Planet Fitness removing squat racks? Aroo?

Options
12357…26

Replies

  • _chiaroscuro
    _chiaroscuro Posts: 1,340 Member
    Options
    I don't see the problem here.

    People who want to use squat racks have lots of gym choices.

    People who don't want gyms with people who use racks have apparently only one choice. Why do you want to take that choice away from those people?

    Wow, I missed this one before. So it's the people "who use racks". Others are entitled to work out in a space that keeps them comfortably separated from...me.


    Awesome, thanks. I guess at least you were honest, and with the pictures posted in this thread, consistent with the culture they're creating.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Options
    Every business has a mission and has to find a way to achieve their goals. If they are looking for the beginner and being in a place where people are yelling on every lift and dropping weights everywhere it may detour those overweight people looking to start a change. I think back to the environment of my high school football days. We had our own weight room and I can see where some ladies would not want to be withing a mile of that place.

    I do not lift any longer as the last 2 times I was lifting I ended up with hernia surgery so the cost and convenience of the machines work for me. I never have bashed Gold's Gym, which was the spot for serious lifters, but I also would not have wanted to go there to lift as I feel like guys wanting to do serious work would look at me like "Dude, if that is all you are gonna lift go home and bench press your cat"

    Sorry if this is an unpopular post but I wish people would be more open minded and not so bashing over everything they do not like when there are options....

    A piece of equipment does not define the *culture* of a gym. It is a tool for getting in shape. They are removing tools for the few members they have who actually do want to train in an effective manner based on a stereotype of how they might be used, or worse, a stereotype of the "kind of person" who will use them.
  • _chiaroscuro
    _chiaroscuro Posts: 1,340 Member
    Options
    Every business has a mission and has to find a way to achieve their goals. If they are looking for the beginner and being in a place where people are yelling on every lift and dropping weights everywhere it may detour those overweight people looking to start a change. I think back to the environment of my high school football days. We had our own weight room and I can see where some ladies would not want to be withing a mile of that place.

    I do not lift any longer as the last 2 times I was lifting I ended up with hernia surgery so the cost and convenience of the machines work for me. I never have bashed Gold's Gym, which was the spot for serious lifters, but I also would not have wanted to go there to lift as I feel like guys wanting to do serious work would look at me like "Dude, if that is all you are gonna lift go home and bench press your cat"

    Sorry if this is an unpopular post but I wish people would be more open minded and not so bashing over everything they do not like when there are options....

    I get it, different places have different cultures to meet customer needs. No one here is screaming about Curves not having squat racks. The problem is with PF eliminating something they did provide in an effort to placate what I guess is the majority of people who want to be insulated from anything outside their comfort zone. Since that's also the place where success lives, this makes me pissy. It's a great way to make money, but so cynical.
  • harvo
    harvo Posts: 4,676 Member
    Options
    I do not disagree with you but I know my parents were members at PF as well and they stopped partially because you could see that some of the bulkier guys were all but competing to outdo the others and since they are in their 60's and just looking for a place to get a little walk or bike ride in the winter they felt uncomfortable.

    As for this comment "
    A piece of equipment does not define the *culture* of a gym.
    If that were 100% accurate why are we at 4 pages of conversation. Please understand that I think it is a dumb move. When I lifted I LOVED squats and when alone at my gym at work I could use the squat rack to bench free weights safely.
  • harvo
    harvo Posts: 4,676 Member
    Options
    Every business has a mission and has to find a way to achieve their goals. If they are looking for the beginner and being in a place where people are yelling on every lift and dropping weights everywhere it may detour those overweight people looking to start a change. I think back to the environment of my high school football days. We had our own weight room and I can see where some ladies would not want to be withing a mile of that place.

    I do not lift any longer as the last 2 times I was lifting I ended up with hernia surgery so the cost and convenience of the machines work for me. I never have bashed Gold's Gym, which was the spot for serious lifters, but I also would not have wanted to go there to lift as I feel like guys wanting to do serious work would look at me like "Dude, if that is all you are gonna lift go home and bench press your cat"

    Sorry if this is an unpopular post but I wish people would be more open minded and not so bashing over everything they do not like when there are options....

    I get it, different places have different cultures to meet customer needs. No one here is screaming about Curves not having squat racks. The problem is with PF eliminating something they did provide in an effort to placate what I guess is the majority of people who want to be insulated from anything outside their comfort zone. Since that's also the place where success lives, this makes me pissy. It's a great way to make money, but so cynical.

    Oh, I agree but it is business and business is about # of customers and I am sure they have done the math. They sell more drinks and have more members that will not utilize equipment daily than the serious people they will lose that use for hours daily, bring in their own drinks and suppliments etc.
  • jasonpclement
    jasonpclement Posts: 146 Member
    Options
    their most recent TV ad, has even more of this weird stuff..

    but hey... if it gets people paying a monthly fee... I can't argue with them i guess.
  • covenantwife
    covenantwife Posts: 13
    Options
    When did we start wrapping gyms in pretty purple package and tying it with a yellow bow....the gym is loud, people grunt and lift, it is a gym not church, this is ridiculous. Even as a beginner at the gym, I enjoyed watching the more experienced, it is what I ascribed to be.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Options
    The main thing that bothers me about it is the hypocrisy, but also the fact that they are just reinforcing the stereotype that strength training is only for "meatheads" and is undesirable for everyone else. Almost everyone, including people in their 60s, could benefit from resistance training.

