What's wrong with Planet Fitness?

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  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I have a Planet Fitness coming near me, but I've heard a lot of negative reviews on this gym.
    What's bad about Planet Fitness?

    The one location by me has no free weights. All machines.

    Might as well buy a bowflex

    Um....no...just no

    http://tinyurl.com/kqmh8pu

    1. craigslist.org
    2. Search: squat + weight + bench [OR] Bowflex
    3. Profit

    Craig's list is a "no, no" in my book. Too many crazy people out there!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    any gym that does not allow deadlifting is a NO in my book...

    I also hear that they put out pizza, bagels, and all kinds of crap for people to eat...talk about trying to sabotage someone..!
    The only person who can sabatage you is you...they don't force you to eat the stuff.

    Ok - but why brand yourself as a "gym" and then offer a bunch of crap for people to eat? seems counter productive to me...that would be like going to AA and they have an open bar set up ...

    Crap? Pizza is not crap, far from it. (well, unless it's Pizza Hut or Little Caesar's) It sounds perfect for a single person. Head to the gym, get your cardio in, grab your dinner, then head home.
    OK - so you go to the gym an burn 300 calorie and then grab a slice that is about 200 calories...you just destroyed about 75% of your workout...brilliant!
    I like pizza..but it is not exactly a post workout low cal option for someone that is just starting out or is trying to change their eating habits...

    Why would you only get one slice, if it's for dinner? Do you normally try to burn 100% of your dinner calories?
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
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    Planet fitness is a Franchise Indepentant owners so they could very well vary as far as operations and the gym in general. My daughter has a membership and she loves it. My wife and I I think will get one also failry inexpensive and we do mostly cardio anyways I do some bodyweight stuff.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
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    I have a Planet Fitness coming near me, but I've heard a lot of negative reviews on this gym.
    What's bad about Planet Fitness?

    The one location by me has no free weights. All machines.

    Might as well buy a bowflex

    Um....no...just no

    http://tinyurl.com/kqmh8pu

    1. craigslist.org
    2. Search: squat + weight + bench [OR] Bowflex
    3. Profit

    Craig's list is a "no, no" in my book. Too many crazy people out there!

    You're missing out on good deals because of your paranoia. When I had my home gym, I got my power rack, barbells, weights, and dumbbells all from Craigslist. It usually cost at least 50% less than retail.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
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    I was a member of PF for quite some time. I liked it for a while. I could use cardio machines and do stretches and weight machines. Once I got into real weight lifting, I quickly realized it wasn't for me. I didn't go to the gym for a week because I was sick and when I came back there were signs all over the gym saying no cleans, deadlifts, overhead presses, or snatches. I was trying to do Starting Strength for the first time. I ignored the signs and tried learning Hang Power Cleans with an empty bar. Not bothering anybody and keeping quiet. The "personal trainer" came up to me and said it wasn't allowed. I went up front to talk to the manager about the rule. I said how that wasn't a rule when I signed my agreement when I joined two years prior to that. He gave me the "rules are subject to change" bull****.

    I was basically told I'm not allowed to do half my workout for some arbitrary reason. Of course you can do it with dumbbells. Why? My guess is that people find it "less threatening." I was a super beginner trying to learn real lifts and was basically told to give up on it with no real guidance on what to do otherwise. And the reasoning was some ill-informed crap about them being "bodybuilding moves."

    If you care about strength, you will not like Planet Fitness. Even if you don't right now, look into if you may want to lift eventually. PF used to be the only cheap option in town for me, but since they started jacking up their price (now it's $15 if you don't want to sign a one year commitment), and with other competition (check out Snap Fitness and YouFit), they're not the only game in town.

    EDIT: For the lunk alarm, I had tried lifting other times before this incident. I had been the subject of the lunk alarm a few times. Why? Because I was doing One-Arm DB Rows and I my arm was tired and accidentally dropped a 35lb dumbbell about 5 inches from the floor. Yeah...

    This is an unbelievable post and illustrates why I hate PF. They seem to relish the idea of complacency vs. progress and that's just stupid. I feel sorry for you that this happened - here you are, genuinely trying to get better in your gym and THEY judge YOU for it. Judgment free my eye.

