Why does Planet Fitness get such a bad rap?

[TheGardener]

those would be great for the lazy fatasses to do at planet fitness to build a solid foundation in their core, but nope, they instead do those lame ass ab machines like that fatty eating pizza while doing it in the gif.

You don't get it. PF appeals to people who otherwise wouldn't be doing any exercise at all, or to people seeking fitness that don't want to spend a lot of money on exercising or don't have a lot of money. It's a business. A successful business, because they have found a very large and under-served marketing niche. When I went to Gold's, the ratio of women to men was about 1 in 10. At PF it could be 6 in 10. People sign up at PF, because they don't want to join a gym with people like yourself, who will look down on them. If you go to a PF this time of year at 5pm, you'll be lucky not to have to wait to use a treadmill. Ya, they are that popular.

 

[purbeast0]

You don't get it. PF appeals to people who otherwise wouldn't be doing any exercise at all, or to people seeking fitness that don't want to spend a lot of money on exercising or don't have a lot of money. It's a business. A successful business, because they have found a very large and under-served marketing niche. When I went to Gold's, the ratio of women to men was about 1 in 10. At PF it could be 6 in 10. People sign up at PF, because they don't want to join a gym with people like yourself, who will look down on them. If you go to a PF this time of year at 5pm, you'll be lucky not to have to wait to use a treadmill. Ya, they are that popular.

i don't look down at anyone at my gym, not sure where you got that from.

but then again, there aren't people at my gym eating pizza while exercising. if there were, i'd definitely look down upon them.

 

[Deeko]

Planet Fitness is a place for people who don't go to the gym. They want it to be cheap enough that you'll sign up, "non confrontational / judgmental" enough that those non-gym goers will think they're going to go, and never do. It's brilliant. Get hordes of out of shape people to sign up, but be cheap enough that they don't quit when they're not going.

Brilliant business strategy! Terrible gym.

 

[Fingolfin269]

You don't get it. PF appeals to people who otherwise wouldn't be doing any exercise at all, or to people seeking fitness that don't want to spend a lot of money on exercising or don't have a lot of money.

I guess I'm an outlier. It appeals to me because it's clean and organized. Maybe it's just my local Gold's and not all of them but that place is dirty and people just throw weights everywhere. Heck the gym doesn't even bother to label spots on the rack.

Plus I don't lift as much or as frequently as I used to so some of the missing equipment doesn't really bother me anymore. I mainly use it for the same reasons a previous poster mentioned: a place with a good amount of cardio equipment for times when it's too cold/too hot to be outside running. Supplement with some db work and leg press.

For the record, the local PF does in fact have a pull up bar! Though I'm sure they'll find a good reason to remove it eventually.

*I'd really rather the local Y reopen. That place was the best mix of everything and neither gold's nor PF compare.

 

[smackababy]

Has anyone actually been to a gym and been judged? I've never in my entire life had anyone do any bring remotely judgmental in a gym that I've seen. If you can't workout without feeling insecure, PF isn't going to help you.

 

[edro]

The pizza concept is positive reinforcement.
They probably want to show that you don't have to eat grilled chicken and vegetables for every meal to be healthy and fit.
While pizza at the gym seems comical, it's not as terrible as it sounds.

Most people, even fitness freaks, will eat pizza every now and then.

 

[purbeast0]

The pizza concept is positive reinforcement.
They probably want to show that you don't have to eat grilled chicken and vegetables for every meal to be healthy and fit.
While pizza at the gym seems comical, it's not as terrible as it sounds.

Most people, even fitness freaks, will eat pizza every now and then.

pizza owns. i eat pizza pretty much once a week (just not at my gym). but it's not included in my gym membership so the jokes on me

infact, i'm going to cosi in about 20 minutes to get a bbq chicken pizza.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Has anyone actually been to a gym and been judged? I've never in my entire life had anyone do any bring remotely judgmental in a gym that I've seen. If you can't workout without feeling insecure, PF isn't going to help you.

I doubt it. It's more of an advertisement that plays on an unfit person's fear. They think that since they are morbidly obese someone who is fit will make fun of them if they go to the gym. Which is absolutely insane imo. I have a lot of respect for that person and hope they turn their life around.

 

[purbeast0]

I doubt it. It's more of an advertisement that plays on an unfit person's fear. They think that since they are morbidly obese someone who is fit will make fun of them if they go to the gym. Which is absolutely insane imo. I have a lot of respect for that person and hope they turn their life around.

yup. i have a lot of respect for the fatties at the gym trying to change their lives for the better. i've seen many of them transform too over the years.

the only ones i lol at inside to myself a little bit are the guys who are just doing shit completely wrong. i used to give advice to the new guys who are just doing stuff completely wrong, but learned quickly that they don't care so i don't bother at all anymore.

 

[Zorba]

I doubt it. It's more of an advertisement that plays on an unfit person's fear. They think that since they are morbidly obese someone who is fit will make fun of them if they go to the gym. Which is absolutely insane imo. I have a lot of respect for that person and hope they turn their life around.

Most people when they start something new, when surrounded by experienced people are insecure. Just human nature, and I think that is compounded with fitness.

