why do people seem to not like planet fitness?

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Replies

  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    all the gold's gyms around me went out of buisness, and then were re-opened as 'Vent fitness'. they have all the golds equipment and memberships start at 10. still at least 20 min in the wrong direction tho
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    i'm currently building my planet fitness escape pod through roguefitness.com
  • pinkshiningstar
    pinkshiningstar Posts: 141 Member
    all the gold's gyms around me went out of buisness, and then were re-opened as 'Vent fitness'. they have all the golds equipment and memberships start at 10. still at least 20 min in the wrong direction tho

    Same happened with my Gold's, but I just stayed a member at the "new" gym. I like it. Convenience is a huge thing though.
  • barbarapoppa54
    barbarapoppa54 Posts: 16 Member
    I don't think it matters where you go to exercise just so long as you are exercising and enjoying it. I like Planet Fitness and I use to belong to LA Fitness and years ago Curves. I find that each place suits a different level of where you are with your fitness goals. Planet Fitness is great for someone starting out or starting over. The phone comment about people talking while on equipement I have never seen, they have signs to talk in a certain area. I found that LA fitness phone use on machines was a problem...I think it is a combination of what your needs are and the area as well. Like stores etc. the area that the place is will determine the clientel, weather a younger group, older, etc. So I am not critial of any gym...if you like it and are motivated to go...then it is the best gym for you. Those who don't like it, then I am sure there is a gym for you. Be happy to be exercising and getting healthy no matter where it is.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    all the gold's gyms around me went out of buisness, and then were re-opened as 'Vent fitness'. they have all the golds equipment and memberships start at 10. still at least 20 min in the wrong direction tho

    I lost my Gold's about 4 years ago. I had been a member there about 5 years, since the day it opened. It never re-opened....that place was awesome.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    i'd be at a crossfit gym if money was no object
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    i'm currently building my planet fitness escape pod through roguefitness.com

    roguefitness is awesome and I thought about doing the same, but while I was doing my research I discovered a power lifting gym that is right around the corner from my house about 1.5 miles. It's an old garage storage facility and the gym owner picked up three of the units and knocked out the walls and turned it into a power gym. He's an MMA fighter as well so he has one area dedicated to his fighting ring and all the heavy bags and whatnot and the other half of the gym is just power racks and benches and a big rack of dumbbells and barbells. It's pretty stinkin' awesome at $20. I particularly like when he opens up the garage bay doors and has the stereo blasting.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    For those of you saying they discourage achievement and the like, I have news for you, they don't.

    not for nothing- but that's exactly what they do. their whole business model is based on that.

    if you get TOO fit- or enjoy/appreciate your hard work- they kick you out.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    No deadlifts.

    ... and an act of Congress to cancel your membership.
    Can you just deadlift until they kick you out? :laugh:

    Mine won't kick you out. The trainer at my PF said he would never tell me not to deadlift. And I'm pretty sure the lunk alarm isn't even plugged in. And now I want to go to cwolfman13's gym! :love:
  • PJPrimrose
    PJPrimrose Posts: 916 Member
    "roguefitness is awesome and I thought about doing the same, but while I was doing my research I discovered a power lifting gym that is right around the corner from my house about 1.5 miles. It's an old garage storage facility and the gym owner picked up three of the units and knocked out the walls and turned it into a power gym. He's an MMA fighter as well so he has one area dedicated to his fighting ring and all the heavy bags and whatnot and the other half of the gym is just power racks and benches and a big rack of dumbbells and barbells. It's pretty stinkin' awesome at $20. I particularly like when he opens up the garage bay doors and has the stereo blasting."

    I'm not jealous! Then again, do they want a middle aged kick boxer that is a newbie lifter around?
  • jlynnm70
    jlynnm70 Posts: 460 Member
    For those of you saying they discourage achievement and the like, I have news for you, they don't.

    not for nothing- but that's exactly what they do. their whole business model is based on that.

    if you get TOO fit- or enjoy/appreciate your hard work- they kick you out.

