Planet Fitness?
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Nice, so they put on a nice face.Dave198lbs wrote: »I was out doing errands this am and was going by a PF so, because of this thread, I stopped in and said I was thinking of joining and could I take a walk around. The guy said sure, so I walked around by myself for about 10 minutes or so. There were plenty of benches, oly bars and plates and an area for squats, presses and deadlifts. There were signs warning about dropping plates and not using cell phones except in the lobby area. There were a few guys working out who were "built" and appeared to be serious lifters. There were a few women on the cardio machines and a few people who were intent on what they were doing. It was clean and had a large area with a circuit of machines for total body fitness. There was nothing obvious that said this isnt a good enough gym.
I wonder how long that will last once you start running a tough lifting program.
I doubt I could do much of my program there.
but there are actually many (I would imagine) people who do not need nor want to focus on the ultra serious lifting you do. Many are lifting to maintain mass and increase some strength and overall fitness. Not everyone wants to do snatch and cleans and certainly, not everyone needs to. Weight lifting is an excellent activity but does not need to be taken to the extremes or levels some take it to and lifting does not need to become the end goal rather than the means to a different goal0 -
Wheelhouse15 wrote: »Why not sumo dl it, which lets you move a little more weight, use some straps, and shrug until T level triples?
Because I'm an old man now. :P I used to put it on pull blocks and do a sumo, since sumo is hard off the ground and easy at the lock out, but my new gym doesn't have proper pull blocks so I would need to use the rack pegs and well, that's the same thing as waiting for the rack. :grumble:
No it isn't!!! I just had an idea, next time a dude is curling in the squat rack, ask if you can double down on it. Then rock your shrugs, but you guys should be back to back. Shrugs off pins back to back with curls.
It would be pretty epic.0 -
Agreed, I'm not an ultra lifter though. I do my 3 majors, some accessories. I just do a level of volume and intensity that people would never want to be part of. That means occasionally I sound like a tire losing pressure. Occasionally I might drop a deadlift because my grip failed as I was putting it down. I might be terse and snippy. I will always leave a puddle of sweat. For some, seeing someone do that is validating, exhilarating and inspirational. For others, it's a reason for consternation and teeth gnashing. I have a feeling I'd see the latter versus the former in some certain gyms, because that isn't the type of activity that corporate wants.Dave198lbs wrote: »
Nice, so they put on a nice face.Dave198lbs wrote: »I was out doing errands this am and was going by a PF so, because of this thread, I stopped in and said I was thinking of joining and could I take a walk around. The guy said sure, so I walked around by myself for about 10 minutes or so. There were plenty of benches, oly bars and plates and an area for squats, presses and deadlifts. There were signs warning about dropping plates and not using cell phones except in the lobby area. There were a few guys working out who were "built" and appeared to be serious lifters. There were a few women on the cardio machines and a few people who were intent on what they were doing. It was clean and had a large area with a circuit of machines for total body fitness. There was nothing obvious that said this isnt a good enough gym.
I wonder how long that will last once you start running a tough lifting program.
I doubt I could do much of my program there.
but there are actually many (I would imagine) people who do not need nor want to focus on the ultra serious lifting you do. Many are lifting to maintain mass and increase some strength and overall fitness. Not everyone wants to do snatch and cleans and certainly, not everyone needs to. Weight lifting is an excellent activity but does not need to be taken to the extremes or levels some take it to and lifting does not need to become the end goal rather than the means to a different goal
Anyone lifting as the end goal is kinda just doing it wrong, if you ain't training for something, you ain't living. But, whatever. I have my high speed gym. It's the YMCA.
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I've been working out steadily / regularly at PF since the end of last year.VincitQuiSeVincit wrote:There is a Planet Fitness opening on my block! But of course, I've heard HORROR stories galore!
Is it as bad as they say? Has anyone had a positive experience with them?
I've been to 3 locations, all with very different atmospheres.
It all depends on location & clientele.
The one I was originally at varied depending on when I was there. Machines & club generally in good repair & clean, locker room small. During the day it was largely yuppies & people who work or live downtown. Parking was a bear but I felt safe and people were pretty nice. At night, when I could find parking & it was free, the clientele were pretty scary, nasty, bigoted, etc., as were the street people.
