Planet Fitness Yay or Nay?

If you're looking for treadmills, ellipticals, and weight machines, it's just fine.

If you're looking for free weights, a place to lift heavy, or a personal trainer, I'd look elsewhere.

I'm surprised I wasn't kicked out myself - I wouldn't grunt or anything, but having 400-500 lbs on the smith machine for squats and 800 lbs on the incline leg press got me some strange looks. Same thing when I asked for a spotter. They also only keep maybe 2 or 4 45-lb plates at each machine, so I would have to borrow from 3 other stations to get a workout. The largest dumbbells are either 65 or 70 (don't remember), so I couldn't get a good pull doing bent-over rows.

If you can get away with a good workout without deadlifts, free weight squats, and don't need a lot of weight to do so, then it may be an option.

I belong to PF and I like it. Like everyone else has said, it's generic. Mine is pretty much judgment free; they have a lunk alarm, but lots of people are there lifting weights and the alarm never goes off. It's casual and no one bothers anyone else. I like to go and workout on the elliptical or do the 30 minute circuit and just leave it at that.

I belonged to Gold's before this. It definitely offers more (mine had a cardio cinema, a ladies only room, rock climbing wall, courts for everything, nail salon, classes [spinning was awesome!] etc.) but it was awful trying to get them to cancel my membership (even after I got past the required 12 months). Gold's was about $50/month and you signed a contract. PF doesn't have a contract (as far as I know).

So, all in all, it depends on what you need. If you want classes and some structure, more equipment and amenities, you'll want a more expensive gym. If you want an elliptical machine to use without actually having to shell out a couple thousand dollars, PF is great. Happy working out!

Edit: I have to add that I go to PF because it's cheap and I can cancel quickly with no contract. I think it's inspiring to see people lifting weights. Some bodies are just perfect machines!!

One other nice things is the juiceheads tend to stay away - you dont see many steroid monsters. You do however have to deal with TONS of high school kids since its so cheap - you end up dealing with the wrestling kids trying to shed water weight, and the young school kids making it a hangout.

Well that's because they are "judgmental" against juiceheads and muscle heads. Just look at there ads on youtube.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I like it. It's basic. There are plenty of fairly muscular guys at the one I go to. Plus, it's not REALLY a pizza party. They just have it available should you want it. I have never eaten it and don't feel compelled to.

What part of the world are you all living in where you can't do squats, dead lifts, heavy lifting etc. at Planet Fitness? My husband and I go there. We do squats and dead lifts. I lift very heavy -250# my personal best on squats -- and I never got told to leave. I have never been "forced" to use the weight machines. Yes the free weights only go up to 60#'s but chances are good I won't need more. Also there are some very fit, muscle guys at my gym, some are more than likely juicers. They seem to like it and they don't get kicked out either. They have the Lunk Alarm which they don't like to use but will when someone is being obnoxious like this one guy who sounds like he's having an orgasm while he's squatting his 50 lbs.

As far as the equipment goes since they are independently owned franchises it depends on the gym and what they have. I know that some of the gyms in other towns have barbells and squat racks but mine doesn't.

It's an affordable gym, I get to go as a guest for free and it suits my needs. My husband went to a meat head gym and didn't use half the equipment there. This works better for us.

To each their own. I say if you want an affordable gym then go there. It's perfectly fine.

It used to be an outstanding value (the one around me that is) until they watered the fundamentals of a gym down and replaced it with some sort of...passive, restrictive, 'judgement free' rubbish.

They stripped all the free weights and hammer strength machines for more cable driven equipment. Then that air raid siren of an alarm? Really?

I really like PF. I have been working out at my local PF for a few months now, and feel very welcome, and have never felt judged, or disapproved of for lifting weights. If anything every once in a while I will have a trainer encourage me!
If you are doing some serious weight training I can see why it wouldnt be the place for you, but I am beginning New rules of lifting for women, and I can do all of the training layout at the PF here.
I like that there arent a lot of frills to preoccupy me. I get in, get it done, and get out!