Planet Fitness

JoRocka

Badwater shows that it's possible to run safely in just about every environment if you prepare properly.

I'm not saying that you should run when it's that hot, or that joining a gym to run "comfortably" on a treadmill is bad.

I'm just saying that throwing around terms like "too hot to run" when you're from (say) North Carolina is going to have the Atlanta ladies laughing at you, unless you cite specific medical conditions.

nah- I'm tracking. 100% with you on it.

k_nicole87

I go to PF. I like it. I don't like what they stand for. I have issues with my PF that is within reasonable distance from my house but one several miles farther from me is really nice. I enjoy it.

SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish

Huh, I wasn't even aware of the ads, they sound amusing, and maybe some might take offense. I think you have it all wrong, though, those are your judgments (engineered by the ads) on how someone reacts to the ads because you saw them and thats what came to your mind (along with the oddness of gay relationships, etc that followed it). I don't really think many identify with those ads targets and "get angry".

What I and I think most people actually react to are: the "lunk alarm" idea (I'm very quiet usually but I can just imagine dropping something or doing a 1RM and letting a grunt escape and having it go off and moronic staff in purple shirts coming over to make a scene), the banning of dead lifts and reduction benches and of free weights, then add to it the crazy bannings of people for "innapropriate" basically normal workout gear. Of course what it always turns out is that most PFs allow and have no problem with the clothes and even certain lifts, indicating they probably MANUFACTURE many of these publicized issues.

So no I don't think many really "hate" them (why would would most people really have that strong a feeling about a gym?), what I think they are actually pretty manipulative, poor equipped gym but cheap. I think most of the "hate" is also manufactured by PF. People like to poke fun back at one poking fun at others, and PF does this, so its all fair game really. Then the controversy is continued when the guy labeled a "lunk" and ridiculed starts poking fun back and generalizing PF gym goers are all morbidly obese pizza and tootsie roll munching cardio bunny wanna-bees in pink and purple spandex...and the cycle goes on. Pretty good tactic of PF's marketing actually.

I'm more strongly annoyed by the engineered manipulation and wrong concepts that get spread by PF, than I am of any silly purple buzzy poorly equipped gym And my pet peeve is I've seen other gyms like my local 24hour club appear to go towards the mass lower common denominator model PF has and get rid of dead lifts, and add more machines and cardio. Go to PF if you like, maybe if you are just starting and want to pay only $10 its "perfect" for you. It wouldn't be my first recommendation is all, and most importantly I hope other gyms aren't influenced by the lowest common denominator model of PF.

SnuggleSmacks

Why would someone bash the idea of buying home equipment, then suggest planet fitness as a better alternative to do Strong Lifts of all programs? Most planet fitnesses explicitly ban two of the cornerstone exercises of stronglifts! They frequently don't have the equipment to do the other lifts safely.

Am I reading this wrong?

I think you've misunderstood. I asked why one would discourage people from joining a gym if the most viable option for them was PF. The reply I was given was that a home gym was preferable, and I gave examples as to how that is not preferable for everyone. I'm certainly not discouraging anyone from setting up a home gym if they have the space and money. But for me, for example, it's not an option because I don't have the space, period. Many other people, especially those just starting out, also don't have the space or the expertise to know what to buy, or perhaps the money to buy it.

Now, if I were just starting out in my fitness journey and was thinking of joining a gym, and came on here and asked "Hey, there's a Planet Fitness down the street and it's super cheap, should I join?" I might find some of the responses on here quite discouraging. They would make me feel that Planet Fitness wasn't good enough, and I would be discouraged from taking the next step in my fitness journey to simply have a cool and convenient place to move my overweight *kitten* for an hour, simply because some jerks on a forum can't get over the commercials. I simply think that's sad.