I transferred to one in a nice upscale suburb, not on a bus line from the ghetto, and it was much nicer. Machines kept in good working condition, club kept clean, ample easy parking, etc. Good pizza. Didn't feel the need to have my hand on my pistol no matter when I was there. People were generally OK, though there was one guy who attacked my workout partner. Police just talked to him, he didn't get arrested, and AFAIK he's still a member there.
The new manager ended my prepaid year-long contract because he said he has video of me in the locker room, doing something he said was "inappropriate", though he won't say what & doesn't seem to see committing the crime of videotaping someone in a locker room as inappropriate. They were supposed to refund my money, but I haven't seen it yet. If I have to go to small claims, I'm going to go after them for the extra cost of re-joining at another club. (If I'd transferred, so would my prepaid membership, and the yearly membership fee I'd already paid.)
The one I'm going to now is again in a not-great area, so when I'm there after dark or if I park where I'm not visible from the desk I will again have my hand on my pistol walking to/from my car. Place is a bit run-down, machines often need repair, holes in the walls, small lockers, small locker room, repairs needed all around, parking is free but there's not much of it. People haven't really bothered me, but it's just not a nice atmosphere. And their pizza sucks. It's pretty much just frozen pizza, even though it appears to come from a store.
I'm hoping to transfer to a new one opening near my home, walking distance so it can be part of my workout if I want (in nicer weather!), and the proximity I hope will outweigh the bad location & what will probably be really nasty clientele, worse than downtown. This is not a good neighborhood.
Might even start carrying while working out.
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The PF location I utilize is pretty darn good. There is a lot of equipment. It is located in a safe neighborhood. The majority of staff is knowledgeable and friendly – a couple people not so much. Equipment was upgraded within the last year or 2. It’s open 24/7.
It’s NOT cross-fit and focused more on cardio etc. I bought a $99. “annual” membership on promo (27 cents a day) – I see all types of body shapes – obese to super-fit and in-between.
As for the tootsie rolls, pizza and bagels – I never take any and can’t say I really “get it.” I don’t exercise to burn calories and then blow it all on the way out. Again, It isn’t cross-fit by a stretch, but might make a Band-Aid for you.
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PRMinx wrote:They won't let you lift heavy there either, or wear what you want, or check out your form in the mirror. If you get too into your workout, they will lunk alarm you.
At my PF, even dropping weights (repeatedly, on the machines, so they might break a plate) isn't cause to set off the lunk alarm. I wish it were, and I wish the staff would pay more attention & stop people from damaging the equipment.SLHysell wrote:This is simply untrue of my PF. They do not police what you can lift. They have lots of mirrors specifically so you can check your form, and although they do have a dress code, it is not over-restrictive at all ... If by "get into your workout", you mean loudly grunt like an animal and disrupt everyone else's workout, then you may have a case on that last point.
I was at my PF this afternoon, standing or sitting in front of part of the mirror (one huge long wall) to see that I was lifting right & nobody said boo to me, set off the alarm, nothing. It's there to be able to check yourself.My friend got lunked for checking out her form in the mirror.
So you were there on the first Monday night of the month.The very first thing I saw walking in was a table full of (free) pizza.
The second Tues. morning they have bagels.
Yes.when I'm in the gym, I don't want sudden crashes or grunts invading my own little world and distracting me from the goals I'm trying to achieve
I'm even annoyed when I'm hiking along on the treadmill, earphones in, volume turned up so I can hear the TV over the overhead noise, and people who want to be chatty with their workout partner set up a couple machines down, then proceed to hold a loud conversation (which I can hear _over_ the overhead noise & over the TV in my earphones!).
I exercise for the fitness, increasing my health.I don’t exercise to burn calories and then blow it all on the way out
To control weight, I control calories in.
On pizza nights, I plan to eat pizza. It's in my food diary. I don't go over that day any more than I usually do (sometimes within 200 cal of my actual goal, which is nowhere near all of what I've just exercised away). 0 -
Planet Fitness has pizza night?! That's it, I'm leaving my gym, I will be making ALL KINDS OF GAINS on Planet Fitness pizza!0
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With any gym membership, you're really just renting equipment. Planet Fitness is not the devil, but it's also not the easiest place to lift heavy. That being said, I've made great progress in strength and muscle at Planet Fitness, but I've had to get creative.
