Why does Planet Fitness get a bad rap?
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They don't have a "bad rap". They marketed and engineered controversy so people would talk about it, and keep earning the reputation by judging in a "judgement free zone". Otherwise they'd just be a cheap, ill-equipped gym with ugly purple walls and bad food, nobody's going to talk about that. They are still a great alternative to no gym.0
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But, I do have to say that some of those lunks were pretty hot.
And they're funny too. I work with a few of them and (for the most part) they're very funny in real life at work when they're not actually lunking.
Poor lunks. People always pickin' on 'em. I love 'em even if they don't want to have sex with me.
Most of them are great about spotting you if you ask too.0 -
Planet Fitness is a simple example of "you get what you pay for"0
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Or the people who would otherwise go to the YMCA but PF's price is lower.
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My Y is actually awesome- way better and cheaper than the NYSC down the block.
And this man lovingly kicks my booty every week
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/07/nyregion/relentless-an-exercise-class-built-on-relentlessness.html0 -
Pizza and other yummy foods aren't really bad, if PF just decided to teach people how calories in vs calories out works, they'd get less flamed for it I'm sure..0
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Pizza and other yummy foods aren't really bad, if PF just decided to teach people how calories in vs calories out works, they'd get less flamed for it I'm sure..
Oh yes they do have bad food. And Dominos is like greasy cardboard. Go have a real pizza like Round Table instead if you are going to make space in your caloric intake for it.
I don't really care though, people can do what they want. My reasons for not liking Planet Fitness are no dead lifting, no squats, and no big guys "lunks" and I have a pre-paid membership, so no cost savings. Usually big guys and bodybuilders spot very competently, and are much better attitude wise than guys who can lift some and want to act tough but aren't massively strong lifters, so they tend to give attitude to those they think they are close in strength to. These are MAJOR downsides of "no lunks". Then, there is the attention factor. Currently I have a similar situation as PF, with very few "lunks" (bodybuilder types) in my gym due to being in a "high tech" area. I hadn't realized how many eyes were on me that I subconsciously noticed until this bodybuilder guy happened to come in at the same time, so all eyes were on him instead. Felt great. Plus such a good inspiration to see him doing sets of 365lb bench x6-8 without a spotter, I love having "lunks" in the gym.0 -
They get a bad rap for providing fatty foods and candy and being rather "judgemental" themselves.
However, anyone who's motivated can go there and get a solid workout. I stopped going personally when I moved and the PF nearest me had no free weights in terms of bars and benches.0 -
I only pay $19 a month for a gym with free weights. I went to a Planet Fitness to walk around and give it a chance but when the people tried to explain to me that a smith machine and free weights are the same I left.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
YEAH RIIIGGGGGHHHHHHHHHT!
NO FREAKING WAY... I wonder how many people buy into that crap0 -
Think you just answered your own question. That is in direct opposition to their business model. The quicker you hit the "purple ceiling", the quicker you go spend your moola somewhere else. They have a vested interest in keeping their members from getting in shape quickly and keeping them insecure.Squats and deadlifts are the quickest most efficient way to get in shape. Why would any gym ban them????0 -
Think you just answered your own question. That is in direct opposition to their business model. The quicker you hit the "purple ceiling", the quicker you go spend your moola somewhere else. They have a vested interest in keeping their members from getting in shape quickly and keeping them insecure.Squats and deadlifts are the quickest most efficient way to get in shape. Why would any gym ban them????
People who don't go to the gym often don't wear out equipment or take up space very often in the gym.
More memberships can be sold.0 -
They preach judgment free but they seem judge a lot of people so that is where most the controversy comes from
QTF
Don't advertise that its a judgement free zone yet judge people that don't into their target client zone.