And just to be clear, I'm not a member of Planet Fitness. I was, for about 3 months, before deciding that the cost savings and location down the street did not make up for the lack of amenities at my old gym which I enjoy. However, in that three months, I saw people of all shapes and sizes, wearing all sorts of attire, and never once did the lunk alarm go off. I'm sure many of the people I saw in there will lose some weight and be ready to move on to a more aggressive program and they will change gyms, but in the meantime, they're able to pay $10 a month to be at a place where they're comfortable, which will encourage them to stick with it. Why would anyone want to discourage that?

likitisplit

I guess I'm still confused about the space and expense. This is all you need for a comprehensive resistance program in a home gym:

http://www.amazon.com/Stamina-Doorway-Trainer-Black-Chrome/dp/B000HBUNAO/


http://www.amazon.com/Convict-Conditioning-Weakness-Using-Survival-Strength-ebook/dp/B004XIZN5M/


http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Sports-Rubber-Official-Basketballs/dp/B003WX78FC/


That's like four months of Planet Fitness (or their mid-year membership fee.) It would fit under a bed or behind a door.

SnuggleSmacks

I guess I'm still confused about the space and expense. This is all you need for a comprehensive resistance program in a home gym:

http://www.amazon.com/Stamina-Doorway-Trainer-Black-Chrome/dp/B000HBUNAO/


http://www.amazon.com/Convict-Conditioning-Weakness-Using-Survival-Strength-ebook/dp/B004XIZN5M/


http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Sports-Rubber-Official-Basketballs/dp/B003WX78FC/


That's like four months of Planet Fitness (or their mid-year membership fee.) It would fit under a bed or behind a door.

I've chosen to do Stronglifts, and I can afford a membership with a good gym which has lots of extras like the steamroom and whirlpool, classes I enjoy, and tons of equipment, and is open 24 hours, so those items aren't helpful to me. Most people who are very overweight have a primary objective of just moving for an extended period, so those options aren't always terribly helpful for them, either.

JoRocka

I guess I'm still confused about the space and expense. This is all you need for a comprehensive resistance program in a home gym:

http://www.amazon.com/Stamina-Doorway-Trainer-Black-Chrome/dp/B000HBUNAO/


http://www.amazon.com/Convict-Conditioning-Weakness-Using-Survival-Strength-ebook/dp/B004XIZN5M/


http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Sports-Rubber-Official-Basketballs/dp/B003WX78FC/


That's like four months of Planet Fitness (or their mid-year membership fee.) It would fit under a bed or behind a door.

I've chosen to do Stronglifts, and I can afford a membership with a good gym which has lots of extras like the steamroom and whirlpool, classes I enjoy, and tons of equipment, and is open 24 hours, so those items aren't helpful to me. Most people who are very overweight have a primary objective of just moving for an extended period, so those options aren't always terribly helpful for them, either.

I go to a full power lifting gym- and all those things are helpful to me.
jump rope- there should be a jump rope in there too

sooooooo I'm not sure what exactly that means.

JoshuaL86

I have nothing but love for PF. When I was 285, PF was the gym I joined in order to get moving again. 125 pounds later, I don't regret that choice.

jozkny

I am a member (Black Card) It cost me $5 to join & then $20 a month after the 1st month (that includes use of any PF franchise & free guests & tanning, massage and sauna) The basic membership is $10-- no strings attached. I LOVE IT! I was not sure about joining a gym & never have had a membership anywhere (Although I HAVE attended many various places as a guest). I am surprised by all of the negativity and incorrect comments (specifically about equipment & "rules") on here regarding PF... Maybe it depends on location because I DO NOT agree with most of the comments & have not had a bad experience at all!. I love it!!

SnuggleSmacks

I guess I'm still confused about the space and expense. This is all you need for a comprehensive resistance program in a home gym:

http://www.amazon.com/Stamina-Doorway-Trainer-Black-Chrome/dp/B000HBUNAO/


http://www.amazon.com/Convict-Conditioning-Weakness-Using-Survival-Strength-ebook/dp/B004XIZN5M/


http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Sports-Rubber-Official-Basketballs/dp/B003WX78FC/


That's like four months of Planet Fitness (or their mid-year membership fee.) It would fit under a bed or behind a door.

I've chosen to do Stronglifts, and I can afford a membership with a good gym which has lots of extras like the steamroom and whirlpool, classes I enjoy, and tons of equipment, and is open 24 hours, so those items aren't helpful to me. Most people who are very overweight have a primary objective of just moving for an extended period, so those options aren't always terribly helpful for them, either.

I go to a full power lifting gym- and all those things are helpful to me.
jump rope- there should be a jump rope in there too

sooooooo I'm not sure what exactly that means.

