Planet Fitness

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nicolen160
nicolen160 Posts: 197 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My town is getting a Planet Fitness and will be open within the next month. I have already gotten my membership but I have never been to a gym so I am just interested in finding out what others like best about it and any tips that might help me. I have worked out at home for the past couple of years on my treadmil, elliptical and recumbent bike, but still needing more so thought this would be a change of pace. Any suggestions or input would be great!! Thanks in advance. :smiley:
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Replies

  • annaskiski
    annaskiski Posts: 1,212 Member
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    oh dear, let the flaming start.....

    PF is great, unless the "I pick stuff up, and put stuff down" commercial offends you. (and all the others)

    (And for the record, I DO lift heavy at home, I think the commercial's funny, and I have never heard the lunk alarm go off)
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
    edited September 2015
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    Congratulations! I am not a PF fan, though I thought of joining just for use of the treadmills in the winter. The only tips I have is do what you enjoy otherwise consistency will be difficult. Try and do a combination of cardio and weight training. Be consistent, and if you feel your motivation is lacking...think about joining a neighborhood boot camp or a gym with classes. It's a great way to stay motivated, make friends and get a great work out in.

    I am not anti-pizza but don't want to smell it while I'm working out. The whole pizza/bagels thing is just bizarre to me.
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
    edited September 2015
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    annaskiski wrote: »
    oh dear, let the flaming start.....

    PF is great, unless the "I pick stuff up, and put stuff down" commercial offends you. (and all the others)
    It's not great. It's workable, and it may be the most convenient option for some people, but that's an entirely different matter. Any "gym" that specifically prohibits the most beneficial exercises -- longstanding staples within the fitness community -- can't be considered "great." Nor can any gym that discourages people from working so hard that they make other people feel inadequate.

    As I said, for some people, Planet Fitness might do the trick. I know a police officer who works out there because it's open 24/7. He rolls his eyes and says that their rules are insanely stupid, but he also needs something that fits his schedule. I can't fault him for that.

    I think that farfromthetree offered some good advice. I don't recommend that place, but if you do go there, aim for consistency and make the best of it.
  • brightsideofpink
    brightsideofpink Posts: 1,018 Member
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    What are you looking to get out of a gym? People can- and will- respond with their feelings about PF and its merits relative to other options or the various things that annoy them about the place, its equipment, its marketing or its CEO, but ultimately you have to ask yourself what you want out of it. Access to machines for indoor cardio? Check. Anything else?
  • nicolen160
    nicolen160 Posts: 197 Member
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    I want something differnt then what I have at home and I want to meet others that like to work out, my family has not jumped on the working out ban wagon like I had hoped and I am thinking after 2 years they're not going to...lol But I love it and want desparately to find others who like it too. I also want to use other equipment then what I have at my house and also get into strength training but need guidance since I have never done it before. I don't want to go to a gym where everyone is trying to be "the world's strongest man" and little ole me is just trying to get toned and lose 30lbs. After 2 years I really just wanted something new and different, thanks for all the info, I appreciate the good and the bad.
  • ald783
    ald783 Posts: 690 Member
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    I think it's good for basics and if this is the first time you're joining a gym, it will meet most of your needs for a very cheap price. I personally like to do classes so my primary gym has a lot of classes and I do those 2-3 days a week and PF the other days. PF is good when I just want to run on the treadmill, and I like their "30 minute workout" section where they have a lot of steps and weight machines so you can do intervals of cardio and strength. PF is very no-frills so it's what you make of it.
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
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    nicolen160 wrote: »
    I don't want to go to a gym where everyone is trying to be "the world's strongest man" and little ole me is just trying to get toned and lose 30lbs.
    Seriously, you're describing most people at most gyms. The vast majority of them aren't striving to be ninja warriors. Most gyms are filled predominantly with people who are primarily trying to lose weight and get into a bit of shape.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 9,166 Member
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    A general rule of most gyms is be conscious of what time you go. The busiest times are usually 6-8 am (the pre-work crowd) and 5-7 pm (the post-work crowd). Those are the times where more bodies will be around and you may have to compete for space/equipment. If you can go either before/after, you'll usually find thinner crowds and less waiting. But then if you're wanting to interact with other people, perhaps those are exactly the times you want.
  • DawnEmbers
    DawnEmbers Posts: 2,451 Member
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    They should be able to give you a tour once it's open, to show you the different equipment they have available and discuss some options of things you can do there. I took a tour of the local one here. Should have some cardio equipment you are familiar with, maybe a couple you haven't used, and they have some machines for weights along with some dumbbells. It doesn't have the equipment I require (I won't join a gym that doesn't have a squat rack) and the mentality at the one here doesn't suit me (I don't consider yoga or zumba as hard, intense classes to be avoided) but for others, it is sufficient.