If your budget allows you to go to a gym with the equipment you want, go for it. If not, check out PF and see if it's something you could work with for a while. At the end of the day, it is a clean, quiet place where you can get a decent workout in. Not the most ideal gym, but it could be WAY worse, especially for the price.0 -
mskatiewonderful wrote: »With any gym membership, you're really just renting equipment. Planet Fitness is not the devil, but it's also not the easiest place to lift heavy. That being said, I've made great progress in strength and muscle at Planet Fitness, but I've had to get creative.
If your budget allows you to go to a gym with the equipment you want, go for it. If not, check out PF and see if it's something you could work with for a while. At the end of the day, it is a clean, quiet place where you can get a decent workout in. Not the most ideal gym, but it could be WAY worse, especially for the price.
Plus, you can make all kinds of gains with free pizza!0 -
Well obviously pizza is #1 for gains. How do you think Arnold got so big? Pizza.0
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mskatiewonderful wrote: »With any gym membership, you're really just renting equipment. Planet Fitness is not the devil, but it's also not the easiest place to lift heavy. That being said, I've made great progress in strength and muscle at Planet Fitness, but I've had to get creative.
If your budget allows you to go to a gym with the equipment you want, go for it. If not, check out PF and see if it's something you could work with for a while. At the end of the day, it is a clean, quiet place where you can get a decent workout in. Not the most ideal gym, but it could be WAY worse, especially for the price.
Plus, you can make all kinds of gains with free pizza!
Why do you hate America free pizza??0 -
jofjltncb6 wrote: »mskatiewonderful wrote: »With any gym membership, you're really just renting equipment. Planet Fitness is not the devil, but it's also not the easiest place to lift heavy. That being said, I've made great progress in strength and muscle at Planet Fitness, but I've had to get creative.
If your budget allows you to go to a gym with the equipment you want, go for it. If not, check out PF and see if it's something you could work with for a while. At the end of the day, it is a clean, quiet place where you can get a decent workout in. Not the most ideal gym, but it could be WAY worse, especially for the price.
Plus, you can make all kinds of gains with free pizza!
Why do you hate America free pizza??
I love free pizza! Gotta make dem gains!
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mskatiewonderful wrote: »Well obviously pizza is #1 for gains. How do you think Arnold got so big? Pizza.
Exactly!
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My PF in Pensacola, Florida is great. I have seen none of the "profiling" I hear mentioned on this site. It looks like the membership is truly a cross section of the community. I see muscle bound people there, and obese people there. Everyone seems very nice and respectful. I have no complaints whatsoever and highly recommend that particular gym.
And the Tootsie Rolls are a nice touch.
This is like the PF by me. Yes, they have free pizza once a month. My gym had a squat rack cuz I've seen people do it. I see heavy lifters there along with beginners. I see people dressed in all types of clothes, from jeans (what?) to tights on men. I see fit people with... well, not fit people like me lol. I've seen people lift practically all the weights on weight machines. I've seen people dancing (true story). People check themselves out in the mirrors and windows. I'm guessing that it just depends where you are. I've only had my membership for two months, but I've never seen anyone who works there talk with any member in a negative way. I've also never heard the lunk alarm go off... but again, it could just be my gym...
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Wheelhouse15 wrote: »Why not sumo dl it, which lets you move a little more weight, use some straps, and shrug until T level triples?
Because I'm an old man now. :P I used to put it on pull blocks and do a sumo, since sumo is hard off the ground and easy at the lock out, but my new gym doesn't have proper pull blocks so I would need to use the rack pegs and well, that's the same thing as waiting for the rack. :grumble:
No it isn't!!! I just had an idea, next time a dude is curling in the squat rack, ask if you can double down on it. Then rock your shrugs, but you guys should be back to back. Shrugs off pins back to back with curls.
It would be pretty epic.
LOL good idea, but no one actually curls in the racks at my gym since it's pretty hard core despite being a large commercial chain (we have a lot of competitive power lifters, body builders and figure competitors) and if anyone started curling in the racks they would get a lot of icy stares.0 -
LOL.I transferred to one in a nice upscale suburb, not on a bus line from the ghetto, and it was much nicer. Machines kept in good working condition, club kept clean, ample easy parking, etc. Good pizza. Didn't feel the need to have my hand on my pistol no matter when I was there. People were generally OK, though there was one guy who attacked my workout partner. Police just talked to him, he didn't get arrested, and AFAIK he's still a member there.
