Planet Fitness Is The Worst Gym In Existence
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Gallowmere1984 wrote: »It works fine for what it is: a wad of glorified hamster wheels marketed to those who accept mediocrity as acceptable. Unfortunately, given that they have spread like the plague, there are clearly a lot of people that fit that description.
like I said I have clients who train there and they work hard and make progress.
So in that regard I disagree entirely.
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In fact I GUARANTEE you I could design a program using only planet fitness equipment and cause hypertrophy in the majority of people.
The limitations would be there on things like powerlifting performance but the notion that you can't build a nice physique using that environment is pretty hilarious.23 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »It works fine for what it is: a wad of glorified hamster wheels marketed to those who accept mediocrity as acceptable. Unfortunately, given that they have spread like the plague, there are clearly a lot of people that fit that description.
Not everyone can be exceptional, because it would then cease to be the exception. Not a damn thing wrong with being average, especially not if you are trying.
My goals are not to be the best anything in fitness. Its there to aide my weightloss and show my kids a healthy example about choices and hard work- but my real goals in life have nothing to do with my body.
I would think condescension and disdain towards others to be a much bigger plague, but that's just my opinion.27 -
genpopadopolous wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »It works fine for what it is: a wad of glorified hamster wheels marketed to those who accept mediocrity as acceptable. Unfortunately, given that they have spread like the plague, there are clearly a lot of people that fit that description.
Not everyone can be exceptional, because it would then cease to be the exception. Not a damn thing wrong with being average, especially not if you are trying.
My goals are not to be the best anything in fitness. Its there to aide my weightloss and show my kids a healthy example about choices and hard work- but my real goals in life have nothing to do with my body.
I would think condescension and disdain towards others to be a much bigger plague, but that's just my opinion.
But PF promotes looking down on people who have different goals. Look at their advertising and the signs, etc they put up in their gym if you don't think they do. I refuse to go to a place where they actively discriminate and perpetrate stereotypes of people who are different from them.5 -
I went there 60 lb dumbbells was the highest weight killed it for me. Powerhouse gym I currently belong to has 190 lbs dumbbells I use 110 for several lifts so it just made sense. Money $235 a year vs $120 a year its worth it to be in an atmosphere of heavy lifters rather than offending a Planet Fitness member.. The planet fitness "Judgement free" commercials are a JOKE..2
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I've been a PF member since around the middle of last summer. That was after about 4 years at a gym called Club Metro. I would still be a member there except they closed the one I joined and transferred my membership to another location. That was fine until the end of 2015 we, (my daughter had joined too) were notified that they "had" to raise the dues from $19.95/month to $39.95/month. Oh, but we would get so many added perks! Too bad none of them were worth double the money. To us, anyway. It's like a car dealer telling me that for an extra $20 a month, they could install a bidet in my trunk. Well isn't that wonderful but I'm never gonna use it. Anyway, my daughter wound up going to PF and decided to sign up. She opted for the Black membership so she would have access to other clubs (a waste of money in my opinion). I decided to go for the base membership. $10/month on a month to month basis. As others have said, depending on your goals, this gym might not be for you but for the price, what is available and the hours, it's been fine. Just my 2¢.
BTW, before joining, I did research PF. Yes, there are horror stories out there but as someone else mentioned here, I think a lot has to do with individual locations. Someone else mentioned they didn't care for the fact that PF won't accept credit cards. From my research, I was expecting the same thing but the franchise I joined was happy to accept my credit card. Another example of how the location may be the issue, from the horror stories I'd read on line, I was really prepared for a battle when we cancelled our memberships at Club Metro. Maybe these other people who complained of problems really were dealing with unscrupulous swine or maybe they just couldn't follow directions but we never had an issue.4 -
it serves a purpose.
It is good for people who want to check a box- or who have no need to do big movements.
