Planet Fitness?

AmberAntoine

You should be aware of all the risk before starting to lift weights. Know rules about membership and ask for PF first.

tomatoey

MsHarryWinston wrote: »

I'm really torn on the whole PF thing, but I've never been to one. I hate their commercials. I hate the lunk alarm thing. But $10 is awesome.
I hear that they don't like people to lift heavy but what's considered heavy to everyone?
When my dad is in the States (we live in Canada) he goes to the gym down the way from my Gramps' house. And my dad presses 190lb. So that seems pretty heavy to me. And he's never said that they don't have what he needs to lift heavier than that there, all I know is that he currently presses 190lb and that he's able to do it at this Planet Fitness location.

* Also can I just say that my dad is pressing 190 POST heart attack! Yeah, just throwin that out there cause I think that's pretty awesome.

So I didn't know that PF existed in Canada! $10 a month, for a month to month membership, is fantastic. I've never paid less than $50..

The CEO's answers in this interview about the expansion to Canada sheds some light on its culture:

How do you choose your franchisees?

After the financial requirements, we do personal interviews to make sure they understand the culture. It’s all about culture. If they start questioning the ‘judgement free zone’ or why we don’t have heavy free weights, aquatics or spinning classes, you can already see that they’re not really buying into the average Jane or Joe who wants to work out two or three days a week. They’re trying to go for that extreme athlete and that’s just not us.

What’s important is when they talk about experiences in their families and with people they know – people who have struggled with working out or losing weight or with their self esteem. You can get to see if they understand the reason for the ‘judgement free zone’. If they can see that need for a safe haven, they get the culture, they get why we’re doing what we do.

...

How has Planet Fitness evolved since its early days?

It’s been a ride. In New Hampshire, we were in some very rural towns. We had two stores over in Rochester where the five-mile radius is only 50,000 people. Plus the town we were in only had 22,000 and there were a few other clubs. Back then, only 12 per cent of the U.S. population belonged to a health club. We had the heavy weights along with all the normal club stuff and were fighting for that 12 per cent. So we thought, rather than just going after splitting the pie, why not come up with a new model that goes after the 88 per cent to come work out at the club.

So we started tinkering with the rates and the volume started driving in. We were getting the first time gym users to come in but also more of the bodybuilders, power lifters, triathletes and extreme athletes too. Putting them all in the same room didn’t quite work. So we started questioning the services we were providing. Cardio was the biggest thing in the gym – always was and always will be. So we stacked our clubs up with cardio and stripped down all the aerobics, daycares and juice bars which made more room for cardio and circuit training. Then it really started moving. We started getting all these first timers coming in without the clash of personalities.

After a lot of refinement, we started franchising in 2003, which is when we saw a model that we had developed in a rural town work in places like Orlando, Florida and New York City that had big populations. So then our focus became franchising which allowed us to grow much faster. Now have about 200 groups of franchisees– entrepreneurs who are on the ground working it day to day. They’re passionate as opposed to it just being one corporate office trying to put their hands on all these markets everywhere, and not understanding the people there.

....

What’s your advice to franchisees?

Follow the model. A lot of our franchisees are not from the fitness industry. They’re ex-doctors, airline pilots, high tech people – people who’ve retired but don’t want to sit at home. That’s great because they take our playbook and run with it. They do what the playbook says as opposed to the people that have come from the gym business who always try to gravitate back and want to bring in aerobics and the other stuff. You have to really put yourself in the mind of the consumer and understand what they look for to be able to sell it and run it.

Personally, I have some limitations right now, so I'd be good as long as they have a stationary bike, treadmill and cable machine. But I think it would be possible for people without constraints to get use out of it, if the location's decent. $10!!!

uconnwinsnc1

After the financial requirements, we do personal interviews to make sure they understand the culture. It’s all about culture. If they start questioning the ‘judgement free zone’ or why we don’t have heavy free weights, aquatics or spinning classes, you can already see that they’re not really buying into the average Jane or Joe who wants to work out two or three days a week. They’re trying to go for that extreme athlete and that’s just not us.

hahahahahhahahahahhahahahhahahahahahahahhahahhhahahahahahahhaaha.



haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

spartan_d

Yeah, that's laughable. Aquatics and spinning classes are NOT specifically for extreme athletes by any means. In fact, aquatics are typically designed for people who are extremely out of shape, though there are some exceptions to that rule.

Heck, you don't even need to be an extreme athlete to use heavy weights. I don't want to shamelessly bash PF, but when they say things like this, it becomes clear that they're not knowledgeable when it comes to exercise. Either that or they're trying to rationalize their strange policies.

jofjltncb6

spartan_d wrote: »

Yeah, that's laughable. Aquatics and spinning classes are NOT specifically for extreme athletes by any means. In fact, aquatics are typically designed for people who are extremely out of shape, though there are some exceptions to that rule.

Heck, you don't even need to be an extreme athlete to use heavy weights. I don't want to shamelessly bash PF, but when they say things like this, it becomes clear that they're not knowledgeable when it comes to exercise. Either that or they're trying to rationalize their strange policies.

I admire their ability to stick to their marketing plan even in the face of contradictory facts...

...and I still believe their blatantly hypocritical "judgment free zone" *unless it's to judge fit people* ploy is an intentional part of their overall marketing strategy. Us "meatheads" do a great job of advertising to their intended target audience for them.

dbmata

uconnwinsnc1 wrote: »

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.

I'm a little concerned about the thin skin, but that can be conditioned. Might be a good draft choice.

dbmata

jofjltncb6 wrote: »

...and I still believe their blatantly hypocritical "judgment free zone" *unless it's to judge fit people* ploy is an intentional part of their overall marketing strategy.

It is, paired with the purple colors, machines everywhere, and equipment that looks like toys.

It's all finely crafted around the concept of a high membership, low usage volume club. If you discriminate against people who will utilize the facility, you'll keep the losers longer, and they'll generally continue to spend while never stepping foot inside.

It's very savvy.