Planet Fitness: Judge-Free zone?

oregonzoo

PF is inexpensive and close.


I've met goals here and continue to.

You don't like it, you can kiss my firm well toned buttocks.

Gym snobbery is about the dumbest thing ever.

In a world full of couch potatoes it takes a real douche of a "fit person" to judge however others chose to get fit.

vjohn04

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.

You seem like such an expert, and your vast knowledge of PF and their members is extremely impressive. FR Sent!

SaintGiff

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.

A lot of people are reading this thread right now and thinking you're stupid. That sucks. You're not stupid. You manage to string words into coherent sentences and you've clearly had some success of your own at this whole deal. What you are is myopic. And that myopia is bred from a healthy dose of ignorance. But that's cool. A lot of really smart people are really ignorant about a lot of things. They way to prove that you're not stupid is to recognize when you're being ignorant. Which, in your case, is right now in this thread.

Look. I've been in and out of gyms for large chunks of 4 different decades. I've been in every type of gym you can think of, and probably a few you can't. I've seen high end, multi-level fitness palaces. I've seen super hard core, hole in the wall iron factories. I've worked out next to mobsters, actual body builders, movie stars, and professional wrestlers. I've also worked out next to janitors, SAHMs, students, and drifters. None of that **** matters. Your gym, whatever that gym looks like, whatever rules they have or snacks they offer, is nothing more and nothing less than what you make of it. Pizza Monday? Awesome! I need me some carbs after a workout. You don't? Awesome! Don't have a slice. See how easy that is?

Just in the last decade here in the beautiful city of Toronto I've been a regular at three different gyms. Two multi-level fitness utopias and one joint with a lunk alarm. One was full of SAHMs and business-types coming in for their lunch break power workout. Another was full of the true upper crust. The place where movie stars go to work out with their trainers when they are in town for TIFF or to film their next project. The lunk alarm place? Yeah, that's in a dodgie neighbourhood. People are people. Every one of those gyms have their handful of elites, their slightly larger handful of grinders, and their mass of flotsam that is paying the freight for everyone else. The only difference that I can see is the price of their workout clothes. But hey, if you doubt that come workout in my dodgie neighbourhood lunk alarm gym. I'll introduce you to the young woman I talked to yesterday who weighs all of 120 and was benching 145 for reps. And no, not on a smith machine. She'd be hella impressed to hear you tell her about how she's not serious. Or maybe you can chat with delt woman ( seriously, the woman has the best delts I have ever seen on a human ) about how that lunk alarm impedes her progress. Or the woman who comes in at night with her husband and bangs out reps on the dead lift at 275. Yeah, I bet she's crazy ashamed of working out in that gym. Honestly, you could not hang at my lunk alarm gym. But that's ok. It's a no judgement place.

Also, the lunk alarms are bull****. I'm almost certain they are on a timer to go off at random times. My gym is not staffed after 4:00pm and it still goes off. I've been the only human in the place and heard it go off several times while I was on a rower.

summertime_girl

Shrug. You can think I'm ignorant, or a *****, or pretty much anything you want. Doesn't really faze me. But if you do a little research, I'm not off the mark. I might be blunt, or even rude, in my delivery. And as I've said all along, there are exceptions to the rule. But looking into research on gyms like PF, I'm not wrong about their business model.

If you've had success there, fantastic! I sincerely hope everyone succeeds. I spent way too many years fat and unhealthy (and unhappy as a result), and I know it sucks. But I don't think PF hopes everyone succeeds. In fact, if everyone did, they would fold.

SaintGiff

Shrug. You can think I'm ignorant, or a *****, or pretty much anything you want. Doesn't really faze me. But if you do a little research, I'm not off the mark. I might be blunt, or even rude, in my delivery. And as I've said all along, there are exceptions to the rule. But looking into research on gyms like PF, I'm not wrong about their business model.

If you've had success there, fantastic! I sincerely hope everyone succeeds. I spent way too many years fat and unhealthy (and unhappy as a result), and I know it sucks. But I don't think PF hopes everyone succeeds. In fact, if everyone did, they would fold.

Double down. Nice play.

BraveNewdGirl

I can't lie, I find it perturbing that they had to invent a term to classify what they deem "undesirables" in the fitness community. While I've never gone to a Planet Fitness (always just been a local YMCA fan myself), I'm pretty sure that a loud alarm that blared periodically would be more disruptive to me than any grunts, yells, or dropping of weights.