    The gym has a variety of people and most aren't going to be "lift as much as possible" or the stereotyped lunks found in the commercial. I go to a 24 hour location where sure, the occasional set of guys use many 45's and leave them on the bar when they are done *grumble* but there are all kinds of people there including many senior citizens just going about their business. I'm 4'11" and tad fluffy still but have been going to the gym to lift heavy weights for over a year (heavy for me). I started with just the bar on many lifts, or less before working my way up based on the programs I had chosen. You never know what background someone is coming from or where they are in a given program, which is where the no judgement zone would fit in if not done in a hypocritical fashion. Even now, since I started a new program, while my deadlift is around 200 for max, when I attempt to use the weird ez curl bar, I'm still at a point where I don't add any weights to it. And there is the pesky overhead press... but that's a different story so I will end the rambling.

    Suggestion is just find something you like doing and go from there.
  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
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    Get the tour. Book one session (design your own program) with the trainer-they can explain all the equipment. Most of it is very easy to use and has pictures, etc. but a session with the instructor will make you feel comfortable and get you started. If they personize a plan for you-utilize it. You may be shocked by their credentials. If they hand you a pre-printed sheet throw it in the trash.

    As far as the gym goes, it varies widely by franchise owner and gym manager. My PF allows everything, including deadlifts. As their are no barbells (just smiths) I never recommend these to people. But we have a "360" which includes agility ladder/pullups/dips/battle ropes/trx/box jumps and all sorts of cool stuff. We are getting stairmasters. Most people can get a decent workout for $10/month.

    As I like to lift heavy, PF would never be my first choice. But Since I became a trainer at my local franchise, I have been utilizing it in addition to my home gym and am finding it very helpful. No lunk alarms, no ridiculousness. Lots of people just come for the showers and free food. It is what it is.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    spartan_d wrote: »
    annaskiski wrote: »
    oh dear, let the flaming start.....

    PF is great, unless the "I pick stuff up, and put stuff down" commercial offends you. (and all the others)
    I know a police officer who works out there because it's open 24/7. He rolls his eyes and says that their rules are insanely stupid, but he also needs something that fits his schedule. I can't fault him for that.

    My son tended bar and would go after work about 2 in the morning. The attendant at his location didn't care what he did at that time.
  • hamptontom
    hamptontom Posts: 536 Member
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    this subject came up a while back - about a month after i'd joined my local PF - and i made this analogy about it at the time. maybe it'll help. :)

    i play guitar. i happen to be pretty good at it, and i've had a little success at it, as well. because i'm a professional and i make money by playing, it probably makes sense on some level for me to spend more money than most would for a top-quality instrument...but there's a HUGE market for the demographic who wouldn't have a practical reason to spend $1500 on a guitar, and whose needs would be more than satisfied by a $300 guitar.

    same thing with gyms - PF has everything I need, and some stuff I don't. so it makes sense for me.
  • Diana_GettingFit
    Diana_GettingFit Posts: 458 Member
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    I belong to a local PF. They seem fairly relaxed. We have a few heavy lifters there, I haven't heard any "lunk alarm" go off or seen anyone have any issues. It suits my needs and it's an excellent price. Works for me.
  • jenmckane86
    jenmckane86 Posts: 50 Member
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    I live in a very rural part of my state, so I don't have many options when it comes to gyms. PF opened in a neighboring town and it's really convenient to stop in before work, since it's on my way. I like the gym. It's very clean, not crowded and for my goals- it has everything I need, for now. Each PF has different management/ownership. My suggestion to you is go in with a list of specific questions. I'm sure they will be happy to answer them for you.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    my suggestion ..cancel your membership and find a real gym that will allow you to use dumbbells over 50 pounds; that will allow you to squat and deadlift, and that truly is a judgement free zone…

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    edited September 2015
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    nicolen160 wrote: »
    I want something differnt then what I have at home and I want to meet others that like to work out, my family has not jumped on the working out ban wagon like I had hoped and I am thinking after 2 years they're not going to...lol But I love it and want desparately to find others who like it too. I also want to use other equipment then what I have at my house and also get into strength training but need guidance since I have never done it before. I don't want to go to a gym where everyone is trying to be "the world's strongest man" and little ole me is just trying to get toned and lose 30lbs. After 2 years I really just wanted something new and different, thanks for all the info, I appreciate the good and the bad.

