by Araminta Matthews

Created on: April 29, 2008   Last Updated: May 04, 2008

With summer less than an arm's length away and spring sprung up all around us, we come to the inevitable turn in our workout routines: the gym versus the great outdoors. While there are benefits to both indoor and outdoor physical activity, there are pros and cons to weigh between each workout.

Cost Analysis:
According to Forbes Magazine, the average monthly cost of a gym membership is $55 a month, averaging to about $660 a year. Add to that the cost of supplies, including water, proper clothing, and trainers, and the yearly fee is approximately $800.

Hiking, on the other hand, has not monthly membership fee, but does require some initial investment. L.L. Bean sells Gore-tex hiking boots for around $99, and trekking poles (which increase calorie burn and improve muscle building) retail for about $129. Add to this bug repellent, sunblock, water, backpack, and State Park's fees - most of which are one time purchases), the start-up cost of hiking comes to around $350 with little future investment beyond general maintenance and park renewal fees.

Calorie Burn Analysis:
The calories burned while hiking or at the gym largely depends on the particular activity you choose to undertake. For example, a 200 pound man will burn an average of 370 calories an hour of leisurely swimming as compared to 840 calories burned in one hour of vigorously cycling on a stationary bicycle according to Halo Leisure Magazine, Britain's foremost guide to physical health. Meanwhile, Self Magazine's online fitness calculator suggests that the same 200 pound man will burn approximately 575 calories simply hiking cross-country for 60 minutes as compared to 715 calories hiking for 60 minutes along an incline, such as a hill or a mountain.

Regardless of inclines or cross-country hiking, the calories burned by hiking is harder to calculate than the calories you will burn at the gym. While the gym offers a controlled exercise environment - treadmills maintain a certain speed and incline to ensure you receive a steady workout - hiking is significantly more varied. Someone seeking a specific caloric burn, therefore, would benefit more from a gym workout where he or she could know exactly how many calories are burned from any activity. A person seeking exercise for pleasure, on the other hand, might choose hiking over the gym due to its variable routine and stunning scenery.

Muscle Building Analysis:
In addition to caloric burn, hiking versus workouts at the gym offer variable returns on fat loss and

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