Planet fitness reviews?

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mm3898
mm3898 Posts: 138 Member
Hey everyone!

I recently moved to a city near my home town and I no longer have a gym membership. I used to go to a small, quiet community gym where I always had space and felt very comfy. I had intended on saving $$$ and just utilizing the hilly area I'm in and do some workout DVDs but I miss the gym atmosphere so badddddd!

Does anyone have any opinions about Planet Fitness? There is a special running in my area for a membership and I am considering going for it, but I didn't know what others have thought. I'm going to go visit the gym tomorrow and see what it looks like, but I was looking for some opinions.

Thanks guys, you rock! :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • AKosky585
    AKosky585 Posts: 607 Member
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    I loved them when I had a membership there. When I joined, it was $10 a month. But that was 6 years ago or so...not sure what it would be now. Anyways, it was a smaller gym, but had everything that one would need, plus classes were included in the membership at no extra fee and topped out at 5 or 6 per class. They kept it clean too.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,701 Member
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    I despise Planet Fitness, but it's better than no gym at all.
  • SpaceMarkus
    SpaceMarkus Posts: 651
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    I was with them for about a year but left when I started P90X. The facility seemed nice and wasn't every too crowded. The staff wasn't very knowledgeable, though. Most weren't trainers or anything more than high school kids working part time.
  • Sixalicious
    Sixalicious Posts: 283 Member
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    I love Planet Fitness. We have actually trainers at our location and they have classes as well. It's a far cry from the first time I had a membership with them, but for $10, I feel like I get more than enough.
  • aray379
    aray379 Posts: 131
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    I go to Planet Fitness. It's not fancy or the best gym but if you're self directed it has what you need. They have plenty of machines and stretching/lifting space. It is very cheap so you are getting what you pay for but I think it's a great place for somebody on a budget. It is still $10 a month. The only thing that bothers me is the free pizza once a month because I think it's ignorant, but other than that I am happy and comfortable there!
  • fat_girl_b_gone
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    There is a planet Fitness that just opened near me. It is a smaller gym but it has everything that you need to stay on track. It was a $1.00 down and $10.00 a month. My family really like it.
  • fat_girl_b_gone
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    Ok so its not just me. I asked about the pizza thing also and was told that you can work out and still treat your self every now and then. :happy:
  • MsOssining
    MsOssining Posts: 13 Member
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    The one by me is huge. It's open 24 hours during the week, which is great for people that get out of work late. It's good if you know what you want to do. The staff are very nice, but not very knowledgeable. They have so many machines, you can always get a treadmill or olyptical, but you may have to wait for the other machines, depending what time of day you go to the gym.
  • fat_girl_b_gone
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    I just started the Slim in 6 from beach body. How do you chart your excercise calories because they are not in fitness pal?
  • mm3898
    mm3898 Posts: 138 Member
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    Thanks everyone, I think I'll be signing up for my membership by the end of Thursday! You all are the best!
  • Aurelia_Willow
    Aurelia_Willow Posts: 40 Member
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    I am not a fan. I guess I was never a big gym person to begin with. But, I find that I don't mind the gym if there are few people there. I am usually the only person at my gym - and I like it that way. Another big thing for me is gym distance. My planet fitness is about 15 minutes away. The gym I attend is like 3 minutes away.
  • MeganJo
    MeganJo Posts: 69
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    Definitely check out the gym itself. I highly recommend Lifetime Fitness because the one in AZ is EXCELLENT. Then I checked out another one in Kansas and it just wasn't all that. So definitely shop around and find which gym will be a good fit for you =]
  • dee_sea_tea
    dee_sea_tea Posts: 12 Member
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    I love PF, it's great if you're self motivated or have a workout buddy. The one where I live has no pool, sauna or classes though so it all just depends on what you're looking for. It's still $10 a month or $20 to add unlimited tanning and a few other perks.
  • Nomomush
    Nomomush Posts: 582 Member
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    I despise Planet Fitness, but it's better than no gym at all.

    I agree!!! You get what you pay for...
  • honkadelic
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    Planet Fitness is better than sitting on the couch but it would be my last choice. It is the only gym I ever went in where they were serving Domino’s pizzas at a customer appreciation night and I was shocked. Everyone I went to visit the trainers look like they need a trainer themselves and it’s the only gym that doesn’t carry a flat bench or all the correct strength training equipment. Their model is that they are not for bodybuilding or fitness models but for people who want to get in shape. Body building and fitness model training is the pinnacle of being in shape and why wouldn’t you want to attract that talent if you want to get people in shape. Im one that gets motivated by seeing other people in great shape; very similar to the theory you become smarter if you hang around smarter people then yourselves. If you are just in for cardio, then this gym is fine, but cardio is only one leg of the three legged stool of being in shape --> Strength Training, Cardio & Diet = Optimum Physical Fitness.
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
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    It depends on you, honestly, and how you workout. If you are use to a small gym where you could do heavy lifting and more of a close knit group dynamic, then it may not be for you. The secret to their success is that they focus on quantity over quality. At $10 a person, they have to sell a lot more memberships to maintain their overhead and will cut things like educated trainers, classes, etc. if they don't have enough members to meet their other costs like power, rent, etc. I call it a McGym. Kind of like McDonald's, it's cheap and available, but not necessarily the best quality. From that mentality, they don't necessarily care if you come to the gym as long as you keep letting them draft from your checking account. So, you aren't going to have the personal service from their staff that you would have gotten at your smaller gym where everyone knows everyone else and calls you if you aren't there. Also, Planet Fitness has some really stupid rules in the weight room. The "No Grunting" rule for example. If you only lift light weights, this isn't a problem. But if you are lifting heavy weights, there will sometimes be noises that come from the body without conscious control. That guttural tightening of the diaphragm helps the body tighten the core to be able to lift heavy. It's a physiological thing that can be a big help when lifting, but they ban it and some locations even have bells and sirens that go off if someone is caught exerting themselves this much. Kind of the opposite of the goal for more serious exercisers. I think that goes back to the McDonald's principle where they don't want to have a lot of serious exercisers there because they take up space and use the equipment for a while. When they are trying to do their sales pitch, those exercisers can be a negative because people want to go to a gym where they aren't going to have to wait for a machine, so they don't want those people around to make it look like there is even a possibility that a potential member might have to wait for a machine because they are less likely to buy then.

    If you are a casual exerciser who likes the club type atmosphere, however, this may be the perfect gym for you. You can go in and do your own thing and maybe meet someone on the next machine who is similar to you in workout styles. Also, if you don't think you'll use it often, it's not much of an expense so you won't waste a lot of money on something you don't end up using. If you are going to use it a lot, be sure you know your stuff and aren't relying on their trainers since they aren't always certified. (Certification isn't mandatory in most states, so be sure to ask to see the certificates yourself to know you are working with an educated trainer!) They do have a wide variety of equipment and the clubs I've seen have been pretty good quality equipment, too, so you can still get a great workout and save some money. Just be sure you don't lift heavy enough to grunt. :wink:
  • Aurelia_Willow
    Aurelia_Willow Posts: 40 Member
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    I call it a McGym. Kind of like McDonald's, it's cheap and available, but not necessarily the best quality.

    Haha! I've always referred to PF as the 'Walmart of gyms.' I think your analogy captures what I dislike about the PF atmosphere.
  • Msvalsworld
    Msvalsworld Posts: 53 Member
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    I love Planet fitness it is affordable,clean and I dont feel judge when I workout there.