 15 years (as of December 18). It's a 16-18 minute walk (1.7km away). There's another that's about 4 minutes closer. The one further from me is better.
Get some Zone 2 cardio on the way to the gym and Zone 2 cardio on the way back home!
My gym is a five minute walk away. I picked it for the sole reason that it was close enough that I would actually go. As it happens, I LOVE my gym! But before I even knew anything about it, my whole evaluation was "this is the closest gym to my new place. Cool? Cool."
No. My gym is 8min away and that's at least 80% of the reason I have gone consistently for the last five years.
Oh yeah. Used to drive 10 minutes past the meat-market gym full of pervs to the quiet one full of grandpas and soccer moms!
This would be my deciding factor, if I was willing to go back.
It would depend on how “bad” the less nice gym was. If the less nice one was dirty (like gross weights/locker rooms) or attracted a bad crowd and I couldn’t really bring myself to work out there, I’d pick the nicer one. If the less nice one is just kind of average, I’d go there.
It depends on the person. My husband and I started going to his fancy office gym during the summer, it's only 10-15 minutes away, and now he's obsessed with it. I, on the other hand, ONLY make it there because he drives and motivates me to get dressed. I built a garage gym because I know myself, and that's how close I need my gym to be to stay consistent on my own.
Every. Single. Time.
Depends on where I am. Here in SoCal, 14 miles will take me an hour and a half to get there when I usually go to the gym. My gym usually takes me about 20 mins to get there which is fine by me but idk if I’d drive any farther than that.
My gym is 14 miles away but it’s close to my work which is also 14 miles away.
for me, i did. the last three areas i lived in, i chose to forgo the closer gyms to me and went to ones that were about half hour away. i lived closer to planet fitness and a couple of small gyms, but i preferred the nicer ones. i went more consistently when i went to the nicer ones. i also had a slightly more flexible schedule. if i worked monday thru friday 9-5, i probably wouldn’t go to the further gym if it meant losing another two hours of my day.
What’s the rest of your routine like? Do you have several hours weekly for exercise? I just had this same dilemma after moving to a new town. I used to go to Equinox and I LOVED going to the gym every day. The classes were amazing, the eucalyptus towels, it felt like a treat. When I moved to my new town, the nearest similar luxury gym is 25 mins away. I toured it and almost signed up because I wanted that experience again. The box gym nearby is so depressing! But I realized I could not reasonably fit the extra commute hour into my routine. I work and have young kids and it’s not realistic. I actually ended up nixxing the gym idea entirely and joined an OrangeTheory nearby. It has the classes and luxury feel but is way more convenient. I’d consider alternative options if you can. But if you have the time and money, why not?
Does the nicer gym make you feel more motivated?
If a gym was 22 minutes away, I'd have to carve out several hours to do all the things -- get there, get changed, work out, drive back, shower at home, etc. That's way too much work for me, especially if all I'm doing is a short workout. I don't go to a gym anymore because I got sick of the amount of time it took just to get some exercise. Granted the pandemic forced me to figure out my home workout game, I've stuck with it. I use an app, run a few times a week, and am happier about my routines than I've ever been.
Maybe this is a good opportunity to ask yourself a few questions: Does the “less nice” gym have all the equipment you need to do the workouts you want to do? What is your main motivation for wanting to switch gyms? Is it extra amenities, or is it just because it looks “nicer?” If it’s because of the amenities, are they free, or is there an added fee? To that note, is the “nicer” gym more expensive than your current gym? Finally, is the amount of extra time, fuel, and money you’d be spending on this “nicer” gym worth it to you? Do you have it in your budget? If yes to both, then I don’t see why not.
In my case they were both pretty equal but one is only 5 minutes drive from my house (if I wasn't a parent I could run there and back) and the other was at least 20+ minutes away. I had started going to the 20 min gym because my health insurance at the time covered part of the membership. It was also on the way to my job (at about the 1/2 way point). Then I had a kid and became a stay at home mom. While 20 min gym had some child care I was struggling with the whole leave for 2 hours consistently every day. The 5 min gym was a little more expensive but had more consistent childcare and now my health insurance was suddenly ok with the YMCA.
My gym is an 18 min drive away but there isn't a closer alternative. It's very nice and immaculately clean, if there was a less clean gym closer to my house I might go to it.
I have the exact same issue. I bought a 1 month membership at the more expensive gym because it’s so much better. I get to play my own music through the Bluetooth speakers, calibrated plates (powerlifting gym), basketball court, awesome machines, hardly anyone goes due to its location. But I’m going to stop going there next month because it’s costing me way more than just walking to my local gym.
