Worst fitness plans ever!

Options
1789101113»

Replies

  • mattyc772014
    mattyc772014 Posts: 3,543 Member
    Options
    I actually wish my gym had a massage chair. I would so use it after a workout. But I would have to see them spraying it down and cleaning it. :)
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
    edited July 2015
    Options
    According to various massage therapists that I've spoken to, a massage chair is next to useless for improving one's fitness. I mean, it might feel good and it's better than nothing, but only marginally so. Kinda like the fitness programs presented in the OP.

    Besides which, massage is mostly helpful for long, intense, butt-busting workouts... the kind that would get one labelled a "lunk."
  • Ironmaiden4life
    Ironmaiden4life Posts: 422 Member
    Options
    spartan_d wrote: »
    That argument would make at least some sense if these were being marketed as beginner routines. They're not, though.

    And to reiterate what's been said earlier, even an absolute beginner should be able to do a lot more than what's in these routines. We all have to start somewhere, but these plans do nothing to challenge a newbie. In fact, they are bound to give beginners completely unrealistic expectations -- especially with all this talk of tanning and lying a massage chair.

    As a personal trainer and nutritional coach I don't care how people start as long as they do, although I do agree about the tanning... Big no to the tanning!

    For some people this is realistic, in fact for people in a morbidly obese condition or with a lot of limitations this may be all they're capable of. I assess peoples physical capability and design the program around that in line with the goals they want to achieve. I'm always striving for progression, both in my clients and myself but it really doesn't matter where the starting point is, that's where we build from.
  • mattyc772014
    mattyc772014 Posts: 3,543 Member
    Options
    @spartan_d I wasnt thinking about possible benefits of fitness. More into the feels. :) Beats sitting on a shatty metal chair. :) So I take it you believe there is benefit in a real massage for fitness?
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
    Options
    Absolutely. Tight hip flexors can hinder one's running ability, for example. Not to mention that tight muscles are more prone to injuries and reduced performance.
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
    Options
    spartan_d wrote: »
    That argument would make at least some sense if these were being marketed as beginner routines. They're not, though.

    And to reiterate what's been said earlier, even an absolute beginner should be able to do a lot more than what's in these routines. We all have to start somewhere, but these plans do nothing to challenge a newbie. In fact, they are bound to give beginners completely unrealistic expectations -- especially with all this talk of tanning and lying a massage chair.

    As a personal trainer and nutritional coach I don't care how people start as long as they do, although I do agree about the tanning... Big no to the tanning!
    I've shown these programs to several personal trainers. They all said that these programs are pathetic and poorly designed, even for beginners -- the tanning and massage chairs notwithstanding. I happen to agree with them.

    It's true that people have to start somewhere. It's also true at a little bit of motion might help people move more. When a gym actually recommends such horribly lightweight fitness plans though, then that sends a completely wrong message to their clientele.

    As I said, this line of thinking would have a bit more validity if they were labelled "For Beginners Only" or somesuch rot. Even then though, they set the bar far below what most people who want results can do.
  • mattyc772014
    mattyc772014 Posts: 3,543 Member
    Options
    @spartan_d Agree. I get one once a week. But I would still sit in that massage chair on the way out of the gym. But hey to each there own.
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
    Options
    Yep. Honestly, I don't begrudge people for sitting in a massage chair. We just shouldn't fool ourselves into thinking that they're going to help us get fit.
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
    Options
    I have chronic pain, and one of the reasons I considered moving was the massage chair. Do it before my workout before I was too ho to stand it touching me, I figured. Not worth it. The front desk was all but hostile as seeing ME--ME!!!! CHUBBY!!!--walking through the door. Guess I looked like I might actually use the gym.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    Options
    Funny story, I got salty with some dude at planet fatness who was sitting on one of the weight machines in the circuit area. I was actually doing the circuit and he wouldn't get up. He said he was "between sets" Seriously, on a machine in the circuit area? Um, dude it's not like you have to rack it.