The thing that I hate about them is that it seems to me that they target the people that they know won't stick around. They target the New Years Resolutioners and people that won't stick with it and therefore make money without having to maintain the equipment as much if those people stuck with it. I had a friend that worked at my local PF and she told me that "fit people" cost the gym more money because they put more wear on the equipment.0 -
I pay $10 for my local Fitness 19 and they have free weight, squat rack and no judgement against fit people or "unfit" people. I wish my gym would have more than one squat rack but I'll settle for now.0
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Catering to people who aren't that interested in fitness while condemning people who are and saying fit people "intimidate" others just seems like a bizarre business model to me.
Personally, I find working out with people who lift more than me or who are in better shape that me to be motivating.0 -
I just came home from PF about an hour ago.
I did squats and dead lifts.
I make less than $1,000 a month. I pay $10 a month for PF. I literally can't afford to pay anymore than that. Works for me.
I get a little tired of reading these forums about PF because they make it seem like 100% of the people who go there are not committed to becoming healthy. There are a lot of incredibly fit people at my PF, and I consider myself to be extremely serious about fitness. I'm just also living pay check to pay check right now. When I was at Gold's or NYSC, I saw the same amount of people who were doing jack **** as I do at PF.
I think the real problem with Planet Fitness is their judgey "judgement free" zone. I have never experienced it at either of the two locations I've been to. There are quite a few "lunks" at my PF, which I appreciate because they were super helpful when I started lifting. If you're going to criticize PF, do it. Their marketing campaign is a mess. I'm not denying that. Some locations are way too judgmental for being a judgement free zone and their commercials can be offensive... but don't criticize the people who work out there. That's not fair.0 -
I don't think I see people criticizing those who choose to work out there.
But it IS apparent PLANET FITNESS is looking to bank on those who aren't as invested in their personal fitness.0 -
I left PF because I wanted to go to a place with a pool and basketball court. The problem? This place I changed to has less quality exercise equipment. I'm not talking weights, I'm talking machines. I may re-join PF in the near future again as it has better and more equipment and later hours. The place I switched to the bb court is always full. I am leaving the place.
PF problems are that they have a pizza day during the month. It's nice to reward members, but pizza is not healthy for you. My only other issue was all this talk about free exercise drinks. These are just gatorade mostly. Not a real nutrional shake like I had at a former gym they they mixed up with chocolate and vanilla, and peanut butter.0 -
Well, sure, if you keep eating that arsenic and anchovy pizza you insist on eating. :huh:pizza is not healthy for you.
I am honestly glad that your PF affords you this opportunity. I wish they would do it for everyone similarly situated, but alas, the majority of them appear not to have the equipment and/or artificially limit the ways in which members use the equipment. I'm really glad you have a way to get it done! :happy:I just came home from PF about an hour ago.
I did squats and dead lifts.
I make less than $1,000 a month. I pay $10 a month for PF. I literally can't afford to pay anymore than that. Works for me.0 -
I just came home from PF about an hour ago.
I did squats and dead lifts.
I make less than $1,000 a month. I pay $10 a month for PF. I literally can't afford to pay anymore than that. Works for me.
I get a little tired of reading these forums about PF because they make it seem like 100% of the people who go there are not committed to becoming healthy. There are a lot of incredibly fit people at my PF, and I consider myself to be extremely serious about fitness. I'm just also living pay check to pay check right now. When I was at Gold's or NYSC, I saw the same amount of people who were doing jack **** as I do at PF.
I think the real problem with Planet Fitness is their judgey "judgement free" zone. I have never experienced it at either of the two locations I've been to. There are quite a few "lunks" at my PF, which I appreciate because they were super helpful when I started lifting. If you're going to criticize PF, do it. Their marketing campaign is a mess. I'm not denying that. Some locations are way too judgmental for being a judgement free zone and their commercials can be offensive... but don't criticize the people who work out there. That's not fair.
We're saying it's a crap gym with crap policies and crap marketing. We're not saying you're a bad person for going there. Get your workout on. I'm glad it works for you. I'm positive that it's the best choice for many people.