    I call BS - at least for my location - if they did then there are about 20 guys that I see every day after work that would be kicked out. Tank tops and arms bigger than my waist who are really working out tough.
  • MBrothers22
    MBrothers22 Posts: 323 Member
    For those of you saying they discourage achievement and the like, I have news for you, they don't.

    not for nothing- but that's exactly what they do. their whole business model is based on that.

    if you get TOO fit- or enjoy/appreciate your hard work- they kick you out.

    I call BS - at least for my location - if they did then there are about 20 guys that I see every day after work that would be kicked out. Tank tops and arms bigger than my waist who are really working out tough.

    Well here's the truth. A couple of PF gyms have done it and these kinds of people are too stupid to realize that not all of their gyms are like that. If one does it that means they all do it to these people.
    I've been a member for 2 years and not once has the lunk alarm went off, someone told to cover up, and there's COUNTLESS numbers of people breaking this so called dress code that a small percentage of gyms enforce.
    I'm talking baseball caps, jeans, bandanas, tank tops, spaghetti strings.
    People freak out because it's happened a couple times and are too dense to look at the big picture.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    And I ask again, which no one seems to want to answer to, what do you think of their derogatory marketing strategy?

    They caracaturize fitness enthusiasts and call them a dull or stupid person; blockhead; an awkward, heavy, or stupid person all while advertising a judgement free zone, if that wasn't the marketing scheme they'd catch far less hell here, but from what I can tell that's what they want.


    That's what disgusts most people about the place...

    In the initial planning of the company, I'd say that it was trying to gear itself toward the everyman, not the bodybuilder. I think that calling "bodybuilders" if you will lunkheads is kinda tacky to be honest, but I don't believe that it was initially intended that way, but like wording of any kind, it can be taken wrong. Maybe that's why I've always laughed at the advertising, because I think it's silly now. No really, I think it's just silly. PF is not a place for those that are wanting to get to be Olympic medalists in weightlifting. It's more for the cardio and toning, as well as muscle building (to an extent). As for a judgment free zone, yeah I see where people could get mad that a bodybuilder is characterized as a dummy, but to be honest, I would see you as an idiot if you started yelling during lifting weights.

    Think about it in another way, if yelling and loudly grunting makes someone like me, someone who is trying to lose weight and tone up for a health reasons and a wedding, feel uncomfortable, I might leave. If you're yelling and loudly grunting and people are looking at you like, wow he's strong, you're going to keep doing it, but, if the people around you are like me and see it as someone being an idiotic attention *kitten*, you might leave because you can't do that anymore without people judging you. I'm not advocating that bodybuilders are idiots, I'm just telling you the way I've always seen people who do the things prohibited at a Planet Fitness.

    I really hope that made sense XD

    TL:DR version: I think that it's a very silly and dumb advertising ploy that was not initially intended to be what it became.

    PF's marketing doesn't caricaturize only the bodybuilder, it demeans the fitness enthusiast in general.

    How does is being called "a dull or stupid person; blockhead." supposed to be taken? Since I am one because I drink from a gallon jug and wear "inappropriate headwear" to the gym (because it's awesome...holds my ear buds in place and keeps sweat out of my eyes) I clearly don't understand.

    Edit: I also think you have a pretty skewed look on bodybuilding, toning (whatever that is), and weight lifting in general.
    Excellent point, and I'm sad that the person defending the marketing as silly and funny didn't respond.

    As a gym, it's cheap and obviously meets the needs for a lot of people. I would be unable to workout there because I squat and deadlift. And yes, I grunt on occasion because that **** gets heavy. I don't scream or try to draw attention to myself. It just happens.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member

    PF's marketing doesn't caricaturize only the bodybuilder, it demeans the fitness enthusiast in general.

    How does is being called "a dull or stupid person; blockhead." supposed to be taken? Since I am one because I drink from a gallon jug and wear "inappropriate headwear" to the gym (because it's awesome...holds my ear buds in place and keeps sweat out of my eyes) I clearly don't understand.