    I was a "black card" member for 2 years. Of those two years I only actively used my membership for about 5-6 months. During those 5-6 months I saw significant weight loss which was mostly attributed to diet. However, when I decided I wanted to shift my goals to more fitness oriented than just weight loss, I found out I wasn't welcome. Firstly, the gym itself was very under-equipped for it. My PF, like many, did not have a squat rack, only a Smith machine. Additionally, their dumbbell selection was limited to no more than 50 lbs. This was the entirety of their free weight selection. On top of this, there were rules limiting what exercises you were allowed to do with the dumbbells and Smith Machine. Many common exercises were prohibited.

    PF is a franchise and you will find they vary greatly from location to location in terms of how the owner conducts it and the equipment stocked. However, there is a corporate policy which all franchise owners agree to (and many violate) that prohibits squats, deadlifts, and stocking the gym with dumbbells beyond a certain weight, as well as barbells.
  • SkinnyFatAlbert
    SkinnyFatAlbert Posts: 482 Member
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    Ok - but why brand yourself as a "gym" and then offer a bunch of crap for people to eat? seems counter productive to me...that would be like going to AA and they have an open bar set up ...

    I agree with you, in fact, I made that exact comment in one of these "Planet Fitness" threads a while back.

    Where are the IIFYM people at? I thought there are no "bad" foods?
  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
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    If there was one near me with a full weight room... at $10/month I'd join in a heartbeat!
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    Craig's list is a "no, no" in my book. Too many crazy people out there!
    I wouldn't use it for dating but for buying and selling stuff, I think the crazies are about the same percentage as in the general population-- not that common. I've had nearly all great transactions.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    Ok - but why brand yourself as a "gym" and then offer a bunch of crap for people to eat? seems counter productive to me...that would be like going to AA and they have an open bar set up ...

    I agree with you, in fact, I made that exact comment in one of these "Planet Fitness" threads a while back.

    Where are the IIFYM people at? I thought there are no "bad" foods?

    Not sure....I'd be all over free pizza, but besides that I'd be DQ'd from attending because I "guzzle water" and wear the wrong headgear.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I have a Planet Fitness coming near me, but I've heard a lot of negative reviews on this gym.
    What's bad about Planet Fitness?

    The one location by me has no free weights. All machines.

    Might as well buy a bowflex

    Um....no...just no

    http://tinyurl.com/kqmh8pu

    1. craigslist.org
    2. Search: squat + weight + bench [OR] Bowflex
    3. Profit

    Craig's list is a "no, no" in my book. Too many crazy people out there!

    You're missing out on good deals because of your paranoia. When I had my home gym, I got my power rack, barbells, weights, and dumbbells all from Craigslist. It usually cost at least 50% less than retail.

    Actually, I recently got a better deal than that. I actually got a new weight set with bench, Olympic bar, plates, and dumbells for only $20. I don't miss out on anything, just crazy people. I go to legitimate auctions and estate sales, neighborhood yard sales, etc. I have known too many people that got scammed, and a few that even got hurt, by believing online ads. One person I know ended up buying a used washing machine that was infested with roaches. You can call it paranoia. I call it caveat emptor.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Ok - but why brand yourself as a "gym" and then offer a bunch of crap for people to eat? seems counter productive to me...that would be like going to AA and they have an open bar set up ...

    I agree with you, in fact, I made that exact comment in one of these "Planet Fitness" threads a while back.

    Where are the IIFYM people at? I thought there are no "bad" foods?

    Hey! I commented! :tongue: :grumble:
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    any gym that does not allow deadlifting is a NO in my book...

    I also hear that they put out pizza, bagels, and all kinds of crap for people to eat...talk about trying to sabotage someone..!
    The only person who can sabatage you is you...they don't force you to eat the stuff.

    Ok - but why brand yourself as a "gym" and then offer a bunch of crap for people to eat? seems counter productive to me...that would be like going to AA and they have an open bar set up ...

    Crap? Pizza is not crap, far from it. (well, unless it's Pizza Hut or Little Caesar's) It sounds perfect for a single person. Head to the gym, get your cardio in, grab your dinner, then head home.
    OK - so you go to the gym an burn 300 calorie and then grab a slice that is about 200 calories...you just destroyed about 75% of your workout...brilliant!
    I like pizza..but it is not exactly a post workout low cal option for someone that is just starting out or is trying to change their eating habits...