PF can still KMA tho because they're marketing is centered around making people feel weak, insecure, and helpless. That's the polar opposite of how a gym should make people feel.0 -
I tried that gym for a while in Alaska and in Texas. With my own personal experience I didn't like it there. It took months to fix faulty equipment. Very little weight lifting equipment with an excess of cardio equipment. Waiting for equipment turned an hour workout into almost a two hour workout. Also, got sick of being called a Lunker and hearing that stupid alarm everytime I set the weights down too hard. There is a difference between reaching muscle failure and setting them down a little harder than usual, and forcefully dropping the weights. A judgement free zone, yet when you do that they sound a huge alarm and bring everyone's attention to you. A little bit hypocritical don't you think? Also, the management was horrible in both facilities. I am in the Army and I am supposed to be able to end a contract with orders to another assignment. Both facilities took months to end my contract and I am still waiting for reimbursement. I will never get another membership with this company.0
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Occasionally, I like you.PF can still KMA tho because they're marketing is centered around making people feel weak, insecure, and helpless. That's the polar opposite of how a gym should make people feel.0 -
Occasionally, I like you.PF can still KMA tho because their marketing is centered around making people feel weak, insecure, and helpless. That's the polar opposite of how a gym should make people feel.
It's a trap.gif0 -
I only pay $19 a month for a gym with free weights. I went to a Planet Fitness to walk around and give it a chance but when the people tried to explain to me that a smith machine and free weights are the same I left.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
YEAH RIIIGGGGGHHHHHHHHHT!
NO FREAKING WAY... I wonder how many people buy into that crap
PF isnt the only one who does that though. 24hr club will try to say that the smith machine is the same as free weights whenever you tell them you want/recommend some other kind of equipment (I wanted a dead lift area and shrug machine like they had in another gym). Lets see, when I did 365lb and over shrugs in the smith machine, sometimes the whole machine would severely wobble...this means my range of motion in the lift does not match the machine's, and essentially I'm lifting part of the machine's mass as well through part of the lift, I'm glad its the machine that gives a little and not my back, but thats extra pressure on my back...someone else may not be so lucky.0 -
So, even when solicited, we're not allowed to share our rationales for not choosing to spend our money at PF and instead spending it on other facilities?
I was referring more to the general backlash against PF on forums like this one from people who don't go to PF (and never have), but they damn sure love to talk about it and create snarky gifs mocking the people that do go to PF (like the one shown in the OP). There's typically a PF thread every week where people love to chime in about "but you can't deadlift there!" and on and on, when the reality is most people that workout don't want to deadlift and no one's forcing you to pay the $10 to join PF. With most of these threads it goes well beyond sharing a reasoned opinion when solicited and it's really more of a PF complainer bandwagon. Just my take on it though.
It's because of the company's own marketing. So what if people haven't actually been there? Are people not allowed to form a negative opinion of a company based on their marketing and choose not to go there because of it? And if they do that they're not at liberty to express their opinion about said company based on their marketing? Their marketing goes way beyond sharing a reasonable opinion that their gym is intended for a particular demographic, seeing as they ridicule and shame people they consider not to be of their intended demographic. So really a backlash of gifs and very vocal complainers on a site with lots of people who are "lunks" according to PF really shouldn't be all that surprising.
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proud to be a lunk.... and I find this whole debate very amusing.
btw: I have nothing against people going there because it's cheap and suits their needs. Just don't get butthurt when other people vehemently dislike their place based on how the company markets itself. (though on a serious note, I don't want anyone, however shy and lacking in confidence to feel that other gyms are "not for them" or that they can't go there)0 -
See, and I think it sends the wrong message to say (and we do ourselves a disservice to allow ourselves to accept the message), "Hey, you fat broads need your own special place, because you're not good enough for a real gym." I got a big ol' one finger salute for them.Mine's open 24 hours a day and it's $10 a month.
What's to complain about that?
Golly.
I'm a big fat broad and I've never seen so much as a nudge or an eyeroll like I've noticed at other gym memberships I've had that cost 5 times the amount and had no parking. And closed at 9 pm.