I mean, those things are not helping me toward my goal of deadlifting 300 lbs. I have a jump rope, some adjustable dumbbells, and other assorted small things at home, but they are also not my primary means of exercise. The gym is. What is so difficult to understand about this? If someone wants to join a gym, don't discourage them...even if that gym is Planet Fitness. Is that difficult to understand? Do you seriously have an objection to this? Really?

OysterKat

I loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it!!!!!!!!!!!!

neandermagnon

I guess I'm still confused about the space and expense. This is all you need for a comprehensive resistance program in a home gym:

http://www.amazon.com/Stamina-Doorway-Trainer-Black-Chrome/dp/B000HBUNAO/


http://www.amazon.com/Convict-Conditioning-Weakness-Using-Survival-Strength-ebook/dp/B004XIZN5M/


http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Sports-Rubber-Official-Basketballs/dp/B003WX78FC/


That's like four months of Planet Fitness (or their mid-year membership fee.) It would fit under a bed or behind a door.

I've chosen to do Stronglifts, and I can afford a membership with a good gym which has lots of extras like the steamroom and whirlpool, classes I enjoy, and tons of equipment, and is open 24 hours, so those items aren't helpful to me. Most people who are very overweight have a primary objective of just moving for an extended period, so those options aren't always terribly helpful for them, either.

I go to a full power lifting gym- and all those things are helpful to me.
jump rope- there should be a jump rope in there too

sooooooo I'm not sure what exactly that means.

I mean, those things are not helping me toward my goal of deadlifting 300 lbs. I have a jump rope, some adjustable dumbbells, and other assorted small things at home, but they are also not my primary means of exercise. The gym is. What is so difficult to understand about this? If someone wants to join a gym, don't discourage them...even if that gym is Planet Fitness. Is that difficult to understand? Do you seriously have an objection to this? Really?

How does a gym that bans deadlifting help anyone achieve a goal of deadlifting 300lb? Plus you're not allowed to drop weights or grunt. From personal experience of deadlifting close to max, grunting and dropping weights is inevitable.

No-one is telling anyone they're not allowed to go to planet fitness if that's the best thing for them. They're just providing information that is potentially useful to them, such as "most planet fitness gyms ban deadlifting and don't have squat racks" - how is that not helpful? If I was thinking of joining a gym then that information is useful to me as it'll save me time (and possibly money too) avoiding a gym that's not going to help me achieve my goal ....and deadlifting 300lb is one of my main goals... spending money on my own barbell and plates is a much better investment than joining a gym that bans deadlifting, no matter how cheap that gym is. It's useless to me if I'm not allowed to deadlift, drop weights or grunt there. And yes I am strapped for cash. And yes I do have to buy myself a barbell (I'm moving back to the UK so I have to give my friend her barbell and plates back and near enough rebuild my home gym from scratch).

If planet fitness is the best option for you, then just go there and enjoy it... no-one wants to stop you going there if that's what's working for you. Although I'm not going to blow fairy dust up your rear end by telling you that you can achieve a 300lb deadlift working out at a gym that bans deadlifts, dropping weights and grunting, because that's an elite level lift for women which requires serious effort and training including doing actual deadlifts. Maybe you have some future plan that enables you to be able to practice actual deadlifts in the future, or your planet fitness is one of a tiny minority that allows deadlifts and never sets off the lunk alarm. We're all adults with working frontal lobes so we're all capable of making a decision about what's best for us in our present situation - but that does not mean anyone should stop providing information such as the fact that PF bans deadlifts and doesn't have squat racks, which makes it a really bad choice for anyone who's serious about lifting. If it's a case of beggars can't be choosers then that's ****ty luck and you just have to do the best you can. But in no way does that mean people should not provide accurate information about these kinds of things.

ETA: from another post it seems that you go to a different gym so read the above as applying generally, not as applying to you specifically...... PF is not a good choice of gym for people who are serious about lifting, and pretending that it is is akin to blowing fairy dust up peoples arses.

SnuggleSmacks

I guess I'm still confused about the space and expense. This is all you need for a comprehensive resistance program in a home gym:

http://www.amazon.com/Stamina-Doorway-Trainer-Black-Chrome/dp/B000HBUNAO/


http://www.amazon.com/Convict-Conditioning-Weakness-Using-Survival-Strength-ebook/dp/B004XIZN5M/


http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Sports-Rubber-Official-Basketballs/dp/B003WX78FC/


That's like four months of Planet Fitness (or their mid-year membership fee.) It would fit under a bed or behind a door.