The new manager ended my prepaid year-long contract because he said he has video of me in the locker room, doing something he said was "inappropriate", though he won't say what & doesn't seem to see committing the crime of videotaping someone in a locker room as inappropriate. They were supposed to refund my money, but I haven't seen it yet. If I have to go to small claims, I'm going to go after them for the extra cost of re-joining at another club. (If I'd transferred, so would my prepaid membership, and the yearly membership fee I'd already paid.)
Someone got mad at me and unfriended me when I said I occasionally take my CCW into the gym with me. Apparently saying, "oh you're an easterner, you wouldn't understand" was not the right action on my part. lol.
According to another poster here, they don't do contracts. Interesting they're trying to steal from you, since there supposedly isn't contracts. lol.
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LOL.I transferred to one in a nice upscale suburb, not on a bus line from the ghetto, and it was much nicer. Machines kept in good working condition, club kept clean, ample easy parking, etc. Good pizza. Didn't feel the need to have my hand on my pistol no matter when I was there. People were generally OK, though there was one guy who attacked my workout partner. Police just talked to him, he didn't get arrested, and AFAIK he's still a member there.
The new manager ended my prepaid year-long contract because he said he has video of me in the locker room, doing something he said was "inappropriate", though he won't say what & doesn't seem to see committing the crime of videotaping someone in a locker room as inappropriate. They were supposed to refund my money, but I haven't seen it yet. If I have to go to small claims, I'm going to go after them for the extra cost of re-joining at another club. (If I'd transferred, so would my prepaid membership, and the yearly membership fee I'd already paid.)
Someone got mad at me and unfriended me when I said I occasionally take my CCW into the gym with me. Apparently saying, "oh you're an easterner, you wouldn't understand" was not the right action on my part. lol.
According to another poster here, they don't do contracts. Interesting they're trying to steal from you, since there supposedly isn't contracts. lol.
They do contracts for their black card membership, and you can prepay and it's a little cheaper. If you just do the $10/month, it's a no-contract.
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LOL, I cannot even imagine a situation in which I'd remove clothing in public, but that's funny. I didn't even argue, but as I walked out, I knew I wasn't renewing."looked too much like denim."
WTF?
It's either denim or it isn't. I'd have taken the shorts off, told them to analyze them and bring them back while I'm squatting. I swear.
If you're very bored, here they are: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/60647?feat=sr&term=sunwashed+canvas+shorts
I have those in a bunch of colors because they're the only non-nylon shorts I can stand in the summer. That day they were light blue (which isn't pictured there.). I've worn the yellow ones and not been stopped.
They mustn't be hurting for customers if they can be that picky.
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At 10 a month, they want a high volume of customers, but a low volume of actual users. And they get it.
After you drop trou in public a few times, it gets easier.
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I always put it this way. You CAN get results at Planet Fitness, and some people do. However, many of their policies are misguided and can hinder your progress significantly.
Yes, the "no grunting" rule is one of them. It's true that people should not be yelling in the gym, but a mild grunt is to be expected when you're pushing yourself extra hard. Ditto for dropping weights. Nobody should slam the weights to the ground; however, PF goes way overboard when they say that nobody should drop them at all, even from just a few inches off the ground.
They just plain spread a lot of false information about working out, and the disallow some of the most beneficial exercises around. They also create an environment where people are less motivated to push themselves hard, lest they be publicly ridiculed by employees or the lunk alarm.
If PF is your only option, then yes, you can certainly make progress there. It will tend to be suboptimal progress, though. This is especially problematic for beginners, since they often lack the knowledge necessary to understand why their workouts aren't progressing as quickly as they could.
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and why did you necro this? Not polite.0
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I have never had a complaint with PF. However, I only go there twice a week to do cardio and take my friend. I lift at my apartment gym.0
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That makes sense. That is why it bugs me when people crap on PF for trying to create a specific environment. I'm fine with CrossFit culture.. or any other gym culture. It's just not necessarily my culture, and I'd rather it not invade my space. PF has created a space that tries to keep that from happening. Before you get upset by that, please think about this analogy.