I still don't think anyone gets to judge where someone chooses to work out. For now, I work out at home using free weights and workout videos. Does that mean I'm not putting in enough effort? No, it means I'm being freaking cut open in May and I don't want to purchase a gym membership until I heal from that surgery.

You might not like Planet Fitness' business model or latent discrimination, but for some people, it's a good option. That doesn't make their goals any less valid or likely to be reached.

willnorton

planet shi*ness sucks.....in my home town...the staff doesnt know their *kitten* from a whole in the purple wall.....

they are pittiful .....

very rude...will not even speak to you when you come in the door.... i changed to World Gym and it is like a family there...I love my new gym...


not the dang purple gym.....

rlynnehawk

I go there and really love it. Pizza on the first Monday of the month.

vjohn04

Shrug. You can think I'm ignorant, or a *****, or pretty much anything you want. Doesn't really faze me. But if you do a little research, I'm not off the mark. I might be blunt, or even rude, in my delivery. And as I've said all along, there are exceptions to the rule. But looking into research on gyms like PF, I'm not wrong about their business model.

If you've had success there, fantastic! I sincerely hope everyone succeeds. I spent way too many years fat and unhealthy (and unhappy as a result), and I know it sucks. But I don't think PF hopes everyone succeeds. In fact, if everyone did, they would fold.

I'm glad you've made improvements in your life and physical health. Maybe you should spend some time working on your inner-self, empathy towards others, and personality. There's a difference between being blunt and being a jerk.

FlaxMilk

Why would the people who are not ready (or don't ever want to be) as dedicated as those at a $150 a month gym pay that price? It might motivate them for a month or two. Why wouldn't they pay $10 a month with no contract? They are there for wading pool, not the deep end. That's ok.

I remember about ten years ago many found the gym to be a waste of money due to the monthly cost and contractual nature of them. Many people paid a lot more than $10 and didn't go. It's nice that there's a place for people who are working on making changes, don't have much money, or don't have the same goals as more intense fitness people to have a place to go without dropping more than $1500 a year.

No, I don't go to PF.

I do agree that the judgment of "lunkheads" is pretty hypocritical and a lunk alarm sounds like a good way for someone to get injured. If they want to market to the average person, they can do that by focusing on the positives, like it being non-intimidating and a comforting and accepting atmosphere, without picking on anyone.

lacurandera1

Shrug. You can think I'm ignorant, or a *****, or pretty much anything you want. Doesn't really faze me. But if you do a little research, I'm not off the mark. I might be blunt, or even rude, in my delivery. And as I've said all along, there are exceptions to the rule. But looking into research on gyms like PF, I'm not wrong about their business model.

If you've had success there, fantastic! I sincerely hope everyone succeeds. I spent way too many years fat and unhealthy (and unhappy as a result), and I know it sucks. But I don't think PF hopes everyone succeeds. In fact, if everyone did, they would fold.

I'm glad you've made improvements in your life and physical health. Maybe you should spend some time working on your inner-self, empathy towards others, and personality. There's a difference between being blunt and being a jerk.

There's a difference between disliking a business model and ad campaign and making sweeping statements about the people who choose to train there.

I think PF is off base with their marketing strategy. I'm offended by it and wouldn't give them my money. (but I also wouldn't give another gym my money either and choose to train at home and outside). That said, I don't think anything negative about the people who choose to go there, and I realize for a lot of people, it's a money issue. 120 a year is a lot easier to give up than 400 or 600.

LetsTryThisAgain54

Shrug. You can think I'm ignorant, or a *****, or pretty much anything you want. Doesn't really faze me. But if you do a little research, I'm not off the mark. I might be blunt, or even rude, in my delivery. And as I've said all along, there are exceptions to the rule. But looking into research on gyms like PF, I'm not wrong about their business model.

If you've had success there, fantastic! I sincerely hope everyone succeeds. I spent way too many years fat and unhealthy (and unhappy as a result), and I know it sucks. But I don't think PF hopes everyone succeeds. In fact, if everyone did, they would fold.

I'm glad you've made improvements in your life and physical health. Maybe you should spend some time working on your inner-self, empathy towards others, and personality. There's a difference between being blunt and being a jerk.

