Article: "How Low Cost Gyms Like Planet Fitness Psychologically Manipulate Members Into NOT Going"
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AsaThorsWoman
Posts: 2,303 Member
Found this article today:
http://uproxx.com/webculture/2014/12/how-low-cost-gyms-like-planet-fitness-psychologically-manipulate-people-into-not-going-to-the-gym/
My gym is $10/ mo through my work, but I can relate to this attitude.
Somedays I'd rather just walk a couple miles than drive three miles to get too it.
What do you think of this article?
Is this true for you, or no?
http://uproxx.com/webculture/2014/12/how-low-cost-gyms-like-planet-fitness-psychologically-manipulate-people-into-not-going-to-the-gym/
My gym is $10/ mo through my work, but I can relate to this attitude.
Somedays I'd rather just walk a couple miles than drive three miles to get too it.
What do you think of this article?
Is this true for you, or no?
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Replies
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Well, I think the article is poorly-written, badly-structured, and without enough supporting evidence for the author's presumed point.
It's not that I think the author is incorrect about a gym's business model presuming not every member comes, but I don't think feeling out of place in a weight room is by specific gym design. I admit I do not frequent either bars or the Planet Fitness franchise, so it's possible I don't have enough evidence, either, to make a judgement on the psychological layout and what it's meant to imply.
The cheap membership might make some people value it less, I agree.
The author's ideas of what a good gym costs is bizarre. Five hundred bucks a month and they kick you out of you don't attend enough? Maybe if your membership included a personal trainer to talk you through your workouts or something. Or if it were some elite gym for world-class athletes. I pay less than $500/year for a good, mid-grade community gym with a pool.
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BTW Jo, love the new profile pic. You and my wife have very similar eye color.
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aw thank you it's a good color- it suits me a I think
I'm sure she's lovely- happy to share the color LOL0 -
AsaThorsWoman wrote: »Found this article today:
http://uproxx.com/webculture/2014/12/how-low-cost-gyms-like-planet-fitness-psychologically-manipulate-people-into-not-going-to-the-gym/
My gym is $10/ mo through my work, but I can relate to this attitude.
Somedays I'd rather just walk a couple miles than drive three miles to get too it.
What do you think of this article?
Is this true for you, or no?
I always wondered how those guys could charge $10 a month and stay in business. It's scummy, but kind of genius, actually. Evil genius, but still. Any gym owner knows that it's the paying "no-shows" that are the ideal customers, from a financial standpoint at least. More revenue, no need to spend money to increase capacity.
I guess the flip side is that by keeping out the habitual exercisers with the layout and the "lunk alarms", they actually do make it less intimidating to beginners. So for the tiny proportion that actually go, it might be a pretty good gym, at least for the first few months until they are ready for something more advanced.
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How weird! I searched the title in the search bar before posting this and nothing came up. Oh well, maybe I searched than took my time about reading and posting the article or something because it does appear in the search now.0 -
NoelFigart1 wrote: »Well, I think the article is poorly-written, badly-structured, and without enough supporting evidence for the author's presumed point.
It's not that I think the author is incorrect about a gym's business model presuming not every member comes, but I don't think feeling out of place in a weight room is by specific gym design. I admit I do not frequent either bars or the Planet Fitness franchise, so it's possible I don't have enough evidence, either, to make a judgement on the psychological layout and what it's meant to imply.
The cheap membership might make some people value it less, I agree.
The author's ideas of what a good gym costs is bizarre. Five hundred bucks a month and they kick you out of you don't attend enough? Maybe if your membership included a personal trainer to talk you through your workouts or something. Or if it were some elite gym for world-class athletes. I pay less than $500/year for a good, mid-grade community gym with a pool.
Yeah, my first thought was "Is this a psychologist making comments about how gym lay-outs effect people psychologically?"
My gym is one of the greatest in the state, but it only cost $10 because I work for the University. If I was an outsider it'd be about $80 per month I think.
But I do fall into the the "It's OK if I don't use it cause it's so cheap" mindset.
But I also love outdoor activity and hike around a lot.
I've never been to a Planet Fitness, but I went to a mini-Gold's and it was a terrible, terrible experience, but I don't think it was Gold's's fault. It was the people there. I went for like 4 days and each day caught someone red handed trying to steal from me. I know we need to keep our valuables locked up, but I'm not used to a "culture" that will literally try to steal your dirty gym shorts or half used bottle of water. I thought it'd be smart to go to a gym near my got at-the-time (OKC), NOPE, NOPE, NOPE, drive to work and drive home, no more loggy-gagging in that area, ever, ever again.
In my gym there are three "stories".
The very top story is a track with white cardio and more basic level machines. Intimidation level, maybe 1.
The middle level is the cardio room, a rock wall, and some crawling and stretching stuff and the class rooms. Intimidation level 0.