    Edit: I also think you have a pretty skewed look on bodybuilding, toning (whatever that is), and weight lifting in general.
    Excellent point, and I'm sad that the person defending the marketing as silly and funny didn't respond.

    As a gym, it's cheap and obviously meets the needs for a lot of people. I would be unable to workout there because I squat and deadlift. And yes, I grunt on occasion because that **** gets heavy. I don't scream or try to draw attention to myself. It just happens.

    Yep, they do meet the needs, and that's great. If they didn't have the maketing program they did, they'd just be another blip on the 24/7 landscape. But, because of that marketing scheme they can consistently be in the headlines, which is exactly what they want.....which I think is too bad they have to do it the ironic way they do...
  • BurntCoffee
    BurntCoffee Posts: 234 Member
    I have always enjoyed Planet Fitness. Obviously PF is not meant for everyone. But that's what is so great about living in the United States. Nobody is gonna force you to stay at a gym you don't feel welcome in. I personally adore seeing the old man come to the gym and walk very slowly on the treadmill. It's sweet. Old folks wanna work out too ya know!
  • Beautifulbridgittlee7
    Beautifulbridgittlee7 Posts: 352 Member
    There's no pool to swim, or do water jogging in, and no group classes like spin, kickboxing, zumba, yoga, etc.
  • SapiensPisces
    SapiensPisces Posts: 992 Member
    They are really good about getting themselves in the news for kicking people out. Their dress code and how it is enforced is ridiculous. They claim to be a "judgment free zone" but that only applies to the people they actually want at their non gym. Honestly, their business model sucks.


    And their color scheme is awful!

    No. their business model is absolute genius.

    $10/mo. They only get a certain type of customer. That customer goes in Jan for 2 weeks, and never goes again for 3 years, meanwhile continuing to pay $10/mo because it's not enough to worry about. Then, they get inspiration, and go again, in Jan 3 years later, for 2 weeks, and stop going and continue paying $10/mo for another 3 years. and it goes on and on and on and on. This is their business model.

    THEY DON'T ACTUALLY WANT PEOPLE TO USE THE GYM. This is why they don't want actual gym people going there. People that use the gym put wear and tear on the equipment. And, if you think it's a surprise that they offer pizza and candy, then you haven't really understood the business model yet. Keep thinking.

    It's absolutely the best business model I have ever seen and one of my regrets in life is that I didn't think of this first. It's absolutely beautiful.

    It is rather brilliant in that light.
  • pain_is_weakness
    pain_is_weakness Posts: 798 Member
    I have never joined a planet fitness although really wanted to because so much is included for only 10 bucks a month. I don't think they are advertizing anyone who is bulked up is a lunk but rather just trying to let people know who might not feel like their body is ready for a gym that there is a place for them to go.

    I did find fitness evolution right down the street from my house for only 10 bucks a month too but no training included.

    I don't see a problem with a gym doing pizza or bagels once a month. It is once a month right? Nobody is forced to eat it and honestly it might be your monthly reward for sticking to your eating plan?

    If they really do enforce no large water bottles or strict clothing guidelines then I don't agree with that. I carry a huge water bottle and refill it 4 times while at the gym, also if I am paying to go to a gym I don't want them telling me what I can and can't wear.

    The tootsie rolls on the counter, ya seems strange but not worth hating them over is it?

    that being said there are many gyms that are judgmental to those that are overweight. For instance My first day walking into a UFC gym I had a huge meat head looking gym yell "hey fatass" to me from about 30 feet away, I was at the front counter and the lady didn't say anything just smiles at him. I complained, wrote a yelp review and everything. The manager of that gym sat me down when I tried to cancel to talk about the situation, trying to figure out "why that one comment upset me so much?" He had the female from the front desk in there with him taking notes and she looked up after 20 minutes of me repeatedly saying how embarrassed I was about that comment from someone i didn't know . . .by the way I was the only fat person in that gym at that moment. She said "People here joke like that all the time, I think you took it too hard." I told her nobody has the right to joke like that in a gym and they shouldn't be defending it. The guy signing me up questioned my affiliation to the military by stating 'you obviously are not in the military" gesturing to my body while saying that so planet fitness is not the only gym to "judge people" and from the looks of it there are plenty of fit people that go there.

