Planet Fitness: Judge-Free zone?

LetsTryThisAgain54

Why do I judge those that go there? I've been a few times to the ones in my area. (Field trip of sorts) And I guess if you're totally new to fitness, it's a foot in the door. But the ones around here have people working that do not care, nor know a thing about fitness. They are dangerous, when instructing people incorrectly how to use a machine. They don't carry heavy weights. They are getting rid of squat racks.

When I see people in a PF, I think they are not serious about fitness. When you're going to a gym that has pizza night, candy on the front desk, bagels for snacks, there's a fundamental disconnect in getting and staying healthy.

I'd love to see some real stats about PF members. For example:
1. How many who join are still regularly attending one year later
2. How many who join have reached any fitness goals
3. How many who join can do any weights, vs. cardio
4. How many who join are training for anything specific

And compare those stats to other gyms that aren't in the same category.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule. Of course some who go to PF will be successful. But frankly, PF does not want you to succeed. They want you to stay fat, but pay just enough that you don't care about spending that money each month, so you don't cancel your membership.

OMG, I just almost choked on my coffee laughing at this post. Where is your logic, especially with your last statement? Lol. Yes, I go to PF just to stay fat. OMG!!! Haha!

Perplexities

Why do I judge those that go there? I've been a few times to the ones in my area. (Field trip of sorts) And I guess if you're totally new to fitness, it's a foot in the door. But the ones around here have people working that do not care, nor know a thing about fitness. They are dangerous, when instructing people incorrectly how to use a machine. They don't carry heavy weights. They are getting rid of squat racks.

When I see people in a PF, I think they are not serious about fitness. When you're going to a gym that has pizza night, candy on the front desk, bagels for snacks, there's a fundamental disconnect in getting and staying healthy.

I'd love to see some real stats about PF members. For example:
1. How many who join are still regularly attending one year later
2. How many who join have reached any fitness goals
3. How many who join can do any weights, vs. cardio
4. How many who join are training for anything specific

And compare those stats to other gyms that aren't in the same category.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule. Of course some who go to PF will be successful. But frankly, PF does not want you to succeed. They want you to stay fat, but pay just enough that you don't care about spending that money each month, so you don't cancel your membership.

OMG, I just almost choked on my coffee laughing at this post. Where is your logic, especially with your last statement? Lol. Yes, I go to PF just to stay fat. OMG!!! Haha!

1. Why do you type like a teenage girl?
2. Her logic is fine, I think it's your reading comprehension and or limited understanding of the way gyms operate that's leading to the confusion your having.

summertime_girl

Why do I judge those that go there? I've been a few times to the ones in my area. (Field trip of sorts) And I guess if you're totally new to fitness, it's a foot in the door. But the ones around here have people working that do not care, nor know a thing about fitness. They are dangerous, when instructing people incorrectly how to use a machine. They don't carry heavy weights. They are getting rid of squat racks.

When I see people in a PF, I think they are not serious about fitness. When you're going to a gym that has pizza night, candy on the front desk, bagels for snacks, there's a fundamental disconnect in getting and staying healthy.

I'd love to see some real stats about PF members. For example:
1. How many who join are still regularly attending one year later
2. How many who join have reached any fitness goals
3. How many who join can do any weights, vs. cardio
4. How many who join are training for anything specific

And compare those stats to other gyms that aren't in the same category.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule. Of course some who go to PF will be successful. But frankly, PF does not want you to succeed. They want you to stay fat, but pay just enough that you don't care about spending that money each month, so you don't cancel your membership.

OMG, I just almost choked on my coffee laughing at this post. Where is your logic, especially with your last statement? Lol. Yes, I go to PF just to stay fat. OMG!!! Haha!

I didn't say YOU go to PF to stay fat. I said they WANT you to stay fat. Gyms don't hand out candy, pizza, and bagels, stock the fridges with sodas, for people with a real desire for fitness. It's a vicious cycle. You (the collective you who go to PF) pay your money, which is exceedingly cheap for a gym membership. You go, but statistically probably don't achieve a high level of fitness, especially when there is food temptation. You become discouraged, you quit, but you keep paying your $10/month, because it's easier than canceling.

PF wins, because they get say 85% of their clientele on this type of plan. Again, there are exceptions to the rule. But PF is all about making money, and someone who uses their facilities 5-6 times a week is not making them money.

