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No intimidation "gyms"
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I have to ask - what's the problem with big water containers? I've never noticed anyone carrying around a big jug of water, but I wouldn't have paid any attention before this thread. I had no idea it was a thing.
Yet another absurd thing that is supposed to be intimidating.
I've never seen it and think that someone caring about the size of someone else's water bottle* would be really pathetic.
*Not a euphemism.9 -
I always thought that they were using "lunk" to mean "show-off." I do think the ad with the women is a better example of that; calling it slut-shaming is a bit of a stretch, as the ad clearly frames their preening behavior in a negative light. The ad with the man does seem to equate physical fitness and training style with stupidity.
It seems reasonable to me that people who see themselves as in poor physical condition might THINK they will feel uncomfortable at a gym where people are focused on showing off and one-upping others. Ads like these play on their fears of inadequacy.2 -
I have to ask - what's the problem with big water containers? I've never noticed anyone carrying around a big jug of water, but I wouldn't have paid any attention before this thread. I had no idea it was a thing.
It's one of PF's stereotypical "lunk" traits. You'll rarely ever see it anywhere but in their advertisements - just as you'll rarely ever see people (in any gym) slamming/throwing weights around, screaming at the top of their lungs, preening and calling each other "hottie" in the locker room, or getting in people's face while rubbing a towel back and forth through their groin. Those are all made up PF things intended to stereotype and ridicule people who are in good shape.6 -
I have to ask - what's the problem with big water containers? I've never noticed anyone carrying around a big jug of water, but I wouldn't have paid any attention before this thread. I had no idea it was a thing.
It's one of PF's stereotypical "lunk" traits. You'll rarely ever see it anywhere but in their advertisements - just as you'll rarely ever see people (in any gym) slamming/throwing weights around, screaming at the top of their lungs, preening and calling each other "hottie" in the locker room, or getting in people's face while rubbing a towel back and forth through their groin. Those are all made up PF things intended to stereotype and ridicule people who are in good shape.
See, my gym doesn't even have a locker room. Just 5 big, single use bathrooms with showers. No sharing at all.
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clicketykeys wrote: »It seems reasonable to me that people who see themselves as in poor physical condition might THINK they will feel uncomfortable at a gym where people are focused on showing off and one-upping others. Ads like these play on their fears of inadequacy.
Suggesting that people who go to other gyms are likely to be into showing off and one-upping others and preening is hardly reasonable, and so I think this supports the idea that the ads are bad and spread misinformation that encourages people to think negatively about other gyms and the people who go there.
It's also simply false to claim that PF is screening out people who preen or try to one-up others or show off. Nothing in their policies would do that.
The "sluts must be shamed" thing was about the "no revealing clothes" policy, not the ads. When running outside in the summer on hotter days, I frequently see people in just sports bras as a top (often women running much faster than me). Guess PF would say that makes running outside intimidating and full of preening airheads, sigh.4 -
No one can intimidate you without your consent. I'm there for the cardio. I couldn't give half a damn that some dude is grunting or dropping weights or that some dim bulb is strutting around in lycra looking for attention. I pay my money and I do my thing. That said, I was tempted by PF because it's inexpensive, but the jaw-dropping in your face F.U. of having candy jars on the front desk and pizza and bagels in the lobby was a definite dealbreaker. Some people are diabetic. Some people are food addicts. That sh isn't funny.8
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I went to PF this morning and two different men grunted because they must have been lifting something heavy. I couldn't see them but the sounds came from weight area. I least I hope so. I was appalled.
Not really. But I thought of this thread and giggled to myself.10 -
That's the only reason I ever would consider signing up. Free pizza and bagels! :drinker:ultra_violets wrote: »No one can intimidate you without your consent. I'm there for the cardio. I couldn't give half a damn that some dude is grunting or dropping weights or that some dim bulb is strutting around in lycra looking for attention. I pay my money and I do my thing. That said, I was tempted by PF because it's inexpensive, but the jaw-dropping in your face F.U. of having candy jars on the front desk and pizza and bagels in the lobby was a definite dealbreaker. Some people are diabetic. Some people are food addicts. That sh isn't funny.
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That's the only reason I ever would consider signing up. Free pizza and bagels! :drinker:ultra_violets wrote: »No one can intimidate you without your consent. I'm there for the cardio. I couldn't give half a damn that some dude is grunting or dropping weights or that some dim bulb is strutting around in lycra looking for attention. I pay my money and I do my thing. That said, I was tempted by PF because it's inexpensive, but the jaw-dropping in your face F.U. of having candy jars on the front desk and pizza and bagels in the lobby was a definite dealbreaker. Some people are diabetic. Some people are food addicts. That sh isn't funny.
I dunno. Given what I pay at Anytime, the $10 a month is pretty attractive even without the free food.3 -
clicketykeys wrote: »It seems reasonable to me that people who see themselves as in poor physical condition might THINK they will feel uncomfortable at a gym where people are focused on showing off and one-upping others. Ads like these play on their fears of inadequacy.
Suggesting that people who go to other gyms are likely to be into showing off and one-upping others and preening is hardly reasonable, and so I think this supports the idea that the ads are bad and spread misinformation that encourages people to think negatively about other gyms and the people who go there.
I'm not suggesting that PF's marketing strategy is accurate, but I do think it's reasonable. It's a logical step based on their target market's (flawed) paradigm. People's fear of being judged at the gym may be unreasonable, but it's still there, and it's not unreasonable for PF advertisements to take advantage of that.It's also simply false to claim that PF is screening out people who preen or try to one-up others or show off. Nothing in their policies would do that.