I LOVE music. I am a musician. I get it. However, I don't like it at all when my neighbor cranks his stereo up to 11 so that the sound invades the space at my house thus disturbing my sleep or my TV time or my concentration when trying to work at the computer. Similarly, when I'm in the gym, I don't want sudden crashes (dropping weights) or grunts (I apologize for the animal reference;I was simply trying to be descriptive) invading my own little world and distracting me from the goals I'm trying to achieve . I don't think that's unreasonable to ask in a place that openly advertises that it is not permitted.
I don't understand why we can't just choose the gym that best suits our own style without feeling the need to pass judgement. I mean seriously, I won't be complaining that the more traditional gyms don't have rules that fit my opinion. I just won't go there. I honestly can't understand the animosity people on the other traditional side have toward those of us who prefer a quieter environment. Honestly. Why would anyone want to go to a PF if they didn't like the clearly stated rules? I just don't get it.
THIS^^ last paragraph especially.
And I am one who sometimes grunts and would disrupt the peace. Happens sometimes, usually when I pushing for a PR (especially when its deads). I do respect the analogy however, and I will try to be mindful. But sometimes...grunts happen.
Honestly..dead #245. You'll hear either a grunt or a fart from me. Your choice.
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I grunt, I don't apologize. I also drink. Make bad jokes. Enjoy National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.0
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I'm pretty sure that's not why critics object to Planet Fitness. From what I've read, they don't have a problem with a beginners-only gym -- or any gym that serves a niche market. You don't hear these types of criticisms about Curves, for example, even though they also cater to low-intensity, low-effort exercisers.
Rather, critics object to the methods that PF uses. I honestly can't blame them; after all , there is absolutely no need to demonize weightlifters, just because you want to cater to the average Joe (or even the below average). They also perpetuate the notion that bench pressing, barbell squatting, deadlifting, etc. are only for bodybuilders and other advanced exercisers, when nothing could be farther for the truth.
And so on, and so forth. I won't bother talking about the pizza, bagels, and donuts (where applicable). The point is that critics consider such methods to be problematic, especially when they work against their clients' supposed goals. I doubt that many of them would say that it's wrong to have a gym that focuses on the average near-sedentary folks.
dbmata, I apologize if I offended you. I saw that the last posting was only a month old, and I didn't think that was excessive. As you get to know me, you'll find that I'm a pretty reasonable person, open to hearing multiple viewpoints. (BTW, if you don't mind my saying, I think that it's helps to be polite when correcting others on their perceived errors. No offense, but I think that your response didn't have to be so harsh.)0 -
If you thought that harsh, wait until you see me write a post when I'm mildly annoyed or someone, you'll find it positively withering.
Welcome to MFP, not all of us are wearing our frilly pants and kid gloves.0 -
Love Planet Fitness. Iam 45 years old and use the machines to lift weights, treadmill to run and the elliptical. If you want to lift heavy free weights then it is not the gym for you. Iam not into that lifting anymore. Not sure what the negativity about it is, my Planet Fitness Gym in Abingdon Md is top notch, clean, and very friendly staff. Not sure what the argument is lol, if you want to lift heavy free weights, you need to find another gym. For 10 dollars a month its perfect for me, I have lost 45 lbs since May working out there and using myfitnesspal
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I think I already explained what the negativity is about, brirandle1. Good-hearted people don't like it when bodybuilders and other accomplished athletes are demonized as being "lunks" or mentally deficient. It's hardly consistent with the "no judgment" philosophy that PF keeps touting.
They also don't like it when a fitness chain enforces policies that work against their members interests. The whole pizza fiasco is an obvious example, but instead of focusing on that, we can talk about their equipment instead.
When I visited a local PF, the person at the front desk told me that they don't have bench press stations or squat racks because their place "isn't for bodybuilders." Anyone halfway knowledgeable gymgoer, however, knows that bench pressing and barbell squatting aren't just for the hypermuscled types. In fact, they are excellent ways for beginners to get started, provided that these people start out light and educate themselves on proper form. Because they're in the fitness industry, the PF management should know better than to perpetuate such misconceptions.
Please note that I am not railing against PF. I fully acknowledge that it's possible to make progress there. However, I also understand the objections of those who say that PF places a great many obstacles in their clientele's way, and for rather poor reasons.
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Spartan coming in with some of the most intelligent noob posts I've seen in a while. I'd take him 1st overall in the Noob Draft.0
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