• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Why does Planet Fitness get such a bad rap?

Page 8 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
purbeast0 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
TheGardener said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
TheGardener said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
edro said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
smackababy said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Fingolfin269 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Fingolfin269 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
smackababy said:
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.
Click to expand...

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
 
Last edited:
Ackmed said:
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...
.......
Click to expand...

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.
 
TheGardener said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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
 
I'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of PF critics are in no better shape than the general public.
 
TallBill said:
Not true. Everyone that "lifts" should be squatting, benching, deadlifting, and pressing.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top