The "sluts must be shamed" thing was about the "no revealing clothes" policy, not the ads. When running outside in the summer on hotter days, I frequently see people in just sports bras as a top (often women running much faster than me). Guess PF would say that makes running outside intimidating and full of preening airheads, sigh.
Again, PF is not screening out these people. (Or at least, if they're attempting to, they're not doing a very good job, based on the comments in this thread.) They're attempting to draw IN people who would appreciate or approve of those policies.7 -
Like I said upthread, that it might work with a particular target audience doesn't make it right. I'm not criticizing it because it doesn't work, I'm criticizing it because I think it's wrong, and they should be criticized for it.4
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I'm a "fit chick" who goes to PF (and works hard) because it's affordable and convenient. I can't imagine my self-worth being affected by some parody ad making fun of fit people. I'm not that sensitive. People are WAY too sensitive these days.
I feel like I fit in just fine at PF. I don't feel like PF is picking on me or that anyone there is unhappy with my presence. There are plenty of people fitter than me who go to PF and many who are less fit as well. It seems like I see all the same types of people in PF that I've seen at all the other gyms I've been to.
Personally, I think people need to stop being so butthurt about how "mean" PF is to the poor fit people. Don't take it so seriously. It's not actually about you. It's just marketing that appeals to some people, amuses others (and the rest of us just don't care.) But if you are that easily offended, just don't go there. You vote with your wallet and I'll vote with mine.
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I like Planet fitness- I appreciate any encouragement to move and stretch and exercise- and affordable for anyone-one in my neighborhood is nice clean and many people from all walks of life use it- nice to see a community coming together to improve health- I use it- and when nice out I don’t use it- only due to prefer outdoor exercise- only thing is I wish had more open floor space for just body weight exercise2
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I'm a "fit chick" who goes to PF (and works hard) because it's affordable and convenient. I can't imagine my self-worth being affected by some parody ad making fun of fit people. I'm not that sensitive. People are WAY too sensitive these days.
I feel like I fit in just fine at PF. I don't feel like PF is picking on me or that anyone there is unhappy with my presence. There are plenty of people fitter than me who go to PF and many who are less fit as well. It seems like I see all the same types of people in PF that I've seen at all the other gyms I've been to.
Personally, I think people need to stop being so butthurt about how "mean" PF is to the poor fit people. Don't take it so seriously. It's not actually about you. It's just marketing that appeals to some people, amuses others (and the rest of us just don't care.) But if you are that easily offended, just don't go there. You vote with your wallet and I'll vote with mine.
To be fair, having read some of the comments, it's not about being butt hurt. This issue doesn't affect me personally, I work out at home and have never seen a pf advert, maybe because I'm in the UK. What some are objecting to is the use of stereotypes. Now, I consider myself a feminist and as such, I object to adverts that stereotype or demean women. That doesn't make me a butt hurt snowflake. Seems to me that's used far too often when what's really meant is, I don't agree with you9 -
I think I'm going to sign up at PF. I lift regular free weights at home. But if I didn't i could get by with dumbbells. I like using barbells for squats and deadlifts but I would be ok using dumbbells. Plus I could use the smith machine for hip thrusts. I only want the PF membership through the winter so I can use the treadmills when it's snowy and icy out. I've been really bummed out all week because i haven't been able to run at all, and I won't risk running and slipping on ice. The marketing is stupid and the rules are stupid and all that, but I literally only need it for the treadmills, and it's cheap, and it's 5 minutes from my office, so there's that.4
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There's a workout room in my office building that I used before I joined my gym that offers me everything PF could, and which requires only a one time fee, so if you work here long it's way cheaper than PF (I think I have now paid under 40 cents per month for it), but as a source of a treadmill in the winter, if it happens to be convenient, I think PF could be perfect.1
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to poo poo the advertisements of pf is to deny that oppressive culture that was - initially - born and bred in gyms. even w signs "no women allowed" - and that is really very offensive to women in general. to not want to admit that gyms all over the world are fighting to change the culture in gyms...makes me want to ask you are you a cave man in denial or just live under a rock?13
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to poo poo the advertisements of pf is to deny that oppressive culture that was - initially - born and bred in gyms. even w signs "no women allowed" - and that is really very offensive to women in general. to not want to admit that gyms all over the world are fighting to change the culture in gyms...makes me want to ask you are you a cave man in denial or just live under a rock?
I get what you're saying but I guess the point is that it should be possible to aim for gyms to be less intimidating, without stereotyping other groups of gym users1 -
to poo poo the advertisements of pf is to deny that oppressive culture that was - initially - born and bred in gyms. even w signs "no women allowed" - and that is really very offensive to women in general.
This has zero to do with the gym scene today, or any of the gyms PF is reasonably competing with.
Claiming that criticizing PF's pathetic and disingenuous ads = offensive to women is simply wrong. On the other hand, some of PF's ads certainly rely on offensive stereotypes about women (and its rules play on the idea that you have to watch out for women who just go to gyms to show off their bodies and that looking at fit women makes other women uncomfortable).
Most gyms have pleasant (and clean!) and friendly atmospheres that are not intimidating at all unless you bring that to it -- and certainly no more intimidating than PF in any way. Sure, there are some gyms that are targeted to hard core lifters or will be hard for a beginner to navigate or are still mostly men, but if those things bother you, they are easy to spot and avoid, and they are far less common in the gym scene today than the other kind of gym.8
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