CallMeCupcakeDammit

Why do I judge those that go there? I've been a few times to the ones in my area. (Field trip of sorts) And I guess if you're totally new to fitness, it's a foot in the door. But the ones around here have people working that do not care, nor know a thing about fitness. They are dangerous, when instructing people incorrectly how to use a machine. They don't carry heavy weights. They are getting rid of squat racks.

When I see people in a PF, I think they are not serious about fitness. When you're going to a gym that has pizza night, candy on the front desk, bagels for snacks, there's a fundamental disconnect in getting and staying healthy.

I'd love to see some real stats about PF members. For example:
1. How many who join are still regularly attending one year later
2. How many who join have reached any fitness goals
3. How many who join can do any weights, vs. cardio
4. How many who join are training for anything specific

And compare those stats to other gyms that aren't in the same category.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule. Of course some who go to PF will be successful. But frankly, PF does not want you to succeed. They want you to stay fat, but pay just enough that you don't care about spending that money each month, so you don't cancel your membership.

I've only been going there since the end of December (it was a Christmas gift), and with the exception of snow days when I couldn't get into the office, I go 5 days a week. I prefer to run outside, but I'm going to get as much use out of this as I can, so I use the treadmills, because I'm determined to run a full 5K without walking breaks. I also strength train 3 days a week, and I'm making pretty good progress. I don't see many people sitting around doing nothing, and yeah, maybe a couple of girls I've seen on the adductor machine just swinging their legs, but it's not for me to judge whether or not they're working for strength or endurance. I know eventually I'll need heavier free weights, and when that time comes, I'll shop around for a different gym, but for now, it meets my needs and my budget.

I don't get the pizza, bagel and Tootsie Roll thing, but I haven't even seen the pizza and bagels (maybe it's because of the time I go?). I'm smart enough to know if I have room in my day for a slice of pizza or a bagel, and I would eat them whether they were free at PF or I bought them myself. I have yet to see any of the staff run down a member with a Tootsie Roll in their hand and force it down their throat. But yeah, I'm sure they just want us to stay fat. :drinker:

TX_Thundercat

LetsTryThisAgain54

Why do I judge those that go there? I've been a few times to the ones in my area. (Field trip of sorts) And I guess if you're totally new to fitness, it's a foot in the door. But the ones around here have people working that do not care, nor know a thing about fitness. They are dangerous, when instructing people incorrectly how to use a machine. They don't carry heavy weights. They are getting rid of squat racks.

When I see people in a PF, I think they are not serious about fitness. When you're going to a gym that has pizza night, candy on the front desk, bagels for snacks, there's a fundamental disconnect in getting and staying healthy.

I'd love to see some real stats about PF members. For example:
1. How many who join are still regularly attending one year later
2. How many who join have reached any fitness goals
3. How many who join can do any weights, vs. cardio
4. How many who join are training for anything specific

And compare those stats to other gyms that aren't in the same category.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule. Of course some who go to PF will be successful. But frankly, PF does not want you to succeed. They want you to stay fat, but pay just enough that you don't care about spending that money each month, so you don't cancel your membership.

OMG, I just almost choked on my coffee laughing at this post. Where is your logic, especially with your last statement? Lol. Yes, I go to PF just to stay fat. OMG!!! Haha!

1. Why do you type like a teenage girl?
2. Her logic is fine, I think it's your reading comprehension and or limited understanding of the way gyms operate that's leading to the confusion your having.

My reading comprehension is fine. You have your opinion and I have mine. Simple as that. I'm not here to argue, just stating and voicing my opinion. BTW, you spelled you're the wrong way. I comprehended that brah with my teenage girl typing. Haha.

summertime_girl

I just went to Google and typed in Planet Fitness. Google filled in the rest: wants you to fail. Dozens of entries. First one had this to say (and yes, it's a blog, so not guaranteed factual, but still has info):


1.) They expect 80% or more of their members to never show up.

What do I mean by that? Let’s go over some simple numbers.

A smaller box club, something like a Studio, Anytime Fitness, Snap Fitness, Crossfit, etc. (basically every other gym) charges a membership fee of $30.00 a month. – $150 a month for something like a crossfit facility or studio.

This isn’t because all the gym owners got together and said,” Hey you know, we could only charge $10.00 a month for membership, but if we all charge $35.00 a month, then the consumers will have no choice but to pay more! MUAHAHAHAHAH”

The reason most gyms are in that range or higher, is very simple. Overhead / and Profit.
Depending on how much the facility has to pay in rent to their landlord, a smaller box gym typically needs anywhere from maybe 100-200 memberships at $35 / mo or maybe 40 or 60 at $150/ mo. That would be enough to cover their rent, utilities, etc. and maybe eek out a small profit.