I've chosen to do Stronglifts, and I can afford a membership with a good gym which has lots of extras like the steamroom and whirlpool, classes I enjoy, and tons of equipment, and is open 24 hours, so those items aren't helpful to me. Most people who are very overweight have a primary objective of just moving for an extended period, so those options aren't always terribly helpful for them, either.

I go to a full power lifting gym- and all those things are helpful to me.
jump rope- there should be a jump rope in there too

sooooooo I'm not sure what exactly that means.

I mean, those things are not helping me toward my goal of deadlifting 300 lbs. I have a jump rope, some adjustable dumbbells, and other assorted small things at home, but they are also not my primary means of exercise. The gym is. What is so difficult to understand about this? If someone wants to join a gym, don't discourage them...even if that gym is Planet Fitness. Is that difficult to understand? Do you seriously have an objection to this? Really?

How does a gym that bans deadlifting help anyone achieve a goal of deadlifting 300lb? Plus you're not allowed to drop weights or grunt. From personal experience of deadlifting close to max, grunting and dropping weights is inevitable.

No-one is telling anyone they're not allowed to go to planet fitness if that's the best thing for them. They're just providing information that is potentially useful to them, such as "most planet fitness gyms ban deadlifting and don't have squat racks" - how is that not helpful? If I was thinking of joining a gym then that information is useful to me as it'll save me time (and possibly money too) avoiding a gym that's not going to help me achieve my goal ....and deadlifting 300lb is one of my main goals... spending money on my own barbell and plates is a much better investment than joining a gym that bans deadlifting, no matter how cheap that gym is. It's useless to me if I'm not allowed to deadlift, drop weights or grunt there. And yes I am strapped for cash. And yes I do have to buy myself a barbell (I'm moving back to the UK so I have to give my friend her barbell and plates back and near enough rebuild my home gym from scratch).

If planet fitness is the best option for you, then just go there and enjoy it... no-one wants to stop you going there if that's what's working for you. Although I'm not going to blow fairy dust up your rear end by telling you that you can achieve a 300lb deadlift working out at a gym that bans deadlifts, dropping weights and grunting, because that's an elite level lift for women which requires serious effort and training including doing actual deadlifts. Maybe you have some future plan that enables you to be able to practice actual deadlifts in the future, or your planet fitness is one of a tiny minority that allows deadlifts and never sets off the lunk alarm. We're all adults with working frontal lobes so we're all capable of making a decision about what's best for us in our present situation - but that does not mean anyone should stop providing information such as the fact that PF bans deadlifts and doesn't have squat racks, which makes it a really bad choice for anyone who's serious about lifting. If it's a case of beggars can't be choosers then that's ****ty luck and you just have to do the best you can. But in no way does that mean people should not provide accurate information about these kinds of things.

ETA: from another post it seems that you go to a different gym so read the above as applying generally, not as applying to you specifically...... PF is not a good choice of gym for people who are serious about lifting, and pretending that it is is akin to blowing fairy dust up peoples arses.

We're not talking about gyms for people serious about lifting. We're talking about gyms for people just starting out. I agree, and have stated previously, that people outgrow Planet Fitness when they're ready to move on to things like serious lifting. But that's no reason to discourage someone who is brand new to the whole idea of gyms from joining a cheap and convenient gym just because their commercials suck.

neandermagnon

I guess I'm still confused about the space and expense. This is all you need for a comprehensive resistance program in a home gym:

http://www.amazon.com/Stamina-Doorway-Trainer-Black-Chrome/dp/B000HBUNAO/


http://www.amazon.com/Convict-Conditioning-Weakness-Using-Survival-Strength-ebook/dp/B004XIZN5M/


http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Sports-Rubber-Official-Basketballs/dp/B003WX78FC/


That's like four months of Planet Fitness (or their mid-year membership fee.) It would fit under a bed or behind a door.

