It’s pretty obvious I’m not going to convince you of anything now, calling where I go “not-a-gym” and all that.
I never would think to put a positive review on sites like those, honestly. Probably explains the skewing. On top of that a huge amount of the complaints are from not following directions or policies “They said I would be charged $20 less if I used a bank account, so I used my credit card, but didn’t get the discount!” (could it be…you didn’t use a bank account?) or “I have a $10 membership and they didn’t let me bring a friend!” (could it be…the $10 membership doesn’t allow that?) or “My cell phone was stolen from the locker room (the one with the big bold sign saying they’re not responsible for stolen items and I shouldn’t keep my phone there), and they won’t do anything about it!” (could it be…because they’re not liable and they told you so?) or “I asked them to donate to my charity and they wouldn’t so I hate them!” (what the??) or “They said I had to send a certified letter to cancel my membership and now I’ve been charged for extra months because I didn’t know!” (right there in the contract plain as day, not my fault you can’t follow directions)
Weeding out all of those numbskulls leaves quite a few less legitimate bad reviews in my opinion.
The “not-a-gym” comment is based on what PF markets: being not-a-gym is part of their campaign: “We’re not a gym. We’re Planet Fitness.” Don’t like that bring it to their corporate people, not me!
All businesses reviewed are subject to the same selection bias toward negative comments and a few numbskull complaints. Compared to others PF rates “terrible.” If there is skewing they are no more subject to it than the others they are compared to.
True - never thought of those aspects. I recant any disagreement I had with you…because you’re right!
I still like my PF though.
ETA: That being said, I just looked up Gold’s Gym, LA Fitness, NYSC, etc on that consumer affairs site…and they all had one star reviews! Are there any gyms that have good reviews?! Maybe Crunch and UFC, they’re not listed on there at all…
I am brand new to gyms since graduating from college where it was easy to go to a gym. I was kinda active in this thread before since I’ve been going to my PF for about 2 or 3 weeks now. I go around 5 times a week after work and when I get stir crazy at home on the weekends.
I vehemently disagree with everything negative that’s been said because I’ve neither had a problem at my PF nor seen anyone else have a problem either, but me just saying “nuh-uh!” was never sufficient cause for me to argue against the negative claims.
Like I said before, every time I’ve gone there have been everything from overweight people to holyshitputdowntheweights people, young and old, male and female, black and white, and every combination thereof. I’ve heard the lunk alarm go off…twice? maybe? in total. It lasted all of quite literally 2 seconds and nothing ever happened because of it.
ETA: Meant to add I’m quoting the above because I agree with it
And on that ETA it is my turn to state that I had not thought to look specifically at others of the class. I still haven’t but take your word that other fitness facilities also rate low. It would be interesting to compare the nature of the complaints. Maybe later today if I have time to kill. Meanwhile I’ll recant. The whole class of business seems to be poorly rated.
I can see how a someone new to the gym scene might not think PF is that bad.
All the gyms I’ve been a member of had a, “Your fitness goals are a priority!” attitude.
“Customers are important and we want them to like this place” attitude. Not all tried to keep up with the latest and greatest machines like the big corporate chains, but even the small mom and pop ones had a welcoming feel. A subtle, “We’re grateful you’re here.” One gym in the late 90’s put in computer stations around the gym where members kept track of their progress. It was so high techy modern!
That’s why PF took me by surprise. It was about a month or so in that I realized what was going on and what their business model was actually about. I should have expected something was “off” due to the low membership fee. It’s by far the cheapest corporate gym around. And being corporate, I thought it’d be similar to other corporate gyms as far as customer policy. Live and learn.
I doubt PF has any* explicit* policies about or metrics for kicking people out who use the facility too much or too hard. It would be a total disaster if that leaked. That does not mean that corporate is not sending out a loud and clear message that locations should be doing exactly that. Since it’s an implicit thing owners/managers will vary a lot in extent to which they will obey that message.
In answer to DSeid’s basement gym question:
The gym has classes (spin, zumba, yoga, etc) increasing the value of what you’re getting.
Agreed with the others about the social aspects and how being somewhere else allows better focus.
Being a gym gives me an opportunity to see what other people are doing to get ideas for what I might like to do, makes personal trainer access easier, and doesn’t limit him to the equipment I have if he wants me to try something new
The math doesn’t add up if the gym membership isn’t expensive. I only pay $20 per month with no initiation fee.
Working out at home is a great option for many people, but not for me. I’m developing a bodyweight-only routine that I can use when I’m traveling or so pressed for time that I really truly can’t go to the gym, however.
My gym has a 4.6 on google with 15 reviews and a 4.5 on yelp with 9.
As I said above, it’s only $20 per month, and has anything and everything the vast majority of people could ever want, including classes and copious amounts of the latest equipment, and a wonderful atmosphere as well. And child care for a small upcharge. And they actively encourage you to come in a lot and reach your goals. I know the owner through another organization, and he truly wants people to be happy and healthy.
It’s an inependent local place. I’d suggest anybody that wants to join a gym or is considering a change look around and see if there are any good independents in your area. If you look beyond the big chains and the Y, you might find a gem.
And in case you’re thinking “A full-service gym for $20? That’s an unsustainable business model”–they’ve been in business for 36 years already.
Whereas the vast majority of the gyms I’ve been to had a “give us your fucking money and scram… until we rip you off for more money” attitude.