It's also a SPLENDID cheap 2nd gym. I've considered getting a 10$ pass to the local gym myself- because 10$ and free pizza- I cannot even order pizza that cheap. so if I get 1 whole pizza out of it a month- it's paid for itself and I"ve eaten- WIN! free food = mustacian savings- and I'm all about that life.
I HATE their hypocritical advertising- because they are the judgiest gym alive. Plain and simple. I get that it's marketing- but it's hypocrisy at it's finest.
Otherwise- meh- I don't bother.
It's not a gym for me regularly- I'd gladly use it as a second gym- but otherwise it suits people fine- I think people are delusional that it's a safe space- or it's not judgmental- but whatever that's 100% not my problem.
We posts like this all the time- and I'm quite frankly not sure why you posted it other than to stir the proverbial pot.3 -
I think some missed my point. I wasn't speaking to the results being mediocre. Hell, you can go to a riverbed and move rocks around and build muscle. I was talking specifically about the mindset of the people whom their advertising appeals to. The kind of person who is less likely to be going to the gym to improve themselves, than to shut up a spouse, a doctor, whatever. The "I'm trying" but not really trying crowd.2
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i used it pretty much every day for 2 years. for cardio, its great. for weight lifting, not so much. if they opened one close to where i live or work, i would rejoin.
if you dont like it, dont go. not a difficult concept, there.6 -
I think it is very much location dependent. Mine is amazing. The staff is cool, the rules aren't really strict, and in the six months I've been going, I've never heard the "Lunk Alarm" go off. I'm pretty sure the one at our location isn't even hooked up to the front desk. My PF has a very diverse range of people who go there. I have seen men and women with very impressive physiques, elderly folks, teenagers with their parents, people who are just starting their weight loss journey.With that said, my husband works with people who are members of one the next town over, and they hate it.
I'm still relatively new to strength training, so PF has everything I need. My biggest challenge is being able to get on a cable machine during busy hours. I can, however, see myself growing out of PF once I reach a point where their heaviest barbells are no longer challenging to me and I would probably go join an Anytime Fitness.Gallowmere1984 wrote: »I think some missed my point. I wasn't speaking to the results being mediocre. Hell, you can go to a riverbed and move rocks around and build muscle. I was talking specifically about the mindset of the people whom their advertising appeals to. The kind of person who is less likely to be going to the gym to improve themselves, than to shut up a spouse, a doctor, whatever. The "I'm trying" but not really trying crowd.
If it gets them in the gym, then who cares who the ads appeal to? It's quite petty to judge someone's motives behind joining a gym, because most people who haven't been fit and made their body a priority from their youth don't join a gym with the same gusto as, say, a person who is into power lifting. Like anything else in life, if you don't like Planet Fitness, for heaven's sake, don't join one. If you're serious about bodybuilding or power lifting, then obviously that wouldn't be the right gym for you.10 -
Double post, my bad.1
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I really like my PF location. It's quiet and I don't really need any assistance, we'll see how it is in January though. If you have problems, definitely speak up. It's not worth the cost if you are unhappy. I am on a month to month so I can quit any time and love that option. Hoping to use it more this month.1
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One is opening up here. I'll stick to the Y, but they have a pool.
Sounds like pf is catering to a certain crowd. I don't like being told what weight, or exercises I can't do. Doubt I'll ever find myself in one.1 -
Michael190lbs wrote: »I went there 60 lb dumbbells was the highest weight killed it for me. Powerhouse gym I currently belong to has 190 lbs dumbbells I use 110 for several lifts so it just made sense. Money $235 a year vs $120 a year its worth it to be in an atmosphere of heavy lifters rather than offending a Planet Fitness member.. The planet fitness "Judgement free" commercials are a JOKE..
No one starts out using 110 let alone 190 pound dumbbells. Clearly PF is not the gym for you. But I think it serves an important niche. I'm sorry the advertising offends a lot of you, but you're not the target audience.
