Planet Fitness removing squat racks? Aroo?

dakotababy

This is the most judgemental and disgusting thing ever. So its ok for them to judge individuals in tank tops and drinking water?! WTF.

and grunting, don't forget grunting. i take serious offence to this b/c on any given day in any given workout, I may or may not grunt. Like a lady of course.

Its a sad day for America. Thank god I am Canadian...where planet fitness does not exist.

parys1

And what is with that colour scheme? That alone, would cause me to suffer an aneurysm. It looks like it's made for Teletubbies.

Rosplosion

Yeah, PF is megalame.

jofjltncb6

next they will say you can only do 12 reps or more because anything less that that is "bodybuilding"

You joke, but this sounds entirely plausible to me.

michellerawrrr_72

We don't have any of these "gyms" in my area, but seriously?? No dead lifting? No squat racks? How is this place even considered a gym, people pay to go to this place? SMH

MrGonzo05

Planet fitness and public transportation are excellent ideas for other people.

doIlhands

We don't have any of these "gyms" in my area, but seriously?? No dead lifting? No squat racks? How is this place even considered a gym, people pay to go to this place? SMH

its $10 a month. thats worth it for the free pizza, bagels and candy.

Achrya

I can't really think of anything I would actually do at a Planet Fitness. Maybe they have pull up bars?

probably not as that might lead to grunting….

I guess they have dumbbells…that only go up to 40# or something?

Awesome. I could do some curls.

But not in the squat rack.

LiftAllThePizzas

Wouldn't the person calling someone a lunk because of their shirt or water bottle be the one who is judging?

michellerawrrr_72

We don't have any of these "gyms" in my area, but seriously?? No dead lifting? No squat racks? How is this place even considered a gym, people pay to go to this place? SMH

its $10 a month. thats worth it for the free pizza, bagels and candy.

who the hell wants pizza, bagels, and candy after a work out..oh wait its planet fitness so you are not really working out….just doing 5 million reps of one pound pink dumbbells...

Craziest thing I have heard of in my life. I realize most of what's being said is a joke, but it's sad that newbies will fall prey to this crap.

Hauntinglyfit

Wouldn't the person calling someone a lunk because of their shirt or water bottle be the one who is judging?

Right?! Somehow the 10k/day CEO's missed the irony when they set up this policy.

uconnwinsnc

In 4 years Planet Fitness is going to be a New York style pizza delivery joint.

jofjltncb6

Wouldn't the person calling someone a lunk because of their shirt or water bottle be the one who is judging?

Right?! Somehow the 10k/day CEO's missed the irony when they set up this policy.

Alternatively, they knew *exactly* what they were doing. Honestly, if it wasn't for their hypocrisy, I would barely know they existed...but now, if someone were to ask me if I knew of a gym where they wouldn't have to deal with a single "meat head", I'd tell them "Planet Fitness".

And this place's entire business model...like most globo gyms...is based on people paying for a membership, but not using the facility.

I seriously doubt that their policies are based on stupidity...(regardless of how stupid they seem to me).

Fullsterkur_woman

yet another reason to not go to planet fitness ..what a joke….

whats next…no deadlifting..oh wait…you can't do that either..

On this trajectory it's only a matter of time before first the Olympic barbells and then the fixed barbells are gone. Then the dumbbells and benches.

After that they'll start on the cardio machines until there is nothing but ellipticals left (that'll show those smug treadmill runners).

Then they'll get rid of those too and be free to pursue their true business model - monthly pizza club subscription.

maybe that is their master plan ..lure everyone in with pizza and slowly eliminate all the gym equipment….

I'm going to open a pizza joint next door, and put a squat rack in the middle of the dining room.

bahahahahahaha..

I will open a donut shop next store and put a deadlift station in it….

stumblinthrulife

Wouldn't the person calling someone a lunk because of their shirt or water bottle be the one who is judging?

Right?! Somehow the 10k/day CEO's missed the irony when they set up this policy.

