As you may have guessed from the witty title, this article is about Planet Fitness and the injustices they perpetrate across the great land of ‘Merica. Everything Planet Fitness does could go in the “Sick of Your Gym” section of our Q&A. In case you are unaware, their entire philosophy is based on creating a “judgment free zone:” a friendly gym and a comfortable place where people will enjoy working out. They are an insult to anyone who trains seriously, or even semi-seriously. And let’s not forget that their equipment is purple!
Planet Fitness has been around for a while, so why is this article being written now? This is simply a response to attacks by Planet Fitness on anyone who doesn’t fit their mold. Take a look at some commercials from Planet Fitness’s 2010 ad campaign:
This first ad clearly suggests that all big guys are idiots who only know how to “Lift things up and put them down.” We’ve all probably met someone like this, but the stereotype does not apply to everyone. For every stupid bodybuilder there’s one hundred normal ones. This obviously applies to meatheads in general, not just bodybuilders.
This second ad shows a stereotypically self-obsessed bodybuilder making his pecs dance according to his pen strokes. I realize bodybuilding is about aesthetics, but come on! Again, for every guy like this there are hundreds of normal guys. Well, as “normal” as you can be if you’re a bodybuilder.
And this final gem depicts another big guy struggling to tie his shoes in the locker room. He’s using the old “bunny ears” method that most people use when they’re four. His real name is Matthew Willig, he’s an actor, and he played tackle in the NFL for 14 seasons, arguably the position on the field that requires the most brains. Strong people are all so stupid, am I right?
Why so much hate on bodybuilders and strong people who are dedicated to their sport? Because Planet Fitness is a “judgment free zone,” that’s why. According to the opinion and philosophy of Planet Fitness, big, strong people judge other people for being fat, skinny, and weak. They’ve built their brand around the idea that they’re a shelter, a safe place from “intimidating” people who actually care about improving themselves. The gym even has something called a “Lunk Alarm,” which is a tornado siren that goes off when someone “Grunts, drops weights, does unapproved lifts such as deadlifting, or lifts too much weight.” That’s right, at Planet Fitness you can’t make any noise when you move a weight and if you do they will kick you out. They’ve got a proven track record of doing so. In fact, a corrections officer from Poughkeepsie, NY was removed from the gym by police for breathing hard when he was lifting and for the subsequent disagreement that took place. He was removed not for grunting, but FOR BREATHING HEAVILY! All of the gym’s policies are enforced with vigor, as if there’s an iron-fisted dictator running the place. No chalk, no grunting, no excessive noise, no unapproved lifts, no boots, no do-rags, no bandanas, no muscle shirts (whatever that means). If you violate one of the rules, even out of ignorance or by mistake, you’re sure to face a stiff reprimand. The Lunk Alarm and the pitbull-ish employees only serve to embarrass any members who don’t follow the Planet Fitness philosophy of being “regular.”
I’ll even give Planet Fitness the benefit of the doubt when it comes to dropping weights. Try not to drop them, it’s a simple rule that you’ll find in a lot of commercial gyms. But the whole “unapproved lifts” rule really gets to me. If deadlifts are unapproved, think of all the other lifts that patrons are unable to do. I’m assuming that olympic lifts are out of the question, as are good mornings, pin presses, t-bar rows, and free squats. In fact, most Planet Fitness gyms don’t even have squat racks. They do have massive signs above their cardio machines that read, “NO CRITICS.” Yes sir, at Planet Fitness there are no judgmental people and no critics. Unless, of course, you’re a bodybuilder, powerlifter, strongman, or just a serious trainee who wants to work harder than the morbidly obese middle aged woman on the stairclimber over there. If that’s the case, you’ll be judged right out the door.
On top of wiener-izing their clientele and outfitting their gyms with equipment fit for a nursing home, Planet Fitness has yet another trick up their sleeve. The first Monday of every month is “Pizza Day.” Unlimited pizza for members, all day. They also have a “Bagel Morning,” and on their own website they mention that they hand out over one million Tootsie Rolls per month to their members. That’s it, I’m calling conspiracy on this one! They set up this “judgment free” gym for “regular” people -no pressure, no contracts, no goals- and they give their clients free pizza and tootsie rolls? It’s a scheme, and they’re either the most wicked businesspeople on earth or the smartest. Or maybe both.