I've chosen to do Stronglifts, and I can afford a membership with a good gym which has lots of extras like the steamroom and whirlpool, classes I enjoy, and tons of equipment, and is open 24 hours, so those items aren't helpful to me. Most people who are very overweight have a primary objective of just moving for an extended period, so those options aren't always terribly helpful for them, either.

And they have working brains and enough intelligence to make that decision for themselves after reading information about how PF gyms are not good for people who are serious about lifting. Honestly your argument reads like you're talking about children or mentally handicapped people or something........ "shhh dont' tell them the bad points about any gym in case it puts them off"... I mean really...? If they read that it's a bad gym for people serious about lifting and they think "well, that doesn't bother me because I just want to move a bit more" then they're quite capable of working that out for themselves!!

And there are plenty of very overweight people who would like to get into strength training and weight lifting, as it's a very good way to preserve lean mass while dieting, and also because they're human beings just like everyone else so there's no reason why they wouldn't have ambitions to be able to lift heavy or look like a bodybuilder.... your attitude is actually really patronising, treating them like they have a brain deficiency and can't make informed decisions about whether they go to a gym or build a home gym, and treating them like they're a homogenous group and all they want to do is a bit of cardio and moving more... seriously, that's how your argument comes across.

People (of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels) need accurate information so they can make informed decisions for themselves. People who are not capable of doing that (children, mentally handicapped people) should not be using the internet unsupervised so we can ignore that section of the population when giving advice like this.

neandermagnon

I guess I'm still confused about the space and expense. This is all you need for a comprehensive resistance program in a home gym:

http://www.amazon.com/Stamina-Doorway-Trainer-Black-Chrome/dp/B000HBUNAO/


http://www.amazon.com/Convict-Conditioning-Weakness-Using-Survival-Strength-ebook/dp/B004XIZN5M/


http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Sports-Rubber-Official-Basketballs/dp/B003WX78FC/


That's like four months of Planet Fitness (or their mid-year membership fee.) It would fit under a bed or behind a door.

I've chosen to do Stronglifts, and I can afford a membership with a good gym which has lots of extras like the steamroom and whirlpool, classes I enjoy, and tons of equipment, and is open 24 hours, so those items aren't helpful to me. Most people who are very overweight have a primary objective of just moving for an extended period, so those options aren't always terribly helpful for them, either.

I go to a full power lifting gym- and all those things are helpful to me.
jump rope- there should be a jump rope in there too

sooooooo I'm not sure what exactly that means.

I mean, those things are not helping me toward my goal of deadlifting 300 lbs. I have a jump rope, some adjustable dumbbells, and other assorted small things at home, but they are also not my primary means of exercise. The gym is. What is so difficult to understand about this? If someone wants to join a gym, don't discourage them...even if that gym is Planet Fitness. Is that difficult to understand? Do you seriously have an objection to this? Really?

How does a gym that bans deadlifting help anyone achieve a goal of deadlifting 300lb? Plus you're not allowed to drop weights or grunt. From personal experience of deadlifting close to max, grunting and dropping weights is inevitable.

No-one is telling anyone they're not allowed to go to planet fitness if that's the best thing for them. They're just providing information that is potentially useful to them, such as "most planet fitness gyms ban deadlifting and don't have squat racks" - how is that not helpful? If I was thinking of joining a gym then that information is useful to me as it'll save me time (and possibly money too) avoiding a gym that's not going to help me achieve my goal ....and deadlifting 300lb is one of my main goals... spending money on my own barbell and plates is a much better investment than joining a gym that bans deadlifting, no matter how cheap that gym is. It's useless to me if I'm not allowed to deadlift, drop weights or grunt there. And yes I am strapped for cash. And yes I do have to buy myself a barbell (I'm moving back to the UK so I have to give my friend her barbell and plates back and near enough rebuild my home gym from scratch).

If planet fitness is the best option for you, then just go there and enjoy it... no-one wants to stop you going there if that's what's working for you. Although I'm not going to blow fairy dust up your rear end by telling you that you can achieve a 300lb deadlift working out at a gym that bans deadlifts, dropping weights and grunting, because that's an elite level lift for women which requires serious effort and training including doing actual deadlifts. Maybe you have some future plan that enables you to be able to practice actual deadlifts in the future, or your planet fitness is one of a tiny minority that allows deadlifts and never sets off the lunk alarm. We're all adults with working frontal lobes so we're all capable of making a decision about what's best for us in our present situation - but that does not mean anyone should stop providing information such as the fact that PF bans deadlifts and doesn't have squat racks, which makes it a really bad choice for anyone who's serious about lifting. If it's a case of beggars can't be choosers then that's ****ty luck and you just have to do the best you can. But in no way does that mean people should not provide accurate information about these kinds of things.