I know this is getting a bit technical, but stay with me.
If a Planet Fitness is 6 x the size, if not more, of a small box facility. And their membership prices are 1/3rd or 1/4th that of a small box club, then how many members do they need to break even?

By my calculations, somewhere around 4,000 or more members.
I was told through the grapevine that the owner of the Planet Fitness in Ann Arbor Michigan was shooting for about 5,000 to break even.

FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE! That’s a lot of freaking people in a gym.

So where are they all at? If you go to a Planet Fitness, you might think that there are 5,000 people waiting in line to use treadmills.

But trust me, it’s nowhere close.

You see, Planet Fitness’ business model is predicated on one simple concept.
You are lazy.You won’t come.

Built into their business model is the expectation that they can get a ton of people to sign up for a membership, because hey what’s $10/ mo right? And of those thousands of members, only maybe 15 or 20% of them will actually use the facility.

So right off the bat, in order for them to make a profit, but not be so overcrowded to the point that you’re elbow to elbow – they know 85% of their members won’t come. Nor will they cancel, because hey what’s $10 a month?

“So what?” you may ask.
As a personal trainer, I can’t imagine a greater disservice to a client base or a community than to knowingly take their money and build into the business plan that customer / clients failure to exercise…

You should be looking for a facility or trainer that has a clear investment and interest in your success at building a healthier, fitter you.

2.) Planet Fitness is a Cardio Haven.

An Undercover tour of a Planet Fitness Facility



Tell me what you see.
Cardio, cardio, cardio and more cardio machines!

What’s the big deal?

Cardiovascular training is only one aspect of fitness. For most people it’s the least effective form of training.
For those of you out there that surf pintrest and repin motivational pictures of IFBB Female Figure Athletes, or Crossfit Guys or Girls, or body builders, etc. Guess how all those folks achieved their chiseled physiques, 6 pack abs and ridiculous strength…. I’ll give you a hint, it wasn’t from riding the elliptical for an hour while they read the latest Nicholas Sparks book.

A typical Planet Fitness facility doesn’t allow any type of Olympic lifting what-so-ever. The closest you’ll get is a free weight bench press, maybe. No Barbell work of any kind. No Deadlifts, Squats, Overhead Pressing, Cleans, Snatches etc.

Maybe they have dumbbells? They have some, which cap out at somewhere between 60lbs and 80lbs. For any guy, you’ll be the most elite lifter in the facility rocking out dumbbell presses with the 70lbers. (a feat any male should be able to achieve in a few months of work)

So then you’ve hit the ceiling! Congratulations!

What they do have is a crap load of cardio, and some strength training machines.
There are very few strength training machines that are of any value, and trust me it’s not the ones they have in their facility.

Is it a facility that would allow for someone to get their feet wet, and in a few months move to a higher end gym?

Sure, maybe.
But be sure not to train too hard to get there! We wouldn’t want you to hit muscle failure, have to drop a weight, (or heaven forbid set it down too fast) and set off the lunk alarm!!!!!!

The Lunk Alarm


Congratulations, you hit a new P.R. of 12 reps on Dumbbell press but that very last rep you couldn’t quite eek it out, so as opposed to letting the dumbbell succumb to gravity and make a thud when it hits the ground, you slowly try to set the dumbbells down on the ground and in the process you tear a rotator cuff.

But hey, at least you didn’t set off the Lunk Alarm in the “Judgement Free Zone” !

What’s my point?

If you really want to get in the best shape possible, that means you’re going to have to push yourself.
Part of pushing yourself is going to be occasionally, or frequently hitting muscle failure and having to quickly put your weights down, grunting, gasping for air or emitting some type of sound as a by-product, etc.

As you should, good for you.
Just don’t try to do it in the “Judgement Free Zone” or you’ll be promptly judged as a “Meathead” and asked to leave.



3.) Get in Shape with Pizza!

I won’t spend a lot of time on this point. Here’s a bit of advertising taken word for word from a Planet Fitness Facility’s website;

“Pizza Nights (the first Monday of every month) We go through 15,000 pizzas. That’s 1,440,000 slices per year!”