I've never heard so much as a mumble or a snicker when I'm working my fat butt on the treadmill. Like to the two guys that felt compelled to marvel loudly at my appearance at the yuppie gym I once belonged to as I minded my own business on the elliptical. And they were fit and trim married *kitten* in their 40s. I was in my 30s then. Try it now fellas. I'm in my 40s and I'll give you a run for your money. Figuratively speaking.
I love Planet Fitness.
I don't care what other people do around me, including lunking and dressing skimpily, as long as they don't bother me. I would never complain about that.
If it's true that Planet Fitness is for fat unfit people, then it's for me and I'm grateful for it
I agree, I suppose I am a "fat unfit person" and I am grateful for PF as well. I am nowhere near the "expert level" of other people... and grateful is the precise word. I wouldn't feel comfortable working out at another gym... not YET anyway. I think it's a great beginner gym for the fat *kitten* like me.
As much as I agree with you, I still have reservations about going to another gym. Some of us aren't as kick *kitten* as you are dear. Personally, its taken me YEARS to get to the level of self esteem I'm at now. Once my skin is thicker, I might look into another gym altogether... but, for now, women like me need PF in their lives.
<---- this lunk had serious self-esteem issues for years. Don't let it hold you back. Act like a confident person and you'll start to become one. Although in my case it took a fair degree of counselling/therapy as well... which I'd recommend if your self esteem is really that low or if you have other issues that tie in with it (PTSD in my case)
What I mean is you're a lot more kick *kitten* than you think you are.... try not to make decisions based on you seeing yourself as a person with low self esteem... it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Which is one major reason why I hate PFs marketing campaign, more than the lunk thing even... it reinforces the idea that there's something to be scared of about regular gyms, when actually there isn't.... this makes the idea of going to non-PF gyms more of a mental barrier than it actually is.0 -
I only pay $19 a month for a gym with free weights. I went to a Planet Fitness to walk around and give it a chance but when the people tried to explain to me that a smith machine and free weights are the same I left.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
YEAH RIIIGGGGGHHHHHHHHHT!
NO FREAKING WAY... I wonder how many people buy into that crap
PF isnt the only one who does that though. 24hr club will try to say that the smith machine is the same as free weights whenever you tell them you want/recommend some other kind of equipment (I wanted a dead lift area and shrug machine like they had in another gym). Lets see, when I did 365lb and over shrugs in the smith machine, sometimes the whole machine would severely wobble...this means my range of motion in the lift does not match the machine's, and essentially I'm lifting part of the machine's mass as well through part of the lift, I'm glad its the machine that gives a little and not my back, but thats extra pressure on my back...someone else may not be so lucky.
How heavy are those machines? I've seen them bolted down in gyms too.0 -
See, and I think it sends the wrong message to say (and we do ourselves a disservice to allow ourselves to accept the message), "Hey, you fat broads need your own special place, because you're not good enough for a real gym." I got a big ol' one finger salute for them.Mine's open 24 hours a day and it's $10 a month.
What's to complain about that?
Golly.
I'm a big fat broad and I've never seen so much as a nudge or an eyeroll like I've noticed at other gym memberships I've had that cost 5 times the amount and had no parking. And closed at 9 pm.
I've never heard so much as a mumble or a snicker when I'm working my fat butt on the treadmill. Like to the two guys that felt compelled to marvel loudly at my appearance at the yuppie gym I once belonged to as I minded my own business on the elliptical. And they were fit and trim married *kitten* in their 40s. I was in my 30s then. Try it now fellas. I'm in my 40s and I'll give you a run for your money. Figuratively speaking.
I love Planet Fitness.
I don't care what other people do around me, including lunking and dressing skimpily, as long as they don't bother me. I would never complain about that.
If it's true that Planet Fitness is for fat unfit people, then it's for me and I'm grateful for it
I agree, I suppose I am a "fat unfit person" and I am grateful for PF as well. I am nowhere near the "expert level" of other people... and grateful is the precise word. I wouldn't feel comfortable working out at another gym... not YET anyway. I think it's a great beginner gym for the fat *kitten* like me.