For the record, I have never been a member of PF, but I would definitely be a member if there was one convenient to me. I belong to a lower-end women’s gym (Lucille Roberts) and a) I’m offended by the entire concept of a woman’s gym, but if it has to exist, there shouldn’t be male personal trainers walking the floor, bugging people who are working out just fine on their own; b) it’s a complete craphole. Everything’s falling apart. Most of the showers are broken in some way, for example. Their treadmills work though (mostly) and its around the corner from my office so I can go at lunch and therefore its (just barely) worth $16/mo to me. I’ve been by a few PFs and they all appear to be in good repair and spacious. $10/mo … its a no-brainer.
However, I’m one of those lame pathetic people who only goes to the gym twice a week. That’s because I do other exercise, not in the gym, at other times. Not that it matters to all the Judgey mcJudgersons in this thread. 2x a weekers are suckers, hear ya loud and clear.
I’m in!
I’ve been going almost every day (and my past experience with gyms indicates I will continue to do that here.) In the mornings on the way to work - I paint houses and at the end of the day I’m physically tired and grubby. So, not their peak time. I’m there for at least an hour (more like 90 minutes usually, depending on my schedule) and am doing maybe 60 percent cardio, 40 percent weights.
This one may be more relaxed - I’ve seen people in burkas (twice in three weeks; there are a lot of Arab Americans around here) and today a very much inked guy wearing a do-rag. All of which goes against their “no head scarves” policy. And while I’ve yet to see anyone with a bared midriff, I see people wearing tight tank tops with bra straps showing, muscle shirts and lycra leggings and shorts at every visit. And I’ve yet to hear the “lunk alarm.”
This is the Yelp page for the Burton, MI PF that I am going to. Sort of meh. 3.5 and just 8 reviews. None of those reviews are mine. The other two gyms I’ve belonged to were Hurley Health and Fitness and Genysis Athletic Club (actually in exchange for painting their bathrooms I got a year’s free membership which was a great deal because it is a very expensive gym.) Both of those were great, and had amenities up the ying-yang but I rarely used said amenities. I really am doing the same work out, basically, at PF that I was doing at those facilities. I never really got into the classes or the pool; I did use a personal trainer for a long while at Genysis but that was an extra and not cheap cost per session. I have to admit that was worth it, she was a beast and really pushed me.
Green Bean - a few years back a friend of mine was an assistant manager for a while at Curves. Their work-out is extremely dumbed down. It is basically the same as the 30-minute circuit (yellow machines) at PF. I did it once. I can see how it would be OK, or even good, for someone “curvy” who was not a regular gym-goer. No free weights, no classes, no trainers, no showers (that I recall), pretty much no nuthin’ except that one circuit.
I keep hearing about this steady supply of pizza and bagels (never heard or seen the M&Ms). When and where, dammit! I’ve been going there almost daily for three weeks and have yet to see pizza, bagels or M&Ms. They do have a container of Tootsie Rolls on the check in counter, I’ll grant you that.
Agreed. However, PF goes further, they exploit the insecurities of out-of-shape people who don’t know any better by creating this false reality of other gyms as being meathead clubs that would make anyone without a six-pack and 19-inch arms feel mocked and totally out of place. This is what puts a bad taste in my mouth regarding PF. In order to get all those memberships that are never (or minimally) used, PF resorts to deplorable practices that exploit and depend on human fragility.
I’m pretty sure my gym’s business model is “get people feeling great and invested in fitness so they sign up for expensive premium stuff like personal trainers, boot camp, and Crossfit.”
My gym can be walked into and used all day long by anyone for $5. A lot of their business is in the casuals, if you want to go more than once a week a membership is cheaper be it for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months. If you can’t or won’t prepay it is $10 a week direct debit that is cancelable on a month’s notice - during which you can use the gym as much as you like.
Nobody is trying to take your money and never see you again. The owner/manager thinks it is awesome I broke more stuff than my fees were last year because it shows how much stronger I am and he celebrates that with me. He also asked me to run a social media account for gym newbies as he knows he doesn’t really know how to reach them and he just wants to bring the joy to everyone. I talk much more about mental/brain/bone/body health impacts than I do the size of arses and that is totally cool with him. He pays me for that work in protein powder and a lot of free personal training.
I’m with Green Bean, an independent gym owned and run by fitness loving people is the best option if you have it. They are nothing like the chains.
In all fairness, I’d say they are trying to get the members who are already using the memberships to sign up for additional, expensive options. But I think the basic model is the same for all gyms: sell as many gym memberships as possible while having their equipment used as little as possible. The bottom line is always money.
I’d hate to think what you guys think of my gym- a musty, overheated room in my building’s basement with a few poorly maintained treadmills-- no classes, no trainers, nothing.
Oddly enough, doing my nightly run is exactly the same there as it was with the hihg-end gym that I used in more prosperous times.
I really like it. For $10 I get all the amenities I usually have to pay $20-30 a month for at the YMCA or a private gym. I like how all the cardio equipment has flat screen TVs so you can watch the Simpsons while working out.
The only drawback (if you actually use these things) is that planet fitness does not seem to have a lot of physical space. So no basketball, no walking track, no indoor soccer. But if you don’t actually use that stuff you won’t miss it. Besides those things can be done in a park if you want. They have the important stuff like cardio equipment and strength training equipment.
So, not their peak time. I’m there for at least an hour (more like 90 minutes usually, depending on my schedule) and am doing maybe 60 percent cardio, 40 percent weights.