Well isn’t that something to be proud of!!!?!?!
After you’ve just spent the last hour doing some very linear, calories in calories out cardio, and burned a whopping 300 calories walking: Why not top it off with a 400 calorie slice of pizza or 2?

If that’s not enough, feel free to grab a handful of tootsie rolls or a bright purple cupcake on your way out the door.

If, while you’re working out you develop a thirst, quench it with one of our sodas from the vending machine…..

No….. just no……..

If your fitness facility is reinforcing THE VERY BAD dietary habits that helped you get to be 40 pounds overweight…. leave, and don’t turn back!

4.) Advanced Athletes aren’t in Planet Fitness

Whether it’s natural or cultural, we tend to judge ourselves by our peers.
I can personally attest to this when it comes to fitness and athleticism.

We judge our progress by what we see.
There’s a significant amount of cognitive dissonance if you’re pinning up Figure Athletes, CrossFitters, and or Body Builders for inspiration, but you’re working out in a facility that a Figure Athlete, CrossFitter or Body Builder wouldn’t be caught dead in.

It happens all the time, you start to look like the fittest fish in the pond, and you start to believe your own legend.
You think you’ve arrived, you’re there! You’ve achieved Fitness! You can finally use the 70lb dumbbells! You can curl the max of 65lbs on the curl bar! You can stack out the leg press machine!

WOO HOO! You’re the Fittest person in the Planet Fitness!
It’s paramount to being the best speller in the first grade.
So what? You have to grow up sometime or you’re going to be held back.

If there aren’t people in your facility that push you, that inspire you, that can do things that make you say, “wow, I want to do that some day” ; It’s time to move to a bigger pond.



5.) You usually get what you pay for, cheaper is not better.

Occasionally I run into people who tell me they want to go to Planet Fitness because it’s only $10.00. a month.
If price is all that matters to you, then fine, no other gym is going to try to compete with a place like Planet Fitness on price.

Then there’s the idiocy of driving 15-20 miles across town in stop and go traffic 3 times a week to pay $10.00 a month, when you could probably join a gym a mile from your house at $35 / mo and break even on gas.
Anyways, back to my main point

We in the gym industry know that most of our members come from a radius of only a few miles, otherwise if it’s too far to go, you won’t actually end up going.

Which of course is what Planet Fitness is counting on.

You get what you pay for.
At a Place like Planet Fitness, you get a facility that caters to the person who doesn’t know the first thing about Fitness, Strength Training, Nutrition, Programming, Periodization, Form and Function.

They don’t have Certified Personal Trainers on Staff.

There are no experts around to be an example, or offer suggestions etc.

In fact if you go into a facility with a friend, and the staff gets the impression that that person is “training” you, they’ll ask you to stop or leave.

The “Judgement Free Zone” sounds pleasant in theory, like puppies and bunnies and rainbows.
But let’s get real, what if your parents and teachers were “Judgement Free” when you were growing up?

Who needs grades on tests? Hell who needs tests? We don’t need to judge ourselves!

It seems in the grand scheme of things, Planet Fitness as a business might be successful from a monetary perspective, but there’s no shortage of people who have little to nothing good to say about their facility.

As seen here http://planet-fitness-reviews.measuredup.com/3683

There’s only 2 positive reviews on the first page (of about 30) one of which is to ask that they build a facility closer to the individual, the other an actual compliment on the facilities lack of scales.

Kudos, there’s no scales in the bathrooms….

I guess in a “judgement free zone”, there’s no point in checking for things like progress, because after all that requires measurements, data, feedback, and those are all forms of JUDGEMENT!

In the end, statistics show, your Planet Fitness membership will garner you the same results as the bowflex, treadmill and shake weight sitting in your basement.

If you’re serious about your health and fitness,

If you’re ready to move on to the next level, get into an environment that’s going to facilitate progress.

Any entity that tries to make exercise comfortable, is either lying to you or insane.

Comfort is what has helped make this nation the fattest in the world.

Getting in shape isn’t comfortable, it’s hard work.
Surround yourself with people who are going to help you get there, not offer you cupcakes and fuzzy feelings.

The only fuzzy feeling you should be chasing, and be willing to sacrifice for, is the one you’ll get by looking at a brand new you in the mirror a few months from now.