As much as I agree with you, I still have reservations about going to another gym. Some of us aren't as kick *kitten* as you are dear. Personally, its taken me YEARS to get to the level of self esteem I'm at now. Once my skin is thicker, I might look into another gym altogether... but, for now, women like me need PF in their lives.
<---- this lunk had serious self-esteem issues for years. Don't let it hold you back. Act like a confident person and you'll start to become one. Although in my case it took a fair degree of counselling/therapy as well... which I'd recommend if your self esteem is really that low or if you have other issues that tie in with it (PTSD in my case)
What I mean is you're a lot more kick *kitten* than you think you are.... try not to make decisions based on you seeing yourself as a person with low self esteem... it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Which is one major reason why I hate PFs marketing campaign, more than the lunk thing even... it reinforces the idea that there's something to be scared of about regular gyms, when actually there isn't.... this makes the idea of going to non-PF gyms more of a mental barrier than it actually is.
Yes I think its all to generate an image so people talk about them, and scare people off "regular" gyms and go to them. So far it works great!0 -
Everything is too purple there.
^ This. As if their race to the bottom themed marketing wasn't bad enough, their color scheme is hideous, they are too restrictive on what members are allowed to wear, and I seriously doubt that they have coasters for the diet coke on pizza night.0 -
How they market themselves is horrible. Not only that but they offer pizza and bagel nights with free candy EVERYWHERE! They're lacking a lot of gym necessities for people serious about lifting but for people that just want to stay healthy it's good.0
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I see your point, and I regularly participate in those threads. Because I think it's reasonable to call them on their "no judgement" hypocrisy. You're allowed to be bothered by that, but that feeling is yours to deal with, not mine. drinker (I'm affirming that to myself, not being testy)
I wouldn't say I'm bothered by it - you're the one sarcastically responding to my comments. I just said people like to complain about PF probably a bit more than they should and many seem to feel like they're better than other people simply because they workout somewhere other than PF. You can even see some posts along those lines in this very thread. I also seem to recall a bunch of people that don't go to PF (and never have) were in an uproar when PF removed their squat racks. I guess it's just me, but when a business I have no affiliation with does something that doesn't affect me, I suppose I just don't care all that much. Threads have even popped up where people try to spin a simple dress code violation as "PF is fit shaming!" and other nonsense.
At the end of the day, it's a health club that's dirt cheap, open 24/7 and obviously works for a lot (but not all) people. Beyond that, I don't see much to discuss, and certainly not enough to justify all the threads that pop-up weekly on fitness forums. My personal opinion is they have way too many rules and restrictions, and so I'm happy to pay more for gyms that better fit my preferences.
They like to complain because for once the shoe is on the other foot and they're being judged and discriminating against. :P
My husband and I go to PF, we like it, it suits our needs as beginners. I'd also like to add that our PF has 6 benches for lifting, including 2 racks of free weights and 1 rack of barbells. I've not looked at them since I'm content to use the machines but they don't look like they go very high in weight. No one sets off the lunk alarm because someone grunts a few times or lets a weight drop. The alarm is there for those that are making a big scene while lifting because it is weird and intimidating for those not part of the body building scene. I've seen plenty of women wearing tight pants and sports bras, none of them were asked to leave.
They do have pizza night and bagel mornings and that does seem silly to have 'junk' food at a gym, but no one is forcing you to take it. It's a cheap and easy thing to offer customers as a little 'reward' for coming in. I'm a fat chick and I'm way too self concious to be seen eating a slice of pizza that gym. ^_^ So no worries there.
From what I understand, PF's are franchises so there will be slight differences from gym to gym. As so many have said, to each their own and no one should be putting down people going to any type of gym. Whatever gets us in there and moving, it's all good. For me, it's cheap, 24 hours, and close to work.0
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