Imagine that I’m a drug dealer and you’re addicted to crack. You want to get clean but I keep dangling crack rocks in your face, telling you that “No one will judge you.” It’s going to be pretty hard for you to break that addiction when I keep fueling it, isn’t it? Even if I didn’t give you any crack, I’m certainly not helping you overcome your problem. Planet Fitness does the same thing, but instead of crack they throw pizza and candy in front of their clients’ faces. Even if the gym-goers choose not to eat the pizza, they’re still paying to go to a gym that doesn’t encourage and/or help them to change their lifestyle. What better way to keep clients coming back to your gym than to give them free fatty foods and create an environment geared towards not helping them lose weight? Maybe I should get in on this racket…
In closing, to those of you who spit in the face of places like Planet Fitness: Keep doing what you do. Lift heavy, drop weights, use chalk, grunt, scream, vomit, swear, and bleed. It’s a sad day when people choose a gym because they want it to be comfortable. If you want comfort, go to a spa. The whole idea of going to the gym, regardless of your training goal, is to make yourself uncomfortable! If Planet Fitness is for regular people, then I guess EliteFTS is for the freaks. If you’re serious about your training and your results, we salute you. Stay the course!
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There’s really no need to knock Planet Fitness or its clientele. The makers of these commercials knock bodybuilders because they know that their target audience is both jealous of and feels insecure around bodybuilders. Planet Fitness is the one who’s smiling, because these commercials bring in more and more insecure, weak minded clients . . . which results in Planet Fitness making much more money. The niche exists, and they’re making money off of it. Capitalism.
Besides, would you feel the need to respond to a fat, ugly, dumb redneck middle-school kid who called you an idiot? I sure as hell wouldn’t. Just smile, and be happy that you’re not as pathetic as Planet Fitness’ clientele.
First a confession, I did think the “I pick things up and put them down” ad was kinda funny.
But seriously, as much as I like to bitch about my commercial gym, the more reading I do about planet fitness, the more grateful I am for it. I had actually never heard of planet fitness before this, and I hope I never see one.
Any serious trainer should be angry, the more publicity this kind of bullshit approach to fitness receives, the more of a threat to your own training and your way of life! PF bought out a few World Gym’s in my area, full of great stuff from the 1980s, big ass dumbbells, everything. If you wanted to train for the Olympia or set a world record in powerlifting, I confidently say you could do it there. PF bought this place and do you know what happened to all that great stuff? IT WAS SOLD AS SCRAP and/or dumped. Im not kidding
lol i like how powerlifters think theyre the only badass people around when all they do is lay around, eat like a fat ass and lift heavy weight in simple fast movemens. id like to see how many people on this website can actually hold a squat for longer than 5 minutes or reach their toes for that matter, theres different types of strength and many are much more respectable than lifting heavy weight for 1 rep. i used to powerlift and thought i was so badass until i took a different approach to training and lost 30 lbs and now i actually look appealing to women and dont break a sweat when i reach down to tie my shoes. no im not going to planet fitness and yes i think that gym is ridiculous but i dont see the need in dedicating an article to bashing it lol, simply dont go. just like anything else, i dont go to church but u dont see me rantin and raving about how stupid christian people are.
I heart James. ADORABLE.
I thought this article was a joke, a spoof….
until I started reading the comments. O_O
I’m nothing to write home about in the gym, but I’m even shocked and appalled at this.
Lets be honest, they are brilliant marketers! I own three gyms which cater to a very athletic crowd. It’s a tough business, but these guys are VERY good at appealing to the market they have picked (some people described them not so nicely). While I don’t agree with their philosophy, at least they are getting these people moving. Every little bit helps when half the people in this country are over weight or obese
I tried to get a job a Planet unFitness training but I got denied because im 6ft 220! The manager said I looked like a bodybuilder and thats not what they are looking for? Im not even a bodybuilder, i just like to mix powerlifting with cardio and train High School football players?
If its a “jugment free zone” why are they so prejudice?
I have no love and opt to nuke that planet!
I think Planet Fitness is an awesome idea. It keeps the pu$$ies out of the gym I go to. So yay no more ass hats hogging up the benches on their cell phones, or curling in the squat rack. So go get em PF and by that I mean attract your clients and get em away from me.
These commercials enrage me. This place with all these stupid commercials are an insult to anyone worth a shit in the iron game, whether it be a bodybuilder, powerlifter, or strongman. I want to go to one of those gyms in my area, warmup to about 600 lbs. in the deadlift, pull it up, & just let it go & slam to the ground. When they come to kick me out, I’ll respond, “I lift things up & put them down.” I think everyone across America should do the same.
Great article on Planet Fatness. I’ve written 3 articles on my site denouncing PF. Did you know that they did away with there Personal Trainers and in a statement released by their CEO called Personal Trainers and the Profession of Personal Training a sham. We’re nothing more than a “rent a friend”.