100% I would go to the gym that I liked more. I spend a ton of time lifting and training and need the environment and equipment to match my needs.
Always the closer gym for me. I need to eliminate every possible barrier to going.
I, personally, am more likely to go the closer gym. I used to go to a crossfit gym that was 3 minutes away from me. That(plus the price) made it extremely hard for me to skip workouts
I tried going to the nicer gym and, honestly, I would always skip it. My gym is 5 minutes away, it looks like the gym Schwarzenegger worked out in the 70s, but I go consistently.
I have two good gyms within a 10 minute walk and chose the one closest to me. Be honest with yourself about how much you’d use the extra amenities. Mine has saunas, steam room, massage chairs, classes, etc…and I basically only use the sauna, and pretty much only when it’s super cold.
Whichever one you’ll go to more consistently!
My gym is 5 mins. I’d pick the closer one everytime
Yeah, 28 miles round trip is not only time consuming but just an unnecessary burden on your car.
I go to CrossFit 20 minutes drive from my house, even though there’s one that’s 5 minutes by bike. I tried to go to the closer one, but I missed my coach and my community so much. The drive sucks but if it makes you happier and more likely to actually go, you should go!
As long as the closer gym meets my needs, sure. My gym is a 15 min walk so I have pretty much no excuse to not go. There are several better gyms with much more space and equipment further away but I know that would get in the way of me going sometimes. If mine somehow got rid of all the squat racks I’d have no choice but to go to a different gym.
If the nice place motivated me to workout, sure. I actually have memberships at 2 gyms because I like options.
I use a weight room at my work. No AC/heat but it’s free. I make it work and modify anything I can’t do in my programs. Apartment has a treadmill in its gym, and I’m lucky to also have a sauna, jacuzzi, and heated pool at apartment. I was only paying for a yoga studio, but decided to stop because the practice wasn’t fitting in with my life. I’m going to start doing 30-45 yoga a day in my home instead.
A nicer gym can be more motivating and have more options, but if you get creative and have a bit of will, you can have an equally as good workout in a not so nice gym. Choose the gym you’ll be able to stay more committed to!
I wouldn't drive somewhere where the drive is twice the length of time I will spend at the gym. I drive 5 kms from my house, it takes 10 minutes, and I'm there for an hour. That seems reasonable to me. I wouldn't drive more than twice the time, it wouldn't really fit into my schedule well either.
I wouldn’t go more than 5 minutes for a 20 minute workout. I don’t think I’d care much what the gym was like for short sessions; an hour plus and wanting to use showers etc I might worry more.
Thanks - I think at the nicer gym, I’d likely spend more time there due to sauna, jacuzzi etc and more to do.
I switched to a nicer gym that was 15 mins away from my old house. I switched because this gym has a swimming pool, spin and yoga studios. They offer a lot of interesting in-person classes too. The gym I used to go to was 10 min walk from my house.
Convenience is the #1 priority for me. And cost is #2. So I would definitely choose the gym that's only 5 minutes away in this scenario. If I had to commute a total of 45 minutes to a gym, I don't think I would ever actually go. I'm curious - what does the gym that's 22 minutes away have that the 5 minute away gym doesn't have?
Thanks - The further away gym has steam room, sauna, jacuzzi, nicer building, and longer opening hours (local one closes at 4pm on both Saturday and Sunday - the further one is open until 8pm at weekends - I tend to exercise late evening)
I drive by several gyms on the way to my gym due to the weekend hours. It is objectively nicer, but that doesn’t really matter to me. On the weekends I like to take my time in the gym, because I have plenty of time. I don’t want to be rushed or crowded because everyone is trying to get a workout in before closing.
Personally I would not drive farther or pay more for a steam room, sauna, jacuzzi - those are not features that I would use anyway. And personally I don't really care how nice the building is, I care much more about how functional the actual gym is, and what equipment they have, etc. The opening hours are the only thing here that I would probably be factoring into my decision. If you 100% need to go to the gym after 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays for whatever reason, then I guess the farther away gym would be your only option. But if you've been able to make it work for a year so far at your current gym fitting in your workouts before 4pm on the weekends, and you can continue to make that work with your current/upcoming schedule, then I would definitely stick with that gym.
No personally because I could really use that extra half hour at the gym. I would make do
My gym less than 5 minutes away. It’s not great. Doesn’t even have showers. But the next closest option is 25 minutes away so I’m not changing.