I'm currently going to a women-only gym. It's right around the corner from my house, which is where I work. I love being able to go at lunch time. The dumbbells only go up to 55 pounds. Right now the highest I'm using is 30. Should I regularly need heavier weights, I will look for an alternative. And I'll probably pick the PF that is going in down the street, as I've learned that location is really, really important for me.
I'll save my outrage regarding corporate policy for banks like Wells Fargo and meat/dairy producing companies that treat their animals cruelly.10 -
it serves a purpose.
It is good for people who want to check a box- or who have no need to do big movements.
It's also a SPLENDID cheap 2nd gym. I've considered getting a 10$ pass to the local gym myself- because 10$ and free pizza- I cannot even order pizza that cheap. so if I get 1 whole pizza out of it a month- it's paid for itself and I"ve eaten- WIN! free food = mustacian savings- and I'm all about that life.
I HATE their hypocritical advertising- because they are the judgiest gym alive. Plain and simple. I get that it's marketing- but it's hypocrisy at it's finest.
Otherwise- meh- I don't bother.
It's not a gym for me regularly- I'd gladly use it as a second gym- but otherwise it suits people fine- I think people are delusional that it's a safe space- or it's not judgmental- but whatever that's 100% not my problem.
We posts like this all the time- and I'm quite frankly not sure why you posted it other than to stir the proverbial pot.
I am only commenting on your last sentence. Doesn't that apply to 80 percent of the threads on here
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Gallowmere1984 wrote: »It works fine for what it is: a wad of glorified hamster wheels marketed to those who accept mediocrity as acceptable. Unfortunately, given that they have spread like the plague, there are clearly a lot of people that fit that description.
To clarify...I don't belong to PF and I detest cardio machines...
I respect the rights of others to choose what best fits them and what they prefer to do.
I like to walk...maybe some might see that as accepting mediocrity...if they do...then they shouldn't walk. I won't judge them if they don't walk. It is not up to me to judge them.
I don't love resistance training...but I do some...because it fits with my long term goals. I will however never get to the point of "lifting heavy" and I suppose that some might define that as accepting mediocrity...oh well.
People should do what fits their life and what they want out of it.6 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Michael190lbs wrote: »I went there 60 lb dumbbells was the highest weight killed it for me. Powerhouse gym I currently belong to has 190 lbs dumbbells I use 110 for several lifts so it just made sense. Money $235 a year vs $120 a year its worth it to be in an atmosphere of heavy lifters rather than offending a Planet Fitness member.. The planet fitness "Judgement free" commercials are a JOKE..
No one starts out using 110 let alone 190 pound dumbbells. Clearly PF is not the gym for you. But I think it serves an important niche. I'm sorry the advertising offends a lot of you, but you're not the target audience.
I'm currently going to a women-only gym. It's right around the corner from my house, which is where I work. I love being able to go at lunch time. The dumbbells only go up to 55 pounds. Right now the highest I'm using is 30. Should I regularly need heavier weights, I will look for an alternative. And I'll probably pick the PF that is going in down the street, as I've learned that location is really, really important for me.
I'll save my outrage regarding corporate policy for banks like Wells Fargo and meat/dairy producing companies that treat their animals cruelly.
Why are you sorry that the advertisment offends some? Are you the CEO of PF? :huh:2 -
In my estimation, if you want to build muscle Planet Fitness isn't the place to do it. To do that you must lift heavy, which means grunting and dropping weights. I'm not talking about becoming a body builder I'm talking about increasing mass. I avoid that gym because of that. After reading your linked piece, it seems to me PF wants people to join and not come. You know pay for a year without going. The owner of the gym I lift at calls it, "making a donation to the cause." There are other, better gyms. Good luck.
"Grunting and dropping weights"== 2% training, 98% affectation9 -
Eh, most gyms want people to buy memberships and not show up. That's part of the business model. PF is not the first and won't be the last business to do that. Retailers want you to buy gift cards and never use them. Insurance companies want you to buy policies and not use them. That's business.5
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