This article is played out. We all know about Planet Fitness by now, and we all know to avoid it. You just wasted a valuable part of your day writing about something you can’t do a damn thing about, and a gym’s policy that isn’t going to change. Do you really think a rep from PF is going to read this and see the light? Try focusing your efforts on something that will make a difference.
Oklahoma City just opened their first planet fatness, and within 3 days of cutting the bacon laced ribbon they have their first casualty. One of the rejects for the biggest loser went down hard and had to be driven to the hospital via ambulance. I’m Lovin it.
Well in defense of Planet Fitness, i do currently attend one, and they DO in fact have the alarm, but have NEVER seen it go off nor kick people out for grunting loudly and/or dropping weights. So i guess its just PF that follow the rules to a “t”. Plus PF has a SERIOUS lack of equipment, for example the DB’s here max out @ 70lbs. like wtf is that about? Any who, theres plenty of gyms out there if planet fitness is not your cup of tea.
You nailed this one on the head, Zach.
I got kicked out of a planet fitness years ago. That was after several reprimands, including one where my training partner was breathing too loudly.
Oh, and the commercials are obviously way over-the-top, but I still laugh every time I see them!
i pay $40 a month to stay at my outdated, dirty, dudes gym as opposed to $10 at planet fatness. everything about the place i hate. yeah i do grunt at times when i’m in serious discomfort, at the end of my workout i’m a sweaty mess. i do power cleans and dead lifts, i use chalk, i love maxxing out a bench press and squatting double my body weight. i haven’t used a worthless machine, eliptical machine, or stair climber ever in my life. any gym that gives away pizza and bagels is a gym looking for people to fail and not get serious about working out, because if they do get serious the first thing they’ll do is cancel their planet fatness membership.
Whomever wrote this article is just bitter because they dont own a planet fitness. Planet fitness has one of the best business models in the past century. Planet fitness is the dunkin donuts of fitness facilities. Anyone who bashes pf is just bitter that they aren’t cashing in on all the profits that pf affiliates enjoy. The gym in general has more cardio than any other cookie cutter gym out their. Pf offers the best rates with no commitment or hasle to cancel you just cant beat it
Hey SharlFitness, yes, personal trainers ARE nothing more than a rent-a-friend service.
I worked out at Planet Fitness for a while. I never, ever experienced any sort of discrimination there. There were some serious athletes, a lot of out of shape, over-weight people… and then people in between. No one ever said a word to me when I did deadlifts (but then again, I’m a fat girl…)
I’m pretty sure that some of these examples are some petty single events — as they typically are. I love Planet Fitness for not only allowing a relatively decent place for beginning and intermediate lifters to train, but also keeping the cost worth it!
Since I live across the town, I cancelled my PF membership, and work out at Gold’s Gym… and I have to say, I’m not in my goal weight yet, but I’ve dropped a lot of weight, slowly and surely, in the past year. I get dirty looks at the gym far more often now from the meatheads. I miss, I truly do miss, the more laid-back atmosphere of PF.
Gold’s… full of prissy people that feel like they have to dress up to show-up! But, they do have more serious equipment, unfortunately. I am at a point, where I enjoy the variety Gold’s have to offer. I wish I could just take the “judgment free” attitude of PF’s there, too.
We are very sorry for all the trouble we have caused those who take their health and fitness very seriously! We have taken advantage of weak willed people who would prefer to be fiscally fit than physically fit, and we have shunned those of you who would hope to take advantage of our gym and amazing prices. Therefore we have made an executive decision to change our brand to more accurately convey our business model. You may find a link to our new website below:
Planet Fatness
It has always been our intention to slowly and surely rope our members in to a membership that we know that they are WAY TOO LAZY to cancel and charge them $40 every year until they realize that $0 down really means $120 four years later! We are laughing all the way to the bank while our members literally just ROLL!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Suckaz!!!!
Hey, I really enjoyed this posting!
I am a member of a Planet Fitness and I totally agree with this article. It is all true. But I have to tell you for the price I pay a month, $7.50, I still get the workout I need to stay in shape. Even if the equipment is that ugly purple. I wish I could afford a nice gym. Trust me I wouldn’t hesitate to join another gym.
I hardly agree with any of these comments. All PF is, is a general fitness gym. I have seen both results and fatassses, but thats any gym. At our PF, there are no rules about lifting, as we do have bodybuilders that work out there, so I don’t know what that’s about……we have tootsie rolls, but I’m hypoglycemic, so its nice to have a 10g of sugar boost when I’m about to pass out. The pizza is another story though. The lunk alarm gets set off at our gym when someone throws weights….seriously, if you can’t put something down like a normal human being, then maybe you just belong in a zoo. Also, being kicked out for breathing heavy is bs…….the only time someone is even spoken to is when they’re screaming and It’s causing a scene, and no line has been kicked out of our gym yet. Maybe your PF just sucks, but the ones in Florida seem to not be run by retards.
I’ve been seeking looking around for this type of info. Will you post some extra in future? I’ll be grateful for those who will.
The tyranny of low expectations is, more than anything else, just plain saddening.
(You have to admit though… “I lift things up and put them down” is actually a tops motto. That’s almost precisely what I do.)
For a while the Planet Fitness crap has been pissing me off.
But then, I started to wonder… What if they really caught on? They could really help to keep the masses fat, lazy and weak… And it could be even more contagious, creating new hoards fat, lazy and weak dipshits.
Then the rest of us would just be that much more awesome.
That would be OK with me.
Is that Arnold saying “cool at the end”! Good for him!! any comments on mine, I’ll talk to ya in the mournin’! “SHITNESS” rules!
that was a quote from james
I think we’re all not so much outraged by the existence of PF, but more by the fact that they are taking away other options of gyms, such as World’s Gym.
awesome article!!! i have worked out at a planet fitness only because of conveince my friend could bring a guess and i was broke and jobless. i hated it so much but i was luckily the employees at this one were there only for a paycheck they all worked out at the gym down the road lol. that is sad its employees dont like workin out there. it shows the complacentcy our country has gotten and the idea everybody wins attitude and people are rewarded for failure what bs. plus when i was there most of the patrons were preppy fit people already that did nothing but socialize and since then when going to other gyms i see the out of shape people in the other gyms because there they can actually change there appearance and improve there fitness. plus if someone is obese or extremely weak they should be judged to a degree it might save there life no wonder we are the fattest country in the world.
Hey, if you want to sell to America, you market to lazy fatasses, who are the dominant market segment. This shouldn’t surprise anyone.
It’s a real shame reading these comments. I have no affiliation to elitefts and certainly don’t speak on their behalf. I can however understand why elite is so against this gym and everything it stands for. Watch any video or read any article by Dave Tate(and other elite employees) and it’s clear to see the guy’s aim is to provide the average person with the knowledge to succeed regarding their goals within the gym both physically and mentally. His fight against misinformation is clear for all to see. The guy cares about the health and fitness of US citizens and the state of the fitness industry in the US itself. For people to comment saying what brilliant marketing PF has; It provides a need for people or is a great intro gym. You’re missing the whole point..This gym isn’t the enemy because it discriminates against muscled people (Who gives a monkeys about that..). It’s the enemy because it compounds the widespread misinformation regarding diet (free pizza and sweets..?) and exercise that has seen obesity figures rise so sharply.
“According to the opinion and philosophy of Planet Fitness, big, strong people judge other people for being fat, skinny, and weak.”
I do judge them… because 95% of the time it’s their own choice to be that way. Just like its my own choice to be big and strong.
Wow. Just wow. And I thought the situation in Germany with Mc Fit around was bad. You know, huge cardio area, worst coaching that you have ever seen and so on but THAT is the worst “gym” I have EVER seen in my entire life.
Some might say that we just shouldn´t care because we know better but seriously:
Those guys sabotage people (fat, skinny, lazy, whatever) who finally got up and decided to do something. And they are paid for this! It´s ridiculous!
Unfortunately, I cannot argue with PF’s marketing strategy. From a purely fiscal standpoint, they are smart to position themselves to profit from the ongoing “wussification,” of America.
Bodybuilders and powerlifters should get together and sue this place. After seeing the episode of the daily show and seeing that biatch make fun of us was kinda messed up. If you see there commercials they also make fun of skinny weak people. We should march on planet fitness and pick it up and slam it down.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/278556/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-the-plight-of-muscled-americans
According to the planet fitness rep, if you like to do squats or deadlifts you’re an animal and belong in a cage away from the civilized people who can hang out at planet fitness. Makes sense.
Personally, I’m a huge fan of Planet Fitness. They weed out all the people I don’t want taking up space in my (real) gym.