Now the bottom floor, if you're brave enough to descend (which I always do, I'm no novice) There's a few weight rooms, racket ball courts, basketball courts, more advanced machines (black, not white!), free weights, in two rooms and some weird things I don't understand if you want to skateboard in a pipe there's one down there too... All the guys pumping iron are college guys, Intimidation level: 10 or more!
So there are "psychologically intimidating" areas in my opinion, but fortunately I can do two full levels if I don't feel like rocking out and being a bad *kitten*.0 -
Whether or not I go to the gym has very little to do with the reasons stated in the article. Choose a gym/ workout system that works for you and just do it!
I generally work out from home because it is more efficient, but I have a gym membership so I can use it if the weather is bad, or if I decide to swim or use weight machines. (I usually use dumbells at home.)0 -
Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
BTW Jo, love the new profile pic. You and my wife have very similar eye color.
Ha! - Funny - I've been wanting to say that all day, but figured it would come across as creepy!
cheers!0 -
All gyms are based off the model of not expecting all members to go.....why the hate towards low cost gyms at least you didn't lose hundreds of dollars.0
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I myself am a member of planet fitness and I laugh at the free pizza, bagels and candy, but if you're truly there to exercise I don't care what they have. I never had any of it. My point in going is to workout and to keep as much money as I can because I'm a broke law student. I will say that I have been made fun of because I was working out "too" hard by two rather obese women (I say this as former rather obese woman) and when I asked if there was a scale available I was looked at like I was crazy and told that's what no judgment means. Its funny there's no judgment for "average" people but plenty for athletes. But as stated before who cares, I'm there to get fit.0
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All gyms are based off the model of not expecting all members to go.....why the hate towards low cost gyms at least you didn't lose hundreds of dollars.
This. I have three memberships and two of them are $12 a month. For me the cost just allows more flexibility and if I don't use my 24 membership for a month or two, I feel no guilt. I know I will never cancel it at that price. Vegas is full of low cost gyms and super expensive ones. Think it just depends on the person and what works for you.
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i know nothing about planet fitness and it seems like a neat place to go. i pay nearly $100 for a gym membership i don't use...0
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When I visited the U.S. last Summer, I needed a gym for a month, so I went by PF near the path I'd be running. I *literally* said "shut up and take my money", and they said no, because they only accept payment by automatic checking account debit. It's a brilliant business strategy. All those folks with good intentions sign up, then even when they realize they aren't going, they would have to go to the trouble of canceling the auto debit, which is admitting defeat, etc. it is very psychological. As for me, I got very lucky they didn't "shut up and take my money" because I found the BEST gym as a result and I will always return to it when I'm back stateside.0
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fascinating. I did a month last year. No strings attached. weird. Glad you found the best gym! I have new health insurance with gyms in every city and have been polling folks in other cities (since I travel lot) was that a "major city"? If so, could I PM you to see if your gym is on my insurance list?FromHereOnOut wrote: »When I visited the U.S. last Summer, I needed a gym for a month, so I went by PF near the path I'd be running. I *literally* said "shut up and take my money", and they said no, because they only accept payment by automatic checking account debit. It's a brilliant business strategy. All those folks with good intentions sign up, then even when they realize they aren't going, they would have to go to the trouble of canceling the auto debit, which is admitting defeat, etc. it is very psychological. As for me, I got very lucky they didn't "shut up and take my money" because I found the BEST gym as a result and I will always return to it when I'm back stateside.0 -
More like rural city. Sorry.
I can't wait to go back. They were converting one of the class rooms Into a powerlifting room and were going to have intro to powerlifting classes periodically. Also all their trainers VERY knowledgable and degreed in exercise science or physical therapy or similar. I wish I could ship the whole operation to where I live.0 -
I just got a gym membership at Planet Fitness today. I read up on them extensively in advance and I have to say I must be 100% in their target demographic, because every negative review I read made me think, "yes, this is perfect!"
Seriously, the majority of people I found online complaining about Planet Fitness sounded like people I would never want to be around. My personal favorite complaint was that the gym had "more heifers than hotties."
I kind of love the idea of a gym that is actually somewhat hostile to the "usual" fitness crowd. It's weirdly subversive. And $10/month is in my budget where the $50+ for other nearby gyms is not.0 -
AsaThorsWoman wrote: »...
http://uproxx.com/webculture/2014/12/how-low-cost-gyms-like-planet-fitness-psychologically-manipulate-people-into-not-going-to-the-gym/
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What do you think of this article?
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I've never been to PF, but I believe the article and think that it's a brilliant business strategy. There's nothing misleading about it, no deception, bait-n-switch, etc. More power to them. I don't care for the lunk alarm and the horror stories of over-zealous employees enforcing asinine rules, but I know people that go there and don't have/see any of those problems. But of course, that stuff won't make the news/magazines.
I could see myself going there under different circumstances (e.g. poor, nothing else nearby, just starting fitness, etc.)
Fortunately, I have a workplace gym that's free and my health plan has a no-contract program whereas I have access to numerous gyms for $25/mo.0
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