Good luck on your journey to a better you.



http://ericjpersonaltraining.com/planet-fitness-wants-you-to-fail-at-fitness/

daniellabella986

Cardiovascular training is only one aspect of fitness. For most people it’s the least effective form of training.
For those of you out there that surf pintrest and repin motivational pictures of IFBB Female Figure Athletes, or Crossfit Guys or Girls, or body builders, etc. Guess how all those folks achieved their chiseled physiques, 6 pack abs and ridiculous strength…. I’ll give you a hint, it wasn’t from riding the elliptical for an hour while they read the latest Nicholas Sparks book.

A typical Planet Fitness facility doesn’t allow any type of Olympic lifting what-so-ever. The closest you’ll get is a free weight bench press, maybe. No Barbell work of any kind. No Deadlifts, Squats, Overhead Pressing, Cleans, Snatches etc.

Preach sista. Couldn't have said it better!!!

CallMeCupcakeDammit

They have cupcakes?! They do have a personal trainer at my facility. I have his schedule on my desk so I know when he's there if I need help, and he was very impressive. He wanted to know what I had done previously before he wrote up my split, and he hadn't heard of NROLFW, so I explained it to him. Then he said he didn't know women were supposed to train differently from men. I like him.

TheApocalypse

I judge the people who go there. :laugh:

As do I... Anywhere that does not allow deadlifts, is not a real gym.

trojan_bb

The whole business is a contradiction. All marketing that successfully draws in insecure, judgmental, hypocritical beginners. And most of those beginners, stay beginners. The entire establishment promotes and encourages mediocrity, by design.

TheApocalypse

The whole business is a contradiction. All marketing that successfully draws in insecure, judgmental, hypocritical beginners. And most of those beginners, stay beginners. The entire establishment promotes and encourages mediocrity, by design.

Sounds like the people who run Planet Fitness and the American Government have something in common.....

DeeVanderbles

Meh. Planet Fitness is cheap and meets my current needs.

CallMeCupcakeDammit

I judge the people who go there. :laugh:

As do I... Anywhere that does not allow deadlifts, is not a real gym.

The trainer at mine said he would never tell me I couldn't deadlift. I've seen other people deadlifting, also. Some in the Smith, some not.

ETA that this is the first time I've joined a gym and actually gone. When I was younger I joined 2 or 3 gyms, went a few times, and never went back. It wasn't my first choice in gyms (was planning to join the Y with my daughter), and it wouldn't make sense if I was further along in my training, but for now it works.

rml_16

Those commercials really just piss me off. They are actually worse than other gyms by attacking body builders assuming they are all the same. Weird how the one gym claiming 'judgement free' is the only one that attacks a whole group of people and set out to embarrass them more with the 'lunk alarm'.

From what I've read, some PF locations are better than others.

I have belonged to Bally's and Gold's and never felt judged or unwelcome or noticed anyone being rude or even slightly unkind to anyone, ever. I know a lot of people feel self-conscious about going to the gym, but if you just go, do your thing and leave, it isn't a big deal. Most people seem to be wrapped up in their own workouts and not worried about anyone else.

jaenders06

I have to agree with you on that one. I cancelled my membership there about a year ago and switched the the YMCA (since they have a gym, pool and group classes). Planet fitness always seemed to be people who didn't know what they were doing and I found that a lot of the time they were just taking up space rather than using machines (other than treadmills and elipticals) correctly... I hate paying ridiculous amounts for a gym membership but some places, it's completely worth it.

lmr0528

The Planet Fitness near my house has a Smart car parked out in front to advertise. I think that's a joke all on its own.

mrandolph69

meh... they're just trying to make a buck.

people get so outraged so easily about things these days. it's kinda silly. nobody is holding a gun to anybody's head and making them go to planet fitness. if you don't like it, fine. find another gym. that's the whole point of free markets... you can vote with your wallet.

/\ /\ /\
This

rml_16

I'd love to see some real stats about PF members. For example:
1. How many who join are still regularly attending one year later
2. How many who join have reached any fitness goals
3. How many who join can do any weights, vs. cardio
4. How many who join are training for anything specific

And compare those stats to other gyms that aren't in the same category.

I'm about 99% certain you'd see equal results.

When I was at Bally's, every Saturday morning, there were these two women who would literally fight over one specific treadmill. One morning during their ridiculous squabble, they both said something about having been members of that gym for something like 10 years. Both were pretty hefty women and neither did much but walk slowly on the treadmill.

It was entertaining while I did my cardio session, though.

So_Much_Fab

Every time I hear the "Hey bro, did you get your burn on" commercial on the radio I crack up.


Bros know, bro.