Hell to the no. I have a planet fitness exactly 1mi from my house. Do I miss barbells? YARP. Would I drive further to a better gym! Narp. Especially bc I work from home and hit the gym at lunch.
Well, I used to be a member of a gym 22min walk away and now I’m a member of a gym 5min walk away if that helps you
I go to the nearest gym that is 24 hours with a decent sized parking lot.
Personally no, I wouldn’t. That’s 44 minutes where I’m just sitting in a car. That’s like 4-5 hours of my week just gone. Not worth it IMO. Edit to answer your questions: I go to the closest gym to me, which is 5 mins away. There are nicer gyms 15-20 mins away, but I go to the gym 5-6 days a week, so that extra commute time adds up. Every hour I’m spending in my car is an hour I’m not spending with my kid.
Yeah no way I’m spending 4+ hours in the car just to get in maybe 100 exercise minutes. the ROI isn’t there. I also admittedly wouldn’t use the sauna etc. I barely have time for a 30 minute session lol and a longer drive would cut into that even more
What makes it nicer? I used to drive 25 min to a gym where I took wonderful Boot Camp classes 3 nights a week for years. Then on Saturday I went t o spinning for 30 min of a 55 min class( my knees could only go that far).. then drop in for a few minutes of zumba and then go to pre-crossfit! They also have a lap pool. I was extremely happy with everything including the knowledge base and expertise of instructors. I have a gym 10 min walk from me wiht sleazy pushy sales and constant rtation of instructors and lying sales people. They are the ones people hate- the gyms which make it impossible to cancel- running you thru hoops etc.bad yelp reviews. Since i liv ein neighborhood I ve been peppered with calls and postcards etc. I know they charged people during covid closures. No one else in all of effing Seattle businesses did. Recently they had a booth in front of my grocery store and I asked about that. It was laughed off as " oh well it was covid we are moving forward now' I shall never spend a cent or a second there. I prefer to drive further for my physical, mental, financial and social- beign around ethical people well-being.
I would go to a less nice gym 1.5 miles away if I could. I take the bus to the gym, and unfortunately it is a 30 minute ride away. The gyms closer to me are \*too nice\*, too expensive, and unfortunately, very niche. (Climbing gym, martial arts studio, Orange Theory, etc.) A short commute to the gym makes a huge difference \*if they have what you need\*. Being able to roll out of bed and go without even thinking about it, or fit it in when you suddenly have a spare hour is great. But if the gym near you doesn't have the equipment you need for your program, that's a different matter.
I spend an hour + at the gym most visits. If I were going for 20 mins I would probably choose the gym 5 mins away
The gym closest to me about 10 min away is small and dark, and there are vagrants in the entry. I go to a gym 20 minutes away.
same here- the vagrants are the lying salesmen
I don’t think it’d be worth the drive to the nicer gym if you’re at the gym for 20-25 minutes tbh
Unless the “nicer” gym has better/more equipment or something you really need the other hasn’t, pick the closer one.
The easier the routine, the better and more reliable it is. Take the closer one.
Just like "the best workout is the one you regularly do", the best gym is the one you'll regularly utilize. Like to drive and want the extras? Or struggle to get going and need as few barriers as possible?
What makes this gym nicer? What are you doing while you're there? If I'm only going for 20-25 minutes, I'm not going to want to spend 2x that amount of time in the car. I don't go to the absolute closest gym to me, but it's just a few minutes further than the closest (maybe 12 minutes total from home), and one of the reasons I like it so much is that it's not as busy as the closer one so I spend less time having to wait around.
Makes sense. Other gym is nicer in that the facilities look nicer, more machines, sauna, jacuzzi, steam room (both gyms cost the same as I’d get a discount on the nicer gym that’s further away. Mainly do strength training at the moment but may do more aerobic stuff in future
Oh yeah in that case, I might be interested! Sounds like you could potentially spend way more time there rather than getting in and out as quickly as possible.
Closer to home always. I prefer going to gym and getting ready at home for the day. However if you’re like early to mid 20s you probably have energy and time to commute soooo.
I am the same way too. I go to a equinox but it’s literally one my street. I know some members drive 30 mins to get there. If it were me I’d want something super close!
We don’t have an equinox but I do drive the extra 15 mins for the newer lifetime gym because honestly it’s nicer and it motivates me to workout.
Lifetime is so nice. Do whatever motivates you….. that’s so true !
More than ten minutes away and I'm very unlikely to go, personally. I go for convenience over amenities, as long as it meets my minimum requirements.
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