CLEVELAND — Megan Gallagher starts each day bright and early, hitting a few workout routines from the comfort of her home in Euclid.

“I usually I get up around 5:45 in the morning. I get dressed, I grab water from the kitchen, and then I’m pretty much already ready to get started,” Gallagher said. “I come down here into the basement where I have all my equipment, and I use an online trainer.”

Gallagher said she is a longtime fitness fan and goes to the gym on occasion, but started exercising with her own equipment following the pandemic. But she isn’t the only one investing in home gym equipment. The fitness market could surpass 17 billion by 2030, according to SkyQuest’s latest market insights report.

“I definitely factor in things like cost and time in my day, and distance,” she said. “And this is pretty close to where I, live and work because it’s here in my house. But additionally… it’s free.”

Still, as the new year kicks off, gyms across the country are seeing an influx of new members. Around 19% of Americans subscribed to a gym membership with the average monthly cost falling between $52 and $58 per month.

Cori Bloch is welcoming in the most recent wave of gym-goers as a personal trainer at F45 Training in Solon, Ohio.

“I actually, at one point, was over 300 pounds. I had weight loss surgery about eight years ago,” she said. 

Bloch said all workouts are important for being healthy, but going in-person has its own benefits.

“I just want people to move, so however you’re moving is great for you, but coming to a group fitness class offers a totally unique and different experience,” Bloch said. “First of all, you have an incredible community here.”

Even though it comes with a monthly cost, she said it’s a small price to pay for the experience, and working with a trainer can keep you on track. 

“I also encourage people to make this part of their day so you can pre-book so go ahead, book it in, it’s like a meeting,” she said. “You don’t miss a meeting, you don’t miss a gym session. At home, you can get distracted.”

Fitness apps are a growing trend with an average cost of between $10 and $40 a month. Many of them cost less than a gym membership and some online options are available at no cost.

“She’s someone that I found during COVID, so I just turn the TV on, go to YouTube,and she’s pretty much always there for me,” Gallagher said. “She uploads videos every day. They’re free.”

Whether it’s lifting weights in the living room or locker room, Gallagher said she’s exercising to achieve one goal.

“I think my endurance has gotten a lot stronger over the years, so I’m proud of that,” Gallagher said. “And I want to keep pushing the envelope on that and keep getting stronger and feeling like I can go longer.”