    So I actually complained to the people at the front counter which was really funny. They were like 15 years old or something. I felt like their mom. I was like "look. I'm totally your demographic. I'm a chubby middle-aged woman who comes infrequently (I actually use the gym at my work more). You are making money off me. Keep me happy." They made dude leave. I saw him back there again last month but I can't do circuit until my stress fractures heal completely cause the step part is too high impact.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    Options
    spartan_d wrote: »
    spartan_d wrote: »
    That argument would make at least some sense if these were being marketed as beginner routines. They're not, though.

    And to reiterate what's been said earlier, even an absolute beginner should be able to do a lot more than what's in these routines. We all have to start somewhere, but these plans do nothing to challenge a newbie. In fact, they are bound to give beginners completely unrealistic expectations -- especially with all this talk of tanning and lying a massage chair.

    As a personal trainer and nutritional coach I don't care how people start as long as they do, although I do agree about the tanning... Big no to the tanning!
    I've shown these programs to several personal trainers. They all said that these programs are pathetic and poorly designed, even for beginners -- the tanning and massage chairs notwithstanding. I happen to agree with them.

    It's true that people have to start somewhere. It's also true at a little bit of motion might help people move more. When a gym actually recommends such horribly lightweight fitness plans though, then that sends a completely wrong message to their clientele.

    As I said, this line of thinking would have a bit more validity if they were labelled "For Beginners Only" or somesuch rot. Even then though, they set the bar far below what most people who want results can do.

    You sure have spent a lot of time discussing this "program", between posting about it here and talking to personal trainers (seriously?) about it. That's quite the investment in all of these poor souls that you feel are being given a disservice by PF.

  • mattyc772014
    mattyc772014 Posts: 3,543 Member
    Options
    spartan_d wrote: »
    Yep. Honestly, I don't begrudge people for sitting in a massage chair. We just shouldn't fool ourselves into thinking that they're going to help us get fit.


    @spartan_d Not true. If the person comes to the gym to workout and they actually enjoy the massage chair after there workout....how is it fooling them? The PF plan pic was taken out of context. If you read to PF Facebook page it says "Looking for a few new exercises to add into your workout routine this week? Look no further." To add....
  • ScubaSteve1962
    ScubaSteve1962 Posts: 612 Member
    edited July 2015
    Options
  • mattyc772014
    mattyc772014 Posts: 3,543 Member
    Options
    Yeah He was honey potting us. ;)
  • disasterman
    disasterman Posts: 746 Member
    edited July 2015
    Options
    I've never been to a PF but, except for the tanning, those all seem like reasonable things to add to a workout. The whole thing is a warm up for a lot of us but that's beside the point.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
    Options
    Before we moved I was a member at PF. IT was cheap, i just needed the cardio and strength machines and i loved it. but even i laughed and shook my head when i saw these 'workout plans'.

    the only way i think it might be feasible is if you are so morbidly obese you can barely get out of your chair or bed. In which case, even minimal activity like this (combined with a reduction in calories) would be better than NOTHING. but it certainly wouldnt be anything for a person of average (or even below average or bad) fitness.
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
    edited July 2015
    Options
    spartan_d wrote: »
    Yep. Honestly, I don't begrudge people for sitting in a massage chair. We just shouldn't fool ourselves into thinking that they're going to help us get fit.


    @spartan_d Not true. If the person comes to the gym to workout and they actually enjoy the massage chair after there workout....how is it fooling them?

    For pity's sake, man. In that scenario, it is the workout that produces results, not chillaxing in a massage chair. The massage chair might conceivably provide an incentive to show up, but it's not what produces the actual results.

    (I say "conceivably" because, as evidenced in the podcast mentioned earlier, a lot of people do show up just to use the massage chairs without actually exercising. Hmmm... perhaps they're using the week-long plans that we're discussing?)

