Planet Fitness

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: raytseng
agree that you should just go and try it. every gym will give you free days before joining to check things out.

their model is to be more of a clubhouse and inviting. the irony is that the cheaper it is, psychologically you dont go and you break the promises you make to yourself.

if the gym was more expensive, you end up using it more. the fact that you already paid a good amount pushes you as a commitment device.


When I first joined PF with about half a dozen coworkers just after their grand opening, one of us asked how they could possibly make money charging only $10/month. The manager told us they were counting on 95% of the members only coming once or twice a year, typically after they re-upped following their New Year's resolutions. That's exactly what happens, the places are packed in the first couple of weeks of January and then maybe moderately busy at most for the rest of the year. People like me who went 2 or more times a week were being subsidized by the New Year's resolution crowd...

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: andrewg
Invest the money in a home gym and avoid the moronic public.


After my experience with them, I agree. When you try to terminate the membership agreement (I moved) there are numerous hoops to jump through, or they will charge you a cancellation fee. Read the membership agreement...

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: BISCUT
Originally Posted By: steveh
Don't like it, the one in our town has no free weights and only has dumbbells up to 70LBS.


Ones by me have free weights but the dumbells stop at 70lbs. That one just screams keep away you dirty men.


PF was always lights on the number of free weight plates they had around, probably on purpose to keep bodybuilders and powerlifters away. This was a particular issue with the free weight leg press for me, a gym should really keep some 100 lb plates around to make it easier to load those up for a decent workout and I would have a tough time even finding 12 45 lb plates to get warmed up. They had a decent pulley based machine for the same lift, so I ended up using that most of the time even though the stack was not really a challenge.
Smith machine was OK for bench press, but it's a different exercise when you don't have to stabilize the front/back and side/side. The pulley chest press machine seemed more or less equivalent to the Smith machine and was a lot faster.

 

[Andrew1972]

Nothing wrong with place. It is franchise owned so there may be slight differences.

They make as corp. a ton of money for corporate and franchises. They are locally headquartered and I know quite a few folks who work there and own franchises of them.

The funny part is these same folks go to higher end gyms

but are highly compensated.

 

[Cujet]

I frequent on in Jax, FL. Nice place, nice folks. A bit shy on free weights and other useful exercise toys, such as battle ropes and other toys. Otherwise a great place with sufficient useful machines for my style.

 

[L_Sludger]

I have an idea for a successful website:
"People of Planet Fitness"
A photoblog hosting pictures of the characters who frequent that establishment

Reference: People of Walmart, personal experience as a onetime member, etc.

 

[bradepb]

I go to one near me and it is always clean and not overly crowded, cant beat it for 10 a month. It is not a place for serious bodybuilding but just fine for people who want to stay in or get in shape.

 

[Tahoe4Life]

A lot of guys in my neck of the woods switched from Youfit to Planet Fitness. They are both within a couple of miles of each other. Planet being open 24/7 helps but a lot of vehicles get broken into after midnight at Planet. Nothing good happens in my neck of the woods after midnight.

 

[HM12460]

Been a member for 3 years now after my local gym closed down. Nice, clean place with clean locker rooms. High staff turn over. Usually busy in January, February but slows down after that. Just about dead in the summer time, at times. It's a no brainer if you want to stay in shape.

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted By: HM12460
Been a member for 3 years now after my local gym closed down. Nice, clean place with clean locker rooms. High staff turn over. Usually busy in January, February but slows down after that. Just about dead in the summer time, at times. It's a no brainer if you want to stay in shape.


We call that Gymuary at our local Y. All the New Years resolutions folks arrive and stay 2-6 weeks. Usually most are cleared out by the end of February.

Maybe someone reading this can come up with a suitably similar name for Feb, keeping it family friendly of course.