I think planet fitness can be great for what it is, and its target demographic. It is 100x better than places like Any Time Fitness, for 1/3 the price. I've known quite a few people (my wife and I included) that really got started working out going to a planet fitness, then graduated to a real gym.

A huge selling point for PF is they are typically very clean and things are kept in working order, which beats almost all other entry and mid-level gyms. And if you just want to do cardio, with no classes, there is nothing wrong with it.

BTW: The LA Fitness I go to has a huge mural on the wall of a women curling a 5-Lb dumbbell with the word "Challenging" on it. I think that cancels out the the stupidity of PF serving Pizza (although I used to love Pizza day, since I always ate after working out anyway). Not to mention the LA Fitness "trainers" actually teach women to use 2, 3 and 5 lb dumb bells. Never seen them give a women a real set of weights.

 

[waggy]

Has anyone actually been to a gym and been judged? I've never in my entire life had anyone do any bring remotely judgmental in a gym that I've seen. If you can't workout without feeling insecure, PF isn't going to help you.

I have seen it happen a few times.

of course someone out of shape is going to feel insecure. you are right PF ain't going to help. but it tries to make itself better for those just starting. For what the gym actually is it's good at.

also just look at this thread. you have people posting comics and saying stuff like "respect fatties" etc. And you question about people be judged?

lol

 

[Zorba]

Yeah, this thread is full of people judging people for thinking they will be judged.

 

[bononos]

I can see a Smith machine used for that. Typically I never suggest it. As I've said all along, the lack of a free bar for bench press, squats, etc and no pull up bar are my biggest gripes. I could honestly live with everything else. I used one for awhile in addition to mine because my wife had the black membership and could bring someone for free. She was intimidated by my gym. She's exactly who they look for. She went to mine a few times, realized it's not like she thought, could do a lot more, and changed. She we do real squats together and her ass shows it...
.......

You're right about the intimidation factor and that's one reason why PF seems more new member friendly at the expense of more serious fitness gym goers by cutting out the free weights. By removing free weights in exchange for more machines (probably of the more lightweight variety) except for dumbells up to 75lb its also more corporate friendly by reducing injury rate and insurance liability.

Not that the rate of injuries is going to be lower for serious gym goers and athletes with weight machines with heavy duty weights(stabilizer muscles not worked) but PF is discouraging them from being in their gyms anyway since there is no free weights for 2-3x bw compound exercises, lunk alarms and banning 'too-fit' workout attire/bodies.

 

[bononos]

You don't get it. PF appeals to people who otherwise wouldn't be doing any exercise at all, or to people seeking fitness that don't want to spend a lot of money on exercising or don't have a lot of money. It's a business. A successful business, because they have found a very large and under-served marketing niche. When I went to Gold's, the ratio of women to men was about 1 in 10. At PF it could be 6 in 10. People sign up at PF, because they don't want to join a gym with people like yourself, who will look down on them. If you go to a PF this time of year at 5pm, you'll be lucky not to have to wait to use a treadmill. Ya, they are that popular.

I supposed you've changed your mind about PF being a real gym from your earlier post #89.
Far from people looking down on them, maybe they're just insecure about their own bodies and poor lifting technique and think that every fit person at Gold's is looking at them. PF has capitalized on that insecurity by removing most free weights, banning too-fit gym attire, lunk alarms.

 

[ViviTheMage]

They have nothing that is useful for someone who wants to actually lift.

Also I have had the lunk alarm called on me. Never fucking again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXP6WaVTJpM

That is kind of funny.

 

[TallBill]

Because their equipment is shit and so are their rules. Then again a lot of places are shit...

Which is why I just spend $2800 on a rogue squat stand and bench + weights

 

[TallBill]

Yeah, this thread is full of people judging people for thinking they will be judged.

Not true. Everyone that "lifts" should be squatting, benching, deadlifting, and pressing.

 

[uhohs]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbK3wWpWNto

 

[88keys]

I'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of PF critics are in no better shape than the general public.

 

[futurefields]

wtf no comments on this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1pclMT0zb8

lol?

 

[Ns1]

Not true. Everyone that "lifts" should be squatting, benching, deadlifting, and pressing.

If you want to seriously lift its pretty obvious PF is not for you. I like how y'all want to change their business model which is proven to be effective.

 

[waggy]

wtf no comments on this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1pclMT0zb8

lol?

and this is what i'm talking about. people don't want to go to the gym because people record instead of helping. then post it.


i do say that did look fun though..

 

[chin311]

One just opened up by me, I signed up with the black card so my wife can come with when she wants. Maybe because it's all brand new, but it's nice.

We are runners so it fits the bill perfectly for $20 a month. Most other gyms require money down and $35-50 a month.

I get it if you are a serious lifter it's def not for you, but for the average Joe it works out just fine.

 

[Strk]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbK3wWpWNto

Will they really kick you out for breathing? There is a difference between grunting and breathing and you really should breath out while lifting.

 

[Fingolfin269]

wtf no comments on this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1pclMT0zb8

lol?

That video is awesome. Could have happened anywhere but of course did happen at PF. Another benefit of membership!:thumbsup: