# Planet Fitness gym: anyone have experience with them?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [January 16, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422 "2013-01-16T22:00:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/21 "2013-01-17T03:16:29Z")
> [@filmore](#):
>
> Partaking of the pizza and bagels won’t help your waistline, but it may help your motivation to continue going to the gym.
Yeah, to get the free pizza and bagels.
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### Author:  [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/22 "2013-01-17T03:42:22Z")
I dated a woman last year who had a membership. I went for several months. I went 4x a week. I worked out with weights and ran on the treadmills every workout. They never gave me a second look. It’s not the best gym in the world but it was handy at the time… And cheap.
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/23 "2013-01-17T04:46:00Z")
Well they are franchises. Each one will be run differently. But Ambivalid is hardly the only one to complain about PFs practices. It shouldn’t be a surprise.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/24 "2013-01-17T04:55:03Z")
From the [Planet Fitness](http://www.planetfitness.com/About-Planet-Fitness-Gym) website.
> [@](#):
>
> As the most innovative health club brand in the United States, Planet Fitness is known for a lot of things – our absurdly low prices, **our Lunk™ Alarm, and most of all perhaps, for our Judgement Free Zone® philosophy,** which means members can relax, get in shape, and have fun without being subjected to the hard-core, look-at-me attitude that exists in too many gyms.
Some Judgement Free Zone, they blow a horn when someone acts like a “musclehead” and call attention to a behavior they don’t like.
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### Author:  [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/25 "2013-01-17T05:10:27Z")
> [@filmore](#):
>
> One thing that I thought was weird is that people were just hanging out at the gym not really working out. It’s like they were there to hang with their friends and they would work out a bit in between chatting. I wondered if with the low rates, they got a lot of people who weren’t really all that committed to working out. Their corporate policy is to not attract the hardcore, so maybe they attract a lot of people who are very casual about working out.
Bingo. Their money-making strategy is to offer low cost memberships to the sort of people who won’t actually use the gym much. They don’t WANT anyone there who will work out hard, as those folks might make their target demographic feel bad.
That said, given the low price and the OP’s currently modest goals, Planet Fitness might be worth trying out. Heck, it’s not like he’ll be out much if he later needs or wants to switch to a different gym.
---
### Author:  [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/26 "2013-01-17T06:11:33Z")
Huh. Interesting discussion…y’all have cleared up what the Lunk™ Alarm is and it sounds really cheesy. I’m definitely going to ask about that when I go.
No Yelp or any other reviews of the Burton PF.
> [@Ambivalid](#):
>
> My bodybuilder status really had nothing to do with PF kicking me out. They’ve kicked out so many people from that gym, most of which you would NEVER think of as a typical “lunk” or “meathead”. They were just guys who went regularly and worked hard. Planet Fitness doesn’t have a business model to support that type of gym-goer. **They are in the “gym membership” business, not the fitness or gym business. So they devise excuses to get rid of these types of members**. Heck, after I got booted, they even got rid of all the dumbbells over 55 lbs. I would really think twice about PF. It’s a terrible place. Terrible. At least the Burton one is.
> [@runner pat](#):
>
> From the [Planet Fitness](http://www.planetfitness.com/About-Planet-Fitness-Gym) website.
>
> Some Judgement Free Zone, they blow a horn when someone acts like a “musclehead” and call attention to a behavior they don’t like.
Wow, really? Horns? OK, now I am having second thoughts.
When I belonged to a gym before (Genesys Athletic Club) I was not hard core, but I was definitely more than casual; I worked out strenuously. I’d use the outdoor trail there for a three-mile warm up, then go in and work out. It’s a great gym and I’d rejoin but it’s quite expensive and now I don’t live that close to there.
Hmmm. I’m still going to check it out, but cautiously.
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### Author:  [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/27 "2013-01-17T08:29:46Z")
PF is okay. I had a membership for a year, stopped going sooner than I should have (like most people). The lunk alarm was never once used at the PF I belonged to in Naperville, IL. There were some relatively-serious dumbbell-lifters who I saw working out there without getting hassled, but nobody who I think would be classified as a bodybuilder.
I wouldn’t get another membership there, but only because they don’t have a pool. The price was definitely right for the services they offered. They even had tanning beds, although I only used them a couple times (just because I never had before and wanted to see what it was like).
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### Author:  [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/28 "2013-01-17T11:25:54Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#):
>
> PF is okay. I had a membership for a year, stopped going sooner than I should have (like most people). The lunk alarm was never once used at the PF I belonged to in Naperville, IL. There were some relatively-serious dumbbell-lifters who I saw working out there without getting hassled, but nobody who I think would be classified as a bodybuilder.
>
> I wouldn’t get another membership there, but only because they don’t have a pool. The price was definitely right for the services they offered. They even had tanning beds, although I only used them a couple times (just because I never had before and wanted to see what it was like).
That’s good to know, thanks Rachellelogram.
I was just checking the website of the only other gym that would be convenient for me, and noted that in a few weeks when I turn 55, I’ll be eligible for their “silver” senior membership at reduced rates. :eek:
Senior discounts. Yay.
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### Author:  [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/29 "2013-01-17T11:41:37Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#):
>
> Sarcasm. I was assuming it would be obvious to anyone reading. I guess not.
You know, it was obvious and I don’t know why I reacted like that. Sorry.
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### Author:  [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/30 "2013-01-17T13:07:20Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#):
>
> My bodybuilder status really had nothing to do with PF kicking me out. They’ve kicked out so many people from that gym, most of which you would NEVER think of as a typical “lunk” or “meathead”. They were just guys who went regularly and worked hard. Planet Fitness doesn’t have a business model to support that type of gym-goer. They are in the “gym membership” business, not the fitness or gym business. So they devise excuses to get rid of these types of members. Heck, after I got booted, they even got rid of all the dumbbells over 55 lbs. I would really think twice about PF. It’s a terrible place. Terrible. At least the Burton one is.
I have to agree here - you can get kicked out of PF by simply doing deadlifts. Keep in mind, I’m not talking about concentric only deadlifts, where you simply drop the weight.
Olympic lifts seem quite out of the question.
Also, no dumbbells over 55 lbs?! That’s ridiculous. I thought my gym was bad by only having them go up to 100 lbs.
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### Author:  [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/31 "2013-01-17T14:27:07Z")
> [@lorene](#):
>
> Yes, let’s just get that part out of the way:
> They do bring in pizza once a month and bagels once a month…
>
> A lot is going to depend on the individual location, your goals for using the gym, and what amenities (if any) are important to you. I don’t need anything from Planet Fitness but a place to run when it is too hot out or dangerously icy, where I am relatively unlikely to have to wait for a machine, and I can spend as long on that machine as I want.
I used to belong to an “upscale” gym, but changed my membership to a $10/month, no contract competitor. It’s Just Fitness 4U, not PF, but a similar model (minus the lunk alarm). I never used the smoothie bar, pool, basketball/raquetball courts at the other gym, so it made sense to switch. I love it. Plently of equipment, waits are non existant for cardio and rare for any given weight machine. There are many cheap, no contract gyms around these days.
My gym doesn’t offer pizza and bagels, but I can show my ID for a 20% discount at the Waffle House next door! :eek:
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### Author:  [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/32 "2013-01-17T15:36:52Z")
> [@Meatros](#):
>
> I have to agree here - you can get kicked out of PF by simply doing deadlifts. Keep in mind, I’m not talking about concentric only deadlifts, where you simply drop the weight.
>
> Olympic lifts seem quite out of the question.
>
> Also, no dumbbells over 55 lbs?! That’s ridiculous. I thought my gym was bad by only having them go up to 100 lbs.
Seriously though, for their target population it makes sense. They do not have a lot of informed expert staff around. A higher weight used by someone who is simply innocently ignorant of proper form can cause serious injury. That includes doing deadlifts of course. A relative newbie, or minimally less serious/experienced exerciser, may see what you are doing and get inspired to give it a try themselves. It takes some mental discipline to _not_ use higher weights with poorer form for many, especially when they do not appreciate what good form means.
Their model (at its most generous interpretation) is low entry barrier exercise: low cost, low perceived intimidation to those insecure about their current physical form and fitness state, and low risk of harm. Boot camp, CrossFit, HIIT, serious strength training, personal coaching, etc., it aint. Those who are looking for anything of that ilk should look elsewhere (or create a home gym) and some who start out at a PF style place may end up looking for more as they progress. But let’s face it, most Americans are not regularly exercising _at all_, and of those who do, _most_ are at a level within a PF style range, not doing Olympic lifts and not needing dumbbells over 55 lbs.