ETA: from another post it seems that you go to a different gym so read the above as applying generally, not as applying to you specifically...... PF is not a good choice of gym for people who are serious about lifting, and pretending that it is is akin to blowing fairy dust up peoples arses.

We're not talking about gyms for people serious about lifting. We're talking about gyms for people just starting out. I agree, and have stated previously, that people outgrow Planet Fitness when they're ready to move on to things like serious lifting. But that's no reason to discourage someone who is brand new to the whole idea of gyms from joining a cheap and convenient gym just because their commercials suck.

See my last post. People are capable of making those decisions for themselves if they have information on which to base them.

No-one is discouraging people - they're providing accurate information. If that information makes them decide not to go to PF and to build a home gym, or go to some other gym instead, then what of it? They found the solution that was best for them. If they weigh up the information and find that planet fitness is the best solution for them, then that's great, they can go to planet fitness and enjoy it....

there are loads of people on this thread who are posting about how much they love planet fitness and how it suits them in spite of reading all the criticism about it, so clearly people are capable of making their own minds up about this.

SnuggleSmacks

Ahh, Planet Fitness. You have tapped the vein of discontent that runs nearly universally throughout the MFP forums.

and

A moment of silence for all the potential gains lost due to Planet Fitness...

and

It's just everything that's wrong with America, but it's a fairly good "gym" for most Americans, I suppose.

and

They're a gym which body shames people and have parties in which they serve doughnuts and pizza.

It's mostly the same as any other gym - you get what you put into it. As long as you're not too skinny for their standards, and not too interested in working out, you'll be fine.

and

If given the choice of chewing my toe off or going to a PF, my only question would be what type of pizza they serve on Monday. If I'm limited to peperoni I'm going with the toe.

seem rather discouraging to me. I'm sure many people put on their big boy or big girl panties and make their own decisions, but there are a great number of newbies who come to this forum and are very self-conscious and unsure of themselves, and seeing comments like these when they were finally ready to get off the couch and do something for themselves is rather disheartening and counter to what MFP is here for.

The information about the lack of barbells and discouragement of deadlifts is good to know, but most of these people are in it for the cardio opportunities to start out with. Any gym, or anything that will get them moving, is better than nothing. Right?

ETA: but all that is beside the point anyway...my portion of this conversation began with addressing why Planet Fitness threads are always so long. And again, they're so long because of the comments I quoted above, and others like them.

neandermagnon

Ahh, Planet Fitness. You have tapped the vein of discontent that runs nearly universally throughout the MFP forums.

and

A moment of silence for all the potential gains lost due to Planet Fitness...

and

It's just everything that's wrong with America, but it's a fairly good "gym" for most Americans, I suppose.

and

They're a gym which body shames people and have parties in which they serve doughnuts and pizza.

It's mostly the same as any other gym - you get what you put into it. As long as you're not too skinny for their standards, and not too interested in working out, you'll be fine.

and

If given the choice of chewing my toe off or going to a PF, my only question would be what type of pizza they serve on Monday. If I'm limited to peperoni I'm going with the toe.

seem rather discouraging to me. I'm sure many people put on their big boy or big girl panties and make their own decisions, but there are a great number of newbies who come to this forum and are very self-conscious and unsure of themselves, and seeing comments like these when they were finally ready to get off the couch and do something for themselves is rather disheartening and counter to what MFP is here for.

The information about the lack of barbells and discouragement of deadlifts is good to know, but most of these people are in it for the cardio opportunities to start out with. Any gym, or anything that will get them moving, is better than nothing. Right?

If some of them choose to save their money and work out at home instead, what of it? They're using the information to make a decision about what's best for them. Maybe they don't want to go to a gym that gives out free pizza when they're just starting to get used to eating a balanced diet. Or maybe they want to get into strength training and decide to go to a gym that allows it instead (being anxious and self conscious does not mean someone doesn't want to get into any exercise other than cardio).

