Does anyone else feel spoiled with the home options?

[momofcha]

I went to a local yoga studio for a class today. I enjoyed it, but couldn't help feeling that my options at home are as good, or better. I did enjoy the meditation immensely so I'm looking to find home options for that. I can join the studio for $99/month, but can't help feeling like I can do it just as well at home.

They also offer barre & Pilates classes, but I'm still not sure.

Thoughts?

[geojill]

I get more variety for my money at home. I've yet to find anywhere that has the variety of classes I like at the time I have available to exercise.

[bubbles76]

I would love to take barre or pilates classes, because I don't know if I'm doing it correctly . Cardio, yoga, and strength training aren't as much of an issue, as I've done those types of workouts for years with trainers and classes at the gym, so I'm pretty good on form.

I would like to be able to do both ideally-- home and gym. I definitely have enough to keep me occupied at home, however it's nice to be able to switch it up.


ETA: I would also love to take Kettlebells. With my limitations, I think I'd only feel comfortable taking instruction from someone that knew what they were doing. Of course, after I got the basics down, I'd go back to my dvds for barre, pilates, or kettlebells.

[gladgirl]

I went to a pilates studio for a few months...mostly for rehabilitative work for my back. While I enjoyed and received benefit from the machine-based equipment, I thought I would be destined for a life of chronic pain because I quit the classes. (Plus parking at the studio was a bummer. Got my car scratched up several times and sometimes had to pay for parking, as well.)
Not so. With the purchase of just a few dvds and a focused rotation (for my core) I am just as pain-free, if not more so, than when I went to class. I love my variety of home workouts and how I have the ability to switch from one genre to another based on my desires and collections.

[hotncmom]

I don't go to live classes very often, but most of the time when I do I'm underwhelmed. DH and I took a yoga class on the beach last year at a resort in the FL Keys and I was really irritated by the instructor. We just got back from vacation at another resort and the yoga instructor there was better but overall I didn't get as much out of the class as I do when I do yoga options at home.

I think it's great that we can have access to take classes with the best instructors in the country right at home. I am spoiled and critical of most live instructors who don't measure up.

The only live class I have taken and liked is Pilates reformer classes. I worked through a 10-class pass this past spring and really enjoyed it. It was definitely a luxury purchase, though!

[Jeanne Marie]

I do almost exclusively live classes now. I have found a bootcamp that is just as tough, if not tougher, than Cathe's workouts. I have also been able to lift heavier with a personal trainer at the gym. I really enjoy the comradery of the class participants, and getting out of the house and staying busy is good for me right now. I am doing at least 2 bootcamps each day (M-Sat), and strength training 3 days a week.

That's not to say I don't still love my DVDs and my workout room at home, it's just that I've reached a new level by expanding my horizons!

[dmlarue1]

I used to take live yoga classes and absolutely loved it...this was many years ago. Now I find it too expensive....and the last time I went, the instructor tried to get me to do poses I wasn't comfortable with. For example, I can't do full camel and I really shouldn't because I have an old back injury.

Now I also have 2 little boys and work full time, so the time it would take to drive back and forth would take time away from them. I would rather workout at home. Plus traffic here is crazy, so I don't like driving more than I have to.

For 99.00 a month I can see both ways....If the instructor is good and is one who adjusts you, it can be worth it to really Feel the poses.
But if you know what you are doing, 99.00 buys you quite a large collection of DVDs that you will have forever (or until the dvd doesn't play anymore

[Nuggie's Auntie]

I was taking live barre classes exclusively for a while. I loved all the form corrections (especially Bar Method) and I met some really nice people. It was great to have that uninterrupted time, especially on the weekends if DH was home to watch the kids, I didn't have to worry about being interrupted.

However, after a few months, I started really missing my home workouts, mostly because of time. I was spending so much time just getting to and from class. They weren't really that far from my home, but by the time I drove over, parked, walked over to the studio, put away my stuff, etc, I could have been halfway through a DVD! Then reverse the process getting home, it just wasn't efficient.

I still enjoy going to classes from time to time, and I absolutely think it was time well spent to do such a form-specific type of exercise like barre with trained instructors watching me. My form (which I was told was really good when I started) is better still, and ALL my workouts have benefitted, not just barre. I am much more mindful of my posture and correct movements.

[killoffsonny]

Sorry but no. I haven't been "feeling" it lately (probably the past year) for working out at home. I almost ended my gym membership a few months ago when I was working. Glad I didn't because I ended up quitting and I really like my yoga classes at my gym. Most other types of workouts I don't mind doing at home but doing yoga in a classroom sitting is better for me if the instructor is good. And she is.

[Jennifer R]

Originally Posted by geojill

I get more variety for my money at home. I've yet to find anywhere that has the variety of classes I like at the time I have available to exercise.

This is me, absolutely!