Planet Fitness - insanity, or subtle brilliance?

[67alecto]

I was reading on another forum and someone mentioned in passing about how a gym chain called Planet Fitness banned deadlifting. Curious, I read up on it as the DL is the one exercise that I'm most worried about hurting myself with. Expecting some horror story about someone's arms ripped off, I instead found that this natrionwide chain bans any sort of "intimidating" behavior.

This includes the removal of all squat racks/cages, dumbbells heavier than 80lbs, running too fast on the treadmills, and even grunting. Further reading (to verify what seemed to be outrageous claims) lead me to see they also ban water containers larger than 20oz, tank tops, and so on. They actually have an alarm they sound called a Lunk alarm to shame violators. They do this all in the name of their gyms being "judgement free zones" (Which includes not having any scales on the premises).

Then I came across several mentions of how they give away pizza frequently, have bagel breakfasts, and so on. WTF?! At a gym?

I went to their web page and they actually brag about the following:

On our once-a-month Pizza Night, we give away 400,000 slices. That's more than 4 million slices of pizza a year.

We hand out more than a million Tootsie Rolls every month.

Now it hits me...they make intensity against the rules, champion mediocrity in their workouts, and give out free junk food. Talk about a license to print money.

One of the best stories I read was about a guy who was deadlifting when one of the people came up to tell him to stop. The lift responded "Pick up that weight...unless you can pick it up, I'm not listening to you".

[CapN_Tommy_Sunshine]

"Pick up that weight...unless you can pick it up, I'm not listening to you".

Hilarious!

[Steve]

Wow, that sounds like the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

It's like not having winners and losers in kid's sports. OF COURSE somebody wins and loses. If your kid's team loses, better he learns right away that life isn't all cupcakes and rainbows, and how to gracefully handle defeat.

God forbid somebody is stronger than somebody else, or is in better shape than somebody else.

I'm gonna go punch some drywall.

-Steve

[adam]

That's a great way to build up knuckle strength, you know?

Without deadlifting there's no such thing as a gym. It's just a room with some people in it. I mean c'mon.

[Dantes]

That is actually a brilliant policy.

Keep people in a constant state of mediocrity.

They feel great about themselves because they're "working out" but they don't make any progress so they keep coming back again and again.

People love it because they get free pizza as well.

I'm actually impressed with how sneaky and evil that is. And I thought Monsanto was bad.

[CapN_Tommy_Sunshine]

Oh, you don't want to get me started on Monsanto.

[Dantes]

Oh, you don't want to get me started on Monsanto.

Hahahahaha. Oh I don't know, the most Evil company in the world? What's not to love about them?

[spezzy]

i went to a planet fitness when i was looking into gyms. the guy never told me that deadlifts weren't allowed.

oh, but wait, he wouldn't need to tell me that i couldn't do deadlifts, because he's the guy that told me that girls don't need to lift weights

maybe that's a part of their 'no judgement zone' thing too.

girls go on the elliptical for hours on end while boys lift 10 lb weights and walk on the treadmills.

while eating pounds and pounds of pizza at the same time.

brilliant!

i also find this interesting because all of their locations have full tanning beds in them that you can use for free.

so they support being bright orange and eating pizza, but are against deadlifts and running too quickly.

maybe their owner has an oompa loompa obsession

[Alessan]

I just can't believe this... I'm laughing my ass off, but it's hard to believe in this story, it goes against any decent logic, except for the money earning logic...

[Dantes]

I just can't believe this... I'm laughing my ass off, but it's hard to believe in this story, it goes against any decent logic, except for the money earning logic...

According to Capitalism that's the only kind of logic we should be caring about right?

[NukeTheUnicorns]

who runs this place, Gwyneth Paltrow?

[Steve]

who runs this place, Gwyneth Paltrow?

Hahahahaha, nice.

-S

[Obsessionkilled]

I actually do go to a Planet Fitness. I hate it but its $10 a month. I do do Deadlifts and have not had anyone yell at me for it. They also ban certain types of clothing. I think it depends on your gym. I actually won my Very own Lunk Alarm from a Contest on FAcebook.

Pf in theory is supposed to be an "Average Joe's Gym" (remember the movie DodgeBall?) unfortunately It comes a cross as not quite that. I really am ready to move on to 70 pound deadlifts myself but how do I do it when we don't really have any weight lifting equipment? The Floor Area is pitiful Small and the Free weights aren't all that impressive either. They pride themselves on having Ab Machines and such and see no rush in getting equipment Fixed when it is broken. I have actually watched some of the Personal TRainers and you can really tell most of them are nowhere near as knowledgable as the PT I see (it is in a seperate Personal TRaining Gym).

As for Bagel Tuesday and Pizza Friday (one night a month) I personally don't see it as bad as long as someone does it in Moderation buuuuuut most of the People who go to PF generally aren't very knowledgeable and/or working very hard. The only other Gym option for me is a Place called Work Out World and they are 5 times more expensive If you want to do classes they charge extra for those).

Oh and PF also Offers Tanning and Massage chairs for after your work outs. (thos silly virbating recliner things).

[NukeTheUnicorns]

I actually do go to a Planet Fitness. I hate it but its $10 a month.

if you saved that ten dollars a month you could probably afford a power rack, a barbell, and some plates within a year.

just sayin'

[Obsessionkilled]

I actually do go to a Planet Fitness. I hate it but its $10 a month.

if you saved that ten dollars a month you could probably afford a power rack, a barbell, and some plates within a year.

just sayin'

I live in a small Apartment... I don't really have the room for it. Plus I won't work out at home. I have a total Gym, Some small free weights and plenty of DVDs. I need to be out of the house to exercise I wont do it at home. It is too easily distracting.