This is why sites for reviews of anything are very popular... people want to get an accurate picture of what they're buying before buying it. And that means honest opinions, good or bad. Being coddled and protected from the opinions of people who don't like that particular gym does not help anyone. If someone's not capable of reading a bad review and putting it into context then they need to work on their life skills.

cincysweetheart

I go to PF. I chose it for it's location and it's price and the hours it's open. The price is legit. It is what it says it is. And on the 10 a month plan… there is no contract… which was a huge plus for me. But I have mixed feelings on this place. PF keeps things very basic on the equipment it offers and they definitely aren't geared toward the heavy lifters. They also don't offer any classes. They also don't offer any trial memberships. And you have to get the upgraded membership to be able to bring a guest. And if you sign up for a session with the trainer to set up a personalized workout… it's not guaranteed to be one on one and it's feels rushed, because they want to keep it to an hour. And it seems that every location is different in terms of whether or not it really is a judgement free zone, the competence, and friendliness of the staff, and the cleanliness of the place. I'm lucky that I have a good location. Being significantly overweight and very much a beginner… I'm part of the group that PF claims to cater to. And I admit… it offers everything I want in a gym at this point in the game. However… I've never been intimidated at any gym. So, that aspect means less than nothing to me. Tour the place, see what it offers and what it's like there. And carefully consider your needs and what you are looking for in a gym. Because while it does have some nice points, it also has it's drawbacks.

rogerOb1

If some of them choose to save their money and work out at home instead, what of it? They're using the information to make a decision about what's best for them. Maybe they don't want to go to a gym that gives out free pizza when they're just starting to get used to eating a balanced diet. Or maybe they want to get into strength training and decide to go to a gym that allows it instead (being anxious and self conscious does not mean someone doesn't want to get into any exercise other than cardio).

This is why sites for reviews of anything are very popular... people want to get an accurate picture of what they're buying before buying it. And that means honest opinions, good or bad. Being coddled and protected from the opinions of people who don't like that particular gym does not help anyone. If someone's not capable of reading a bad review and putting it into context then they need to work on their life skills.

Meh, most people on review sites have actually used the product they are commenting on, which doesn't seem to be the case with these PF ones. Most of these threads are just noise; and the overwhelming sentiment is clearly not positive.

neandermagnon

If some of them choose to save their money and work out at home instead, what of it? They're using the information to make a decision about what's best for them. Maybe they don't want to go to a gym that gives out free pizza when they're just starting to get used to eating a balanced diet. Or maybe they want to get into strength training and decide to go to a gym that allows it instead (being anxious and self conscious does not mean someone doesn't want to get into any exercise other than cardio).

This is why sites for reviews of anything are very popular... people want to get an accurate picture of what they're buying before buying it. And that means honest opinions, good or bad. Being coddled and protected from the opinions of people who don't like that particular gym does not help anyone. If someone's not capable of reading a bad review and putting it into context then they need to work on their life skills.

Meh, most people on review sites have actually used the product they are commenting on, which doesn't seem to be the case with these PF ones. Most of these threads are just noise; and the overwhelming sentiment is clearly not positive.

but that hasn't swayed your opinion of planet fitness has it? Or robbed you of your ability to make an informed decision. So really you prove my point (made over several posts, not just the one you quoted). People posting sh** about planet fitness on threads like these aren't going to stop people going to planet fitness if planet fitness is the best option for them......... but it gives useful information to people such as those of us into heavy lifting that planet fitness probably isn't the best option for them... so it's a win-win really.... everyone reads the information, puts it into context (which includes opinions like yours, above, which is that the negative reviews are just "noise") and does what suits them and will help them achieve their goals.

ETA: as an aside though, if a lot of negative feelings towards planet fitness comes from people who've seen their ads but not actually gone to a planet fitness gym......... then the only people to blame for that are planet fitness's very own marketing executives. But that's an aside to my main point, which is that people have enough brains and independence of thought to make their own decisions about whether or not to go to a gym or work out at home, or which gym to go to, and people who don't like planet fitness (whether due to having been there, having seen their ads or because they know it has policies that make heavy lifting nigh on impossible) can post their opinions about it and everyone else has enough cerebral cortex to be able to put those opinions into context.