Alternatively, they knew *exactly* what they were doing. Honestly, if it wasn't for their hypocrisy, I would barely know they existed...but now, if someone were to ask me if I knew of a gym where they wouldn't have to deal with a single "meat head", I'd tell them "Planet Fitness".

And this place's entire business model...like most globo gyms...is based on people paying for a membership, but not using the facility.

I seriously doubt that their policies are based on stupidity...(regardless of how stupid they seem to me).

^ This. They are very deliberately playing into fears, misconceptions and stereotypes. And then creating an atmosphere in which those misconceptions can never be challenged or reversed.

Then they are systematically removing the equipment most commonly used by the most dedicated and consistent gym users - the lifters.

Finally, they keep the price low enough that Joe Average will just keep paying it 'just in case', even though they never actually use the facility.

It's very smart, and very cynical.

ChancyW

Yeah. I guess I don't belong there. I don't think they should be able to call themselves a gym without a squat rack.


$10 a month would be amazing but it seems like there are too many drawbacks to working out there for a person who is serious about lifting weights...or even semi-serious. Goodness! :noway:

CallMeCupcakeDammit

hmm didn't realize they were so bad...I'm glad I use the Y with the rest of the lunks.

I had planned to join the Y with my daughter next month, but my bff bought me a PF membership for Christmas. Y'all are scarin' me!

Huffdogg

I don't see the problem here.

People who want to use squat racks have lots of gym choices.

People who don't want gyms with people who use racks have apparently only one choice. Why do you want to take that choice away from those people?

o_O

Alienating a chunk of your potential customer base...why, exactly?

Huffdogg

hmm didn't realize they were so bad...I'm glad I use the Y with the rest of the lunks.

I had planned to join the Y with my daughter next month, but my bff bought me a PF membership for Christmas. Y'all are scarin' me!

Be afraid...be very afraid.

harvo

Every business has a mission and has to find a way to achieve their goals. If they are looking for the beginner and being in a place where people are yelling on every lift and dropping weights everywhere it may detour those overweight people looking to start a change. I think back to the environment of my high school football days. We had our own weight room and I can see where some ladies would not want to be withing a mile of that place.

I do not lift any longer as the last 2 times I was lifting I ended up with hernia surgery so the cost and convenience of the machines work for me. I never have bashed Gold's Gym, which was the spot for serious lifters, but I also would not have wanted to go there to lift as I feel like guys wanting to do serious work would look at me like "Dude, if that is all you are gonna lift go home and bench press your cat"

Sorry if this is an unpopular post but I wish people would be more open minded and not so bashing over everything they do not like when there are options....

_chiaroscuro

I don't see the problem here.

People who want to use squat racks have lots of gym choices.

People who don't want gyms with people who use racks have apparently only one choice. Why do you want to take that choice away from those people?

Wow, I missed this one before. So it's the people "who use racks". Others are entitled to work out in a space that keeps them comfortably separated from...me.


Awesome, thanks. I guess at least you were honest, and with the pictures posted in this thread, consistent with the culture they're creating.

Huffdogg

Every business has a mission and has to find a way to achieve their goals. If they are looking for the beginner and being in a place where people are yelling on every lift and dropping weights everywhere it may detour those overweight people looking to start a change. I think back to the environment of my high school football days. We had our own weight room and I can see where some ladies would not want to be withing a mile of that place.

I do not lift any longer as the last 2 times I was lifting I ended up with hernia surgery so the cost and convenience of the machines work for me. I never have bashed Gold's Gym, which was the spot for serious lifters, but I also would not have wanted to go there to lift as I feel like guys wanting to do serious work would look at me like "Dude, if that is all you are gonna lift go home and bench press your cat"

Sorry if this is an unpopular post but I wish people would be more open minded and not so bashing over everything they do not like when there are options....

A piece of equipment does not define the *culture* of a gym. It is a tool for getting in shape. They are removing tools for the few members they have who actually do want to train in an effective manner based on a stereotype of how they might be used, or worse, a stereotype of the "kind of person" who will use them.