    Bottom line, if a gym works for you, use it . . .if you don't agree with them, don't use it
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
    I think the most idiotic and sad thing about Planet Fitness is their advertising a "judgement free zone" when I have NEVER seen such a horribly judgemental business. EVER.
  • pain_is_weakness
    pain_is_weakness Posts: 798 Member
    if they actually have a lunk alarm, that is just messed up . . .I wish more gyms encourages a mix of different fitness levels and I am sure nobody likes being pointed out with an alarm right? But judging the "type " of people that go to planet fitness as 2 week quitters is also wrong, I am sure there are many that make it a lifestyle just like any other gym . . .

    also many people go get a membership elsewhere and never come, not just there
  • pain_is_weakness
    pain_is_weakness Posts: 798 Member
    The commericals I have seen, not many but two i think I thought were more making fun of the people so self absorbed they didn't realize they were being rude or looking dumb by the way they acted things they said . . .but again i have only seen two. And If I were to flip it and they had 3 fat people sitting on a bench talking about how they did a full 10 minutes of cardio and "earned" that dozen donuts then ya i would laugh at that . . .I think it is more about the way you act not what you look like, and yes i have overheard people in the gym saying stuff like that and I did shake my head at them
  • HerkMeOff
    HerkMeOff Posts: 1,002 Member
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  • HerkMeOff
    HerkMeOff Posts: 1,002 Member
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  • baba_helly
    baba_helly Posts: 810 Member
    Their advertising is insulting and they discourage achievement

    I wouldn't want a gym insulting anyone. CAN YOU IMAGINE??!!

    Go to your meetings and sober up.

    Been sober for awhile now, thanks!

    So you just need more attention and are using your alcoholism as a sympathy crutch? Got it.

    Even if that were true it's better than denying such a problem exists.
  • parisallez
    parisallez Posts: 30
    I don't have a prob with that gym. I don't go there because they have no squat rack. that's it. I love the 'BIG *kitten*' fan over the cardio machines. my wife and I laughed about how huge that thing is.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    Their advertising is insulting and they discourage achievement

    I wouldn't want a gym insulting anyone. CAN YOU IMAGINE??!!

    Go to your meetings and sober up.

    Been sober for awhile now, thanks!

    So you just need more attention and are using your alcoholism as a sympathy crutch? Got it.
    please stop.
  • x311Tifa
    x311Tifa Posts: 357 Member

    Ok, so, #7.

    This was even in a weightlifting magazine!! Use the assisted pullup machine to do that motion to work on a single leg. I don't necessarily blame the guy, but I thought it was odd too...

    Opinions?
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Their advertising is insulting and they discourage achievement

    I wouldn't want a gym insulting anyone. CAN YOU IMAGINE??!!

    Go to your meetings and sober up.

    Been sober for awhile now, thanks!

    So you just need more attention and are using your alcoholism as a sympathy crutch? Got it.
    please stop.

    I didn't spend the day posting on my wall inciting friends to send PMs. I've had enough quite enough.

    But you aren't even friends with him,..
  • baba_helly
    baba_helly Posts: 810 Member
    Their advertising is insulting and they discourage achievement

    I wouldn't want a gym insulting anyone. CAN YOU IMAGINE??!!

    Go to your meetings and sober up.

    Been sober for awhile now, thanks!

    So you just need more attention and are using your alcoholism as a sympathy crutch? Got it.
    please stop.

    I didn't spend the day posting on my wall inciting friends to send PMs. I've had enough quite enough.

    Awww, can't handle nasty PMs? Maybe you shouldn't send them out in the first place.
  • Strokingdiction
    Strokingdiction Posts: 1,164 Member
    There's a lot of inside drama going on here. I'm curious but not that curious.