    Using your logic, mattyc772014, one could install a bunch of pinball machines and a 24-hour theatre for bikini films, argue that they might get people into the doors, then proclaim, "Hey, folks! Playing pinball and watching swimsuit videos is a great way to get fit!" I'm sure that most of us would see the folly behind that way of thinking.
    The PF plan pic was taken out of context. If you read to PF Facebook page it says "Looking for a few new exercises to add into your workout routine this week? Look no further." To add....
    We've been over this more than once before. That was a throw-away comment added to ONE of the pics -- no doubt by whoever posted the image rather than its actual designer. Everywhere else, including within the images themselves, they are simply presented as week-long fitness plans, period. Not mere additions to an existing plan.
  • acorsaut89
    acorsaut89 Posts: 1,147 Member
    edited July 2015
    Options
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    acorsaut89 wrote: »
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    acorsaut89 wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    acorsaut89 wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    The fact that they have banned deadlifts disqualifies them as a gym. imo

    How do you ban deadlifts? Why? . . . . What kind of gym is this?

    a place that got rid of squats racks. They only have smith machines now. Youtube lunk alarm at Planet fitness warning they are hilarious.

    Why would they feel the need to ban them? I'm still confused on that. If it's somewhere in these 7 pages, I didn't read it lol.

    Also - I just checked out their website for the first time as we don't have them in Canada . . . that I know of . . . and they have Pizza Mondays and Bagel Tuesdays . . . seriously? If you're going to give away free food (and we all love food) why not make it Veggies & Hummus Wednesday or Protein Smoothie Friday? Seriously, you will not have burned off the calories you're consuming with pizza and bagels with the original work outs posted.

    I bet a lot of protein smoothies have far more calories than a slice of pizza....

    It's funny how people on MFP always say there "Are no fattening foods, just eating too much of anything" but then the exact opposite is said in this thread. You'd think MFP wouldn't "mind" the pizza and bagel thing so much.

    Well technically yes, you can lose weight eating whatever as long as you are under your caloric needs (CICO) however for nutrition purposes, I find my body runs so much better and my work outs are so much better when my food serves nutrition purposes too (IE - complex vs simple carbs). For me (and this is JUST ME, not a blanket statement) the quality of the food I consume are just as important as the quantity.

    And as far as calories of a smoothie . . . they can, it depends on what you put in them. The funny thing is though that many people (not everyone, again, but many) treat smoothies as a drink while many times they're meant to be a small meal/meal replacement. So again, it's nutritional value of the food.

    I agree with you on your choices. I just wanted to remind people of what they say elsewhere on these forums :) And wouldn't the nutritional value of the pizza be dependent on the type of pizza? And if I'm training to run a marathon, the bagel is just what the doctor ordered, not the protein smoothie.

    I'm standing up for pizza and bagels everywhere!

    (I'm not a fan of that workout regimen from the beginning of this thread)
    (I should also add that my country doesn't have PF anyway... but it's fun to read about)

    Ha ha fair enough. And I suppose nutritional value would depend on what kind of pizza, toppings, cheese, sauce etc etc. And as a runner, I know carbs and fat are more valuable to my training (when I'm training for a run, that is) than protein.

    Everyone has different nutritional needs and it just doesn't seem productive to offer foods like these. Also, I know some have said this gym has very experienced people going to it, people who know a lot about health and fitness and are athletes in some way. However, another portion of people are those who don't know a lot about it, are trying to lose weight and are potentially over weight or obese already. These people are trying to lose weight, more than likely, and not marathon training. Therefore, these types of foods can be over consumed very easily, while someone who is a marathon runner has gained the experience to know when he/she should eat certain things and how much.

    I don't disagree that nutritional needs can be vastly different . . . I just didn't think it was productive if they're trying to help beginners. Although, they come to work out, feed them, they don't lose any weight so they work out again, feed them again . . . and the cycle continues. It's a pretty lucrative business model lol
  • Sugarbeat
    Sugarbeat Posts: 824 Member
    Options
    Everytime one of these threads start up the ranks of PF members swells.
  • mattyc772014
    mattyc772014 Posts: 3,543 Member
    Options
    @spartan_d And I thought you left the thread. :) You should go into marketing. Have you ever been a member of PF? Are you a member at a gym now?