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### Author:  [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/33 "2013-01-17T16:05:33Z")
> [@DSeid](#):
>
> Seriously though, for their target population it makes sense. They do not have a lot of informed expert staff around. A higher weight used by someone who is simply innocently ignorant of proper form can cause serious injury. That includes doing deadlifts of course. A relative newbie, or minimally less serious/experienced exerciser, may see what you are doing and get inspired to give it a try themselves. It takes some mental discipline to _not_ use higher weights with poorer form for many, especially when they do not appreciate what good form means.
So how is a PF person supposed to learn proper form? I suspect that all PF have flat benches for bench press, right? More people die or get seriously injured from that exercise than from deadlifting or squatting (at least if memory serves, so take with a grain of salt).
You can seriously mess yourself up with quite a few lifts/exercises that are available at PF.
> [@DSeid](#):
>
> Their model (at its most generous interpretation) is low entry barrier exercise: low cost, low perceived intimidation to those insecure about their current physical form and fitness state, and low risk of harm. Boot camp, CrossFit, HIIT, serious strength training, personal coaching, etc., it aint. Those who are looking for anything of that ilk should look elsewhere (or create a home gym) and some who start out at a PF style place may end up looking for more as they progress. But let’s face it, most Americans are not regularly exercising _at all_, and of those who do, _most_ are at a level within a PF style range, not doing Olympic lifts and not needing dumbbells over 55 lbs.
So what happens when you start getting fit? Are you supposed to go elsewhere?
I kind of get what you are saying DSeid, but I can’t help shake the feeling that once you start getting fit or if you want to incorporate quality compound movements into your routine that you are then expected to go elsewhere.
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### Author:  [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/34 "2013-01-17T16:18:27Z")
They’re not _supposed_ to learn proper form there. They are supposed to move some and hopefully at least get up to a moderate intensity aerobic level. With light enough weights they are at least at low risk for injury even with poor form and probably are still getting some strength benefits. I have never been in a PF but I suspect that the risk of seriously messing yourself up with what is available there is actually pretty low. I doubt they even have the option to use a barbell for bench press heavy enough to cause harm.
And _yes_, as you start getting fit enough to need more than that you are not only expected to go elsewhere, you \*need \*to go elsewhere, either because they show you the door (see Ambi’s experience), or they lunk alarm you, or just because _you want more than what they offer_. Yes, if you want to incorporate quality compound movements into your routine, especially if you either don’t already know how to do it or you know well enough that you are up to over 55 lbs dumbbells, then PF is not for you. That describes a enough small segment of the potential fitness club membership that PF can get by ignoring them just fine and there are many other options for that group … many will set up basement and/or garage gyms instead.
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### Author:  [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/35 "2013-01-17T16:19:43Z")
> [@Meatros](#):
>
> So what happens when you start getting fit? Are you supposed to go elsewhere?
>
> I kind of get what you are saying DSeid, but I can’t help shake the feeling that once you start getting fit or if you want to incorporate quality compound movements into your routine that you are then expected to go elsewhere.
No need to shake that feeling, because it’s right. But remember, many, many people never reach the stage where they’d _want_ to do “serious” training. For them, Planet Fitness is fine. So I don’t see any reason for the OP not to check it out, as long as he understands that the day may come when he outgrows the place. It’s affordable and it’s on his way to work, and both of those features may be the most important for him right now.
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### Author:  [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/36 "2013-01-17T16:43:33Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#):
>
> It’s not so much that one plans to be a bodybuilder, rather the whole business model is based on appealing to the lowest common denominator: Nobody enjoys working out (it’s one of life’s many effort-reward correlations). Everybody understands that they should undertake this pleasant activity. PF’s business model is to charge a bit of money, and they’ll furnish the Potemkin gymnasium, and your willingness to go along with the self-deception does the rest.
>
> It really is little more than the fitness analogue to homeopathy.
This is the best post I’ve read in ages. “_Potemkin gymnasium_” is the perfect phrase, and “_fitness analogue to homeopathy_” is priceless.