_chiaroscuro

Every business has a mission and has to find a way to achieve their goals. If they are looking for the beginner and being in a place where people are yelling on every lift and dropping weights everywhere it may detour those overweight people looking to start a change. I think back to the environment of my high school football days. We had our own weight room and I can see where some ladies would not want to be withing a mile of that place.

I do not lift any longer as the last 2 times I was lifting I ended up with hernia surgery so the cost and convenience of the machines work for me. I never have bashed Gold's Gym, which was the spot for serious lifters, but I also would not have wanted to go there to lift as I feel like guys wanting to do serious work would look at me like "Dude, if that is all you are gonna lift go home and bench press your cat"

Sorry if this is an unpopular post but I wish people would be more open minded and not so bashing over everything they do not like when there are options....

I get it, different places have different cultures to meet customer needs. No one here is screaming about Curves not having squat racks. The problem is with PF eliminating something they did provide in an effort to placate what I guess is the majority of people who want to be insulated from anything outside their comfort zone. Since that's also the place where success lives, this makes me pissy. It's a great way to make money, but so cynical.

harvo

I do not disagree with you but I know my parents were members at PF as well and they stopped partially because you could see that some of the bulkier guys were all but competing to outdo the others and since they are in their 60's and just looking for a place to get a little walk or bike ride in the winter they felt uncomfortable.

As for this comment "
A piece of equipment does not define the *culture* of a gym.
If that were 100% accurate why are we at 4 pages of conversation. Please understand that I think it is a dumb move. When I lifted I LOVED squats and when alone at my gym at work I could use the squat rack to bench free weights safely.

harvo

Every business has a mission and has to find a way to achieve their goals. If they are looking for the beginner and being in a place where people are yelling on every lift and dropping weights everywhere it may detour those overweight people looking to start a change. I think back to the environment of my high school football days. We had our own weight room and I can see where some ladies would not want to be withing a mile of that place.

I do not lift any longer as the last 2 times I was lifting I ended up with hernia surgery so the cost and convenience of the machines work for me. I never have bashed Gold's Gym, which was the spot for serious lifters, but I also would not have wanted to go there to lift as I feel like guys wanting to do serious work would look at me like "Dude, if that is all you are gonna lift go home and bench press your cat"

Sorry if this is an unpopular post but I wish people would be more open minded and not so bashing over everything they do not like when there are options....

I get it, different places have different cultures to meet customer needs. No one here is screaming about Curves not having squat racks. The problem is with PF eliminating something they did provide in an effort to placate what I guess is the majority of people who want to be insulated from anything outside their comfort zone. Since that's also the place where success lives, this makes me pissy. It's a great way to make money, but so cynical.

Oh, I agree but it is business and business is about # of customers and I am sure they have done the math. They sell more drinks and have more members that will not utilize equipment daily than the serious people they will lose that use for hours daily, bring in their own drinks and suppliments etc.

jasonpclement

their most recent TV ad, has even more of this weird stuff..

but hey... if it gets people paying a monthly fee... I can't argue with them i guess.

covenantwife

When did we start wrapping gyms in pretty purple package and tying it with a yellow bow....the gym is loud, people grunt and lift, it is a gym not church, this is ridiculous. Even as a beginner at the gym, I enjoyed watching the more experienced, it is what I ascribed to be.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

The main thing that bothers me about it is the hypocrisy, but also the fact that they are just reinforcing the stereotype that strength training is only for "meatheads" and is undesirable for everyone else. Almost everyone, including people in their 60s, could benefit from resistance training.

They are of course allowed to do what they please with their business and lifters can go elsewhere, but I think they're doing their members a great disservice.


eta: also those colors were my high school colors so I hate them with the fire of a thousand suns. :flowerforyou:

tattygun

People who don't want gyms with people who use racks have apparently one choice.

Why would anyone have a problem with using a gym that had people who use racks? What an odd thing to say.

eric_sg61

The owner of Planet Fitness must of been traumatized by that bodybuilder in his past that beat him up and then sexed his girlfriend right in front of him.