Very well written post and I couldn't agree with you more.

summertime_girl

Shrug. You can think I'm ignorant, or a *****, or pretty much anything you want. Doesn't really faze me. But if you do a little research, I'm not off the mark. I might be blunt, or even rude, in my delivery. And as I've said all along, there are exceptions to the rule. But looking into research on gyms like PF, I'm not wrong about their business model.

If you've had success there, fantastic! I sincerely hope everyone succeeds. I spent way too many years fat and unhealthy (and unhappy as a result), and I know it sucks. But I don't think PF hopes everyone succeeds. In fact, if everyone did, they would fold.

I'm glad you've made improvements in your life and physical health. Maybe you should spend some time working on your inner-self, empathy towards others, and personality. There's a difference between being blunt and being a jerk.

Hmmm....I make comments -- giving caveats, and not directed at a single person -- based on information widely disseminated across the web, and through research. And you attack my character and personality. I guess you win the internet today. :flowerforyou:

bd0027

How are they going to have an issue with grunt? I have to "grunt" just to make it through certain workouts. :grumble:

LetsTryThisAgain54

Shrug. You can think I'm ignorant, or a *****, or pretty much anything you want. Doesn't really faze me. But if you do a little research, I'm not off the mark. I might be blunt, or even rude, in my delivery. And as I've said all along, there are exceptions to the rule. But looking into research on gyms like PF, I'm not wrong about their business model.

If you've had success there, fantastic! I sincerely hope everyone succeeds. I spent way too many years fat and unhealthy (and unhappy as a result), and I know it sucks. But I don't think PF hopes everyone succeeds. In fact, if everyone did, they would fold.

I'm glad you've made improvements in your life and physical health. Maybe you should spend some time working on your inner-self, empathy towards others, and personality. There's a difference between being blunt and being a jerk.

Hmmm....I make comments -- giving caveats, and not directed at a single person -- based on information widely disseminated across the web, and through research. And you attack my character and personality. I guess you win the internet today. :flowerforyou:

Everyone is arguing over a gym! If you enjoy working out at PF, fine, if people don't like it, they go somewhere else. What is so bad with that? It's the frigging weekend. Everyone get off the internet and go outside and enjoy yourselves, me included.

belle_of_the_bar

If being good at a workout you enjoy makes you a lunk, then I will wear that title with pride. As to the facilities and business model of PF, if you don't workout there, who cares? Get your sweat on wherever you feel comfy.

craftywitch_63

I only lift weights under protest (because it's BOOOOORRRING!) so I'm hardly a "Lunkhead" but I just watched two Planet Fitness commercials and I'm . . . I don't even KNOW what I am! It's a mixture of insulted and bemused. I'm insulted because they think I'm so stupid I don't know that a "no Lunkhead" policy contradicts a "no judgement" zone and bemused because they are still in business. I live in the Las Vegas area and there are three or four there (I belong to a gym that LOVES Lunkheads and I know several professional bodybuilders).

squiggyflop

Why is everyone insulting the free pizza? I joined planet fitness because I could not afford anywhere else. They have the same machines as the gym I used last year to gear up for busy season.

First off, I asked where they get the pizza, and it is from a local place where the slices are ~275 calories a slice. I lost a lot of weight eating that pizzeria's pizza. In fact I once ate nothing but that pizza for days as an experiment, and I lost 3lbs that week. Yes it has carbs and fatty cheese, but 275 calories is not such a huge amount of calories that it cant be a nice treat to have once in a while.

I must have very different goals than these "serious" people. I will use the treadmills to build up endurance so I can sprint across the megamart in which I work (it is magnificently enormous, in the most horrific sense possible) without having to stop and catch my breath after. I want to use the machines to get strong enough so I am able to load 20 water logged (~70lb) bags of mulch into cars without my arms giving out halfway through getting that first bag across the 12 foot distance from the stack to the car trunk. I want to be able to slide a 200lb grill off of a pallet, onto a ladder cart all by myself (because for some reason people buy grills at 10pm when I am the only one working). I want to be able to carry ALL of the groceries to the house in a single trip with my arms loaded with bags like a pack mule. I want to be able to scoot the heaviest furniture in the house across a room so that I can paint the wall behind it. I guess these goals arent serious enough for the rest of you.