    Why would you only get one slice, if it's for dinner? Do you normally try to burn 100% of your dinner calories?

    I am not talking about me.. I am talking about someone new to fitness that is trying to change their eating habits and lose weight....If you destroy the deficit that you have created through eating less and working out, then what is the point?
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Craig's list is a "no, no" in my book. Too many crazy people out there!
    I wouldn't use it for dating but for buying and selling stuff, I think the crazies are about the same percentage as in the general population-- not that common. I've had nearly all great transactions.

    So you wouldn't sell something, but you would buy something?
  • SchroederNJ
    SchroederNJ Posts: 208 Member
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    I used to be a member at Planet ****ness --- it was local and the price was good - however, machines broke down on the regular and took a long time for them to repair them.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    any gym that does not allow deadlifting is a NO in my book...

    I also hear that they put out pizza, bagels, and all kinds of crap for people to eat...talk about trying to sabotage someone..!
    The only person who can sabatage you is you...they don't force you to eat the stuff.

    Ok - but why brand yourself as a "gym" and then offer a bunch of crap for people to eat? seems counter productive to me...that would be like going to AA and they have an open bar set up ...

    Crap? Pizza is not crap, far from it. (well, unless it's Pizza Hut or Little Caesar's) It sounds perfect for a single person. Head to the gym, get your cardio in, grab your dinner, then head home.
    OK - so you go to the gym an burn 300 calorie and then grab a slice that is about 200 calories...you just destroyed about 75% of your workout...brilliant!
    I like pizza..but it is not exactly a post workout low cal option for someone that is just starting out or is trying to change their eating habits...

    Why would you only get one slice, if it's for dinner? Do you normally try to burn 100% of your dinner calories?

    I am not talking about me.. I am talking about someone new to fitness that is trying to change their eating habits and lose weight....If you destroy the deficit that you have created through eating less and working out, then what is the point?

    I'm talking about anyone at all. Is is "normal" to try to burn 100% of your dinner calories? To me, that sounds absurd. About 50% of my calories come from dinner on a given day. And for me, doing cardio is a once a week thing to maintain cardiovascular health. I don't do it to "burn" calories.


    ETA: And for me, I would *never* have stuck with it if it meant not eating pizza. Pizza is very easy to fit into my diet. The macros are nearly perfect.
  • aakaakaak
    aakaakaak Posts: 1,240 Member
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    Craig's list is a "no, no" in my book. Too many crazy people out there!
    I wouldn't use it for dating but for buying and selling stuff, I think the crazies are about the same percentage as in the general population-- not that common. I've had nearly all great transactions.

    So you wouldn't sell something, but you would buy something?

    Reread that.

    Bad for dating.

    Good for buying and selling.

    ===========================

    I've bought and sold on CL.

    No dating though. My wife might take issue with that.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
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    Nothing is wrong; I love their commercials "I Pick Stuff up and Put Stuff Down” lol

    Pretty hard to do when all they have are machines. (I think we have already established the majority of locations either have ZERO free weights at all or hardly any at all)

    Do they have customers lifting their machines and moving them to another location within the gym?


    False Advertising

    But as many people on this thread have said, LOTS of PF locations have free weights, cages, benches, etc...
  • ajaxe432
    ajaxe432 Posts: 608 Member
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    Planet Fitness is for the volume of people, not the relationships. I find it very judgemental since it picks on heavy lifters.....plus its purple
  • ajaxe432
    ajaxe432 Posts: 608 Member
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    I have a Planet Fitness coming near me, but I've heard a lot of negative reviews on this gym.
    What's bad about Planet Fitness?

    I have several friends that are members and love it. If your goal is to use fancy cardio equipment for a reasonable price, then it's great!
    From a buisness standpoint, most PF's i have been to use older versions of life fitness......the average time for an out of order sign----quarterly.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    Planet Fitness is for the volume of people, not the relationships. I find it very judgemental since it picks on heavy lifters.....plus its purple

    Which is hilarious because their motto is "No judgement here". Really? Then why have a lunk alarm? Hypocrite is obvious. lol. And PF isn't really a gym.

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