    is PF the only gym in your town?

    to the bolded part, why do you think that everyone at every gym is trying to be the worlds strongest man? Don't you think that the reason for lifting weights and training should be to make yourself stronger? I go to a gym that is not a PF and there are all types in the free weight area from 60 year old woman to 30 year old guys my age…I fail to understand the mentality that says regular gym bad because people like to lift heavy things, but PF good because it limits said lifting….

  • BekahC1980
    BekahC1980 Posts: 474 Member
    edited September 2015
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    make sure you clean the equipment BEFORE you use it, all the pf's in my area no one EVER cleaned even though they provide the spray and towels.

    i found another gym with more respectable members. might be a little more money but I am not limited to what others have said and people respect others
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
    edited September 2015
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    slaite1 wrote: »
    As far as the gym goes, it varies widely by franchise owner and gym manager. My PF allows everything, including deadlifts. As their are no barbells (just smiths) I never recommend these to people. But we have a "360" which includes agility ladder/pullups/dips/battle ropes/trx/box jumps and all sorts of cool stuff. We are getting stairmasters. Most people can get a decent workout for $10/month.

    As I like to lift heavy, PF would never be my first choice. But Since I became a trainer at my local franchise, I have been utilizing it in addition to my home gym and am finding it very helpful. No lunk alarms, no ridiculousness. Lots of people just come for the showers and free food. It is what it is.

    Boy. If more Planet Fitness locations were like yours, that company would get a lot less criticism!

    Of course, not having barbells isn't cool. Neither is coming in just for the showers and free food, but when membership only costs $10/month, you've got to expect that sort of thing.
  • spartan_d
    spartan_d Posts: 727 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    nicolen160 wrote: »
    I want something differnt then what I have at home and I want to meet others that like to work out, my family has not jumped on the working out ban wagon like I had hoped and I am thinking after 2 years they're not going to...lol But I love it and want desparately to find others who like it too. I also want to use other equipment then what I have at my house and also get into strength training but need guidance since I have never done it before. I don't want to go to a gym where everyone is trying to be "the world's strongest man" and little ole me is just trying to get toned and lose 30lbs. After 2 years I really just wanted something new and different, thanks for all the info, I appreciate the good and the bad.

    is PF the only gym in your town?

    to the bolded part, why do you think that everyone at every gym is trying to be the worlds strongest man? Don't you think that the reason for lifting weights and training should be to make yourself stronger? I go to a gym that is not a PF and there are all types in the free weight area from 60 year old woman to 30 year old guys my age…I fail to understand the mentality that says regular gym bad because people like to lift heavy things, but PF good because it limits said lifting….

    Absolutely correct. This is, in fact, one reason why PF gets so much flak from fitness professionals and highly motivated gym goers. PF wants people to believe that other gyms are for hypermuscled meatheads, when in reality, the vast majority of them attract people of all shapes are sizes.

    Therein lies the problem. PF defenders say that Planet Fitness helps people with their insecurities. In reality though, this company actively fosters those insecurities.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    slaite1 wrote: »
    Get the tour. Book one session (design your own program) with the trainer-they can explain all the equipment. Most of it is very easy to use and has pictures, etc. but a session with the instructor will make you feel comfortable and get you started. If they personize a plan for you-utilize it. You may be shocked by their credentials. If they hand you a pre-printed sheet throw it in the trash.

    As far as the gym goes, it varies widely by franchise owner and gym manager. My PF allows everything, including deadlifts. As their are no barbells (just smiths) I never recommend these to people. But we have a "360" which includes agility ladder/pullups/dips/battle ropes/trx/box jumps and all sorts of cool stuff. We are getting stairmasters. Most people can get a decent workout for $10/month.

    As I like to lift heavy, PF would never be my first choice. But Since I became a trainer at my local franchise, I have been utilizing it in addition to my home gym and am finding it very helpful. No lunk alarms, no ridiculousness. Lots of people just come for the showers and free food. It is what it is.

    This seems pretty reasonable. As with any new gym, ask for the tour, and I believe PF gives everyone a free training session, so utilize it to get an introduction on different machines you'd like to lose. If you don't get everything covered, there are tons of instructional videos online.

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