Not all Planet Fitness gyms are as described in the article. I squat in a squat rack, deadlift with chalk and power clean at the one I belong to.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-september-14-2011/the-plight-of-muscled-americans
@James. Right so if people don’t like something they should mind their business and not rant a rave about how stupid it is. Great point. So why are you bashing powerlifters? Accurate depiction I might add. We sit around, eat and do nothing. Oh and we don’t train either. Oh and the three lifts we do? Easy I know. You just sound like an idiot (and that’s being generous), it’s called mutual respect. Respect others for their goals, work ethic and achievement. And you said you lost 30 lbs. which is great, but you said “at least i’m appealing to women now”. That’s your long term goal? so when your banging out that last rep or eating that meal that you don’t really want whats going through your mind is “increase sex appeal”. I know I said not to bash peoples goals but you took a swing at mine so i’ll take one at yours.
If you dont like it, dont go.
I only read a bit of the article but I dont understand why someone would get upset over a place that they wouldnt want to join.
Im in the fitness industry and have been on conference calls with the CEO of PF, hes kind of an idiot ti be honest about a lot of things…BUT he really gets this model.
Dont be surprised if you see a lot of Gold’s gyms using their pricing strategy to get new members in their clubs…
James look at any of the numerous powerlifters in lighter weight classes. Even the heavier guys can box jump 40+ inches. GPP may not have been a part of your training, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a part of anyone’s. You are simply feeding into another stereotype.
Don’t lie, you’re just jealous someone else came up with a brilliant business model.
Aaron (and others who seem to think PF is a brilliant business), First of; Assuming PF have a brilliant business model is a fallacy. Any business that profits hugely on questionable or severely lacking business ethics is a bad business imo. Its proven time after time, the companies that go above and beyond in providing the service or product they sell in a visionary manner, are the ones to stand the test of time. And according to wall street analysts, they also make more money.
It can be summed up to something as simple as “Dont make a deal that doesn’t benefit both seller and buyer”. Can also be read as: “Don’t exploit your customer just because you _can_”.
As a business owner, I’d be ashamed if I intentfully screwed over my customers.
There are plenty of stories of small towns where PF has bought up any and all gyms in a specific area so that people are either forced to drive 20 miles to work out or choose PF.
Opening a club running on minimum cost operations, with minimum wage staff, no equipment variety and no qualified trainers, while reaping short term gains and then running aggressive expansion with the rich-uncle approach as a tool to fork the dough in, is a not good business model but sadly it works because of the stupidity of the average american. Paying for a pipe dream
I am going to get a membership for $10 a month and only show up during pizza monday. Eat the equivalent of a large pizza 2-3 times a day. I just saved 20 dollars.
I don’t understand why training for anything specific would be nice or enjoyable, I mean to get strong you got to subject your body to heavier and more uncomfortable loads. To become faster you got to attempt to move faster in less time. To lose all that extra unwanted body fat you got to move out of your nice comfortable zone. If you do a heavy deadlift it will make some noise. I think the planet fitness ideal is shit and total utter wank! But I can see that it’s a good business move because after all it takes a certain knid of personality to continue to train in such a way that is far removed from things like nice, polite, enjoyable or fun. All the other folks go to planet shitness.
Their campaign really pissed me off too. The entire premise is that because they perceived that bigger guys make fun of smaller guys, it’s OK for them to openly make fun of them back.
Well, replace the word “make fun of” does that mean that anybody in the world could abuse the abuser? Bully the bullies? Enslaved the enslaved?
I sure hope not. So humiliate others because they feel humiliated. That is one of the most socially irresponsible campaign I’ve ever seen.
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Wow, I’ve never even heard about this place untill now. I totally agree with everything you said in the article. I’m happy I have almost everything I need at home.
Planet Fitness is the devil. I am actually sure of this.
I find every post on here extremely amusing. Excpet the one about some “biggest loser reject” collapsing…??? I’m sorry, I guess I’m a human being and I don’t find that anything to “love” Why are people so pissed off? If you don’t like this kind of gym, simply don’t join. You don’t need to label all of the clientele as fat, weak, and not serious about health and fitness. I’m extremely fit, just concurred my first 50 mile marathon. I also do strenghth training. PF has everything I need, other than yoga. I’m sorry but how can you beat $10/month? I used to be an Anytime Fitness member and then moved away. I don’t care if you’re a “lunk” or if you pick things up and put them down…. I also don’t think that’s all other gyms are about. Don’t rip on people for struggling with weight and actually attempting to make a difference. We all struggle with something, right? SHEESH, can’t we all just get along?? Stop picking on people who work out at PF. And if people do partake in a slice of pizza once a month and that makes them a fat ass?!?!? That’s just sillyness.
It is great when you so called body builders are bashing a gym you actually go to and you most likely work at. Stop lying to yourselves it it their concept and it works open your own gym and see how you do…
complain ,,complain….if you don’t like the rules on planet fitness….go somewhere else,,,,,SIMPLE…..