> [@lorene](#):
>
> You know, it was obvious and I don’t know why I reacted like that. Sorry.
However, this thread does lack the vitriol I’d been expecting.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/37 "2013-01-17T16:49:20Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#):
>
> This is the best post I’ve read in ages. “_Potemkin gymnasium_” is the perfect phrase, and “_fitness analogue to homeopathy_” is priceless.
>
> However, this thread does lack the vitriol I’d been expecting.
You don’t want to set off the vitriol alarm now, do you?
---
### Author:  [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/38 "2013-01-17T17:03:04Z")
PF is not a fake gym. They have all the same cardio and weight machines you find at other gyms. They do have a free weight area if you prefer that, although they may not have the higher weights. It’s not the best place to train for the Mr. Universe competition, but you can get plenty fit.
If you’re really expressive when you work out–lots of grunting and noise–PF is not for you. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t get a good workout at PF. It’s just up to you.
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### Author:  [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/39 "2013-01-17T17:06:33Z")
> [@DSeid](#):
>
> They’re not _supposed_ to learn proper form there. They are supposed to move some and hopefully at least get up to a moderate intensity aerobic level. With light enough weights they are at least at low risk for injury even with poor form and probably are still getting some strength benefits. I have never been in a PF but I suspect that the risk of seriously messing yourself up with what is available there is actually pretty low. I doubt they even have the option to use a barbell for bench press heavy enough to cause harm.
>
> And _yes_, as you start getting fit enough to need more than that you are not only expected to go elsewhere, you \*need \*to go elsewhere, either because they show you the door (see Ambi’s experience), or they lunk alarm you, or just because _you want more than what they offer_. Yes, if you want to incorporate quality compound movements into your routine, especially if you either don’t already know how to do it or you know well enough that you are up to over 55 lbs dumbbells, then PF is not for you. That describes a enough small segment of the potential fitness club membership that PF can get by ignoring them just fine and there are many other options for that group … many will set up basement and/or garage gyms instead.
This is just counter intuitive to me. I suppose that’s where my difficulty in grasping this is coming from. When I’m shopping for gyms I look at price and what they have to offer. I’ve seen PF a few times (there seems to be a plethora of them) but I know better than to sign up there because I’ll just get kicked out.
The idea that I would sign up for a gym and once I start getting into shape I’d leave is bizarre.
> [@artemis](#):
>
> No need to shake that feeling, because it’s right. But remember, many, many people never reach the stage where they’d _want_ to do “serious” training. For them, Planet Fitness is fine. So I don’t see any reason for the OP not to check it out, as long as he understands that the day may come when he outgrows the place. It’s affordable and it’s on his way to work, and both of those features may be the most important for him right now.
So is it more for a social atmosphere then? If it were only populated with cardio equipment, that would be one thing, but PF’s do tend to have free weights and such. I recognize that not everyone will either want or get to a stage of where they need heavier than 55 lb dumbbells, but what do you do if you hit that level?
I guess the other factor in all of this is that my job has a little gym downstairs that they provide to their employees for free. It has some cardio equipment and dumbbells that go up to 50lbs. I use it for cardio. Even some hotels have that sort of set up and the idea that a PF, a gym, is only a bit better than a hotel weight room seems very odd to me.
---
### Author:  [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planet-fitness-gym-anyone-have-experience-with-them/647422/40 "2013-01-17T17:11:40Z")
> [@filmore](#):
>
> PF is not a fake gym. They have all the same cardio and weight machines you find at other gyms. They do have a free weight area if you prefer that, although they may not have the higher weights. It’s not the best place to train for the Mr. Universe competition, but you can get plenty fit.
It seems to me to be an oddly restrictive gym. You can only get so strong and then that’s it. Now, I will admit that there are work arounds that PFers can probably use (say switching to primarily barbells), but it’s a gym. You are supposed to get stronger, slimmer, etc at a gym.
This could just be my hang up on what a ‘gym’ is supposed to be though - I can admit that.
> [@filmore](#):
>
> If you’re really expressive when you work out–lots of grunting and noise–PF is not for you. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t get a good workout at PF. It’s just up to you.
I don’t typically grunt or make a lot of noise - however I do deadlift and from what I can tell, that’ll get you kicked out of PF alone, since it’s not the quietest of activities.
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