    They are of course allowed to do what they please with their business and lifters can go elsewhere, but I think they're doing their members a great disservice.


    eta: also those colors were my high school colors so I hate them with the fire of a thousand suns. :flowerforyou:
  • tattygun
    tattygun Posts: 447 Member
    Options


    People who don't want gyms with people who use racks have apparently one choice.

    Why would anyone have a problem with using a gym that had people who use racks? What an odd thing to say.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    Options
    The owner of Planet Fitness must of been traumatized by that bodybuilder in his past that beat him up and then sexed his girlfriend right in front of him.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    Options
    1510514_10151836266624856_1504902590_n.jpg

    Apparently, they just don't want to risk the possibility that one of their members might actually ... build muscle.

    They don't want any beefcake there. Beef is only okay on pizza.

    This is fraught with hearsay, but I trust the source. My BIL told me husband that he ran into someone they know. This is a woman is is very into fitness and does CrossFit and the like, I believe. She's in very good shape. She went to the so to open/newly opened PF in our area to get the cheapo membership, I think just to have access to some of the cardio stuff for non CrossFit days or bad weather or something. Anyway, she went in in workout clothes, I'm assuming a tank top of sorts. She was denied a membership based on her looks because other patrons might find her intimidating. Seriously. Again, way hearsay, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

    I never got how they could say they're a judgment free zone, when they clearly are judgmental of those they deem lunkheads.
  • Humbugsftw
    Humbugsftw Posts: 202 Member
    Options
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXwMXp0NV1I Might provide relief for some. I found this hilarious.
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
    Options
    lunk-alarm-640x250.jpg

    This just astounds me. There was a woman at my YMCA that complained about dropping weights. B!tch, YOU deadlift #225-235 and tell me you don't grunt and/or clang the weights at the bottom a bit. :huh: Thankfully, she left when Gold's Gym opened around the corner.
  • somefitsomefat
    somefitsomefat Posts: 445 Member
    Options
    Leading up to the new year were a whole bunch of threads from users complaining about all the newbies who would be joining THEIR gym (because clearly only their money counts). Threads about how the newbies would be taking up all the equipment, using it wrong, and how the newbies should just hurry up with failing so the gym can be less crowded again. It was almost as though people thought these newbies didn't belong at THEIR gym (seriously, the newbies money was probably worth less than their money right?). It was almost as though people wished the newbies would all go someplace else. Like, hmm, I dunno, a gym aimed at newbies?
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
    Options
    The owner of Planet Fitness must of been traumatized by that bodybuilder in his past that beat him up and then sexed his girlfriend right in front of him.


    Lunk Alarm. :tongue:
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    Options
    hmm didn't realize they were so bad...I'm glad I use the Y with the rest of the lunks.

    I had planned to join the Y with my daughter next month, but my bff bought me a PF membership for Christmas. Y'all are scarin' me!

    if you are just going to use the treadmill and dumbbells that I guess that is a good investment...
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Options
    The owner of Planet Fitness must of been traumatized by that bodybuilder in his past that beat him up and then sexed his girlfriend right in front of him.

    I love the use of the word "sex" as a verb this way.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    Options
    how about Planet Epic Failure
  • _chiaroscuro
    _chiaroscuro Posts: 1,340 Member
    Options
    Leading up to the new year were a whole bunch of threads from users complaining about all the newbies who would be joining THEIR gym (because clearly only their money counts). Threads about how the newbies would be taking up all the equipment, using it wrong, and how the newbies should just hurry up with failing so the gym can be less crowded again. It was almost as though people thought these newbies didn't belong at THEIR gym (seriously, the newbies money was probably worth less than their money right?). It was almost as though people wished the newbies would all go someplace else. Like, hmm, I dunno, a gym aimed at newbies?

    I don't completely agree with your characterization of those threads but that's an argument for another time. What I will say is that a gym aimed at newbies, which removes the tools which can increase their chances of success and improve their health, is a much bigger disservice to those newbs than real or perceived slights on a pre-NY thread. You can create a beginner-friendly culture without shielding them from having to witness effort.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Options
    Leading up to the new year were a whole bunch of threads from users complaining about all the newbies who would be joining THEIR gym (because clearly only their money counts). Threads about how the newbies would be taking up all the equipment, using it wrong, and how the newbies should just hurry up with failing so the gym can be less crowded again. It was almost as though people thought these newbies didn't belong at THEIR gym (seriously, the newbies money was probably worth less than their money right?). It was almost as though people wished the newbies would all go someplace else. Like, hmm, I dunno, a gym aimed at newbies?

    I did see some of those threads and they are unfortunate. I do get very nervous in crowds, and so I dread going anywhere crowded in January. I do not wish for the failure of the newbies though, that wouldn't be a very good attitude to have.

    If Planet Fitness wants to be the newbie gym, then they ought to offer a less intimating way to get starting with strength training. Like have a class where a trainer explains the equipment, demonstrates proper technique, and mentions the benefits of maintaining/building muscle. Instead they're setting themselves up as the anti-lifting gym. I don't think that business model is beneficial to their members.

    When I started going to the weights side of the the gym I was terrified. But it was very good for me to overcome those fears. If people had just told me "oh, it's okay, those people are awful anyway and you don't want to be one of them" then I would still feel weak and I would be in more pain than I am now. Lifting weights has dramatically impacted my quality of life and has directly impacted my medical conditions. I dislike the idea that Planet Fitness would discourage others who have similar medical issues from trying something that could help them. And I dislike the fact that they are telling people they can and should look down on others just because they lift. As if a person who lifts couldn't possibly have other interests or any intelligence-- they must by definition be dumb and rude and one-dimensional.

Categories