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If PF only knew the disdain many people whom follow T Nation has for them…
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Jesus, that argument took a dark turn…
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Every now and then I see some disparaging remarks about Planet Fitness but I had no idea it was really that bad. They have one location in Ottawa on the other side of town but I have never been there. The photos on Twitter show rules including no grunting, no deadlifts, no powerlifting, no personal gym equipment, no overhead presses, no super setting, and no do rags/skull caps/bandanas. I can understand some commercial gyms don’t want deadlifts but the other stuff is just ridiculous. Basically, no serious training is allowed at all. I thought Goodlife sucked but this is a thousand times worse.
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This one is not entirely unreasonable 
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But baseball caps or sweatbands are allowed? What about hijabs? Or what if a girl doesn’t have her hair done and wants to wrap it up in a do rag or bandana? I guess it’s a judgement-free zone so you can just go in there with your hair looking a mess, but that’s worse.
Blubber nugget.
That’s what popped into my head as I started thinking about fat people’s heads.
Like “I was reaching for another donut, but stubbed my toe and fell, knocking my blubber nugget off of the table. So can you hand me a donut that doesn’t have blood on it? I can’t move my legs right now.”.
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Actually I believe there has been some lawsuit regarding them expelling women for wearing hijabs in the past.
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How can this be serious? Do the staff come over and force you to rest 90-120 seconds before performing a set of a different exercise?
Yes … #judgementfreezone
Yes, because training hard is bad for you apparently.
I would never train at a Planet Fitness if I had a choice, but I’ve come around to understanding why they exist.
I’d never patronize one and I think their whole “judgment-free” thing is bullshit (they just judge in other ways) but if they want to create a sterile environment for people to walk on treadmills or elliptical machines while they read the newspaper or watch TV, whatever (it does kind of make me wonder why they have any free weights at all, but I digress). If you want to train hard, just don’t go to one. They don’t cater to that crowd.
People that get kicked out of Planet Fitness for deadlifting are not really deserving of sympathy if you ask me. They should know very well not to be there in the first place.
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I think that’s what the kids today call “no chill.”
“We forgot your business model is simultaneously “sell memberships and hope people don’t show up” and “make sure those who show up make unnecessarily slow progress”.”
What’s weird is that it looks like the PF Twitter hasn’t actually posted anything since 2017. Their Twitter presence is pretty much searching for their name and interacting with people (hat tip, GaryVee). But “-Jon” bumped into the wrong account and had to hand it over to “-Paul” when things went sideways.
Pretty much, yep. I had a membership with my wife (then girlfriend), mostly so she could use the treadmills and I could walk her through some basic lifting. Dumbbells up to 60 pounds, 3 Smith machines, a rack of fixed weight EZ curl bars, a ton of bodypart-specific machines, and a really nice big cable station with the cool dual pulleys at the pulldown seats. But I think each franchise is equipped a bit different. Pretty sure John Romaniello used to manage one that had a few actual squat racks.
You absolutely know what you’re getting in to when you’re there. It’s stupid cheap and has enough for a decent workout if you program accordingly.
Goofing on them is easy because we’re uber hardcore macho liftbrahs, but the gym itself has specific target demo, just like CrossFit boxes do and just like Westside does.
That said, their embarrassing rationalizing of serving free pizza, bagels, and candy is a whole different matter and truly pathetic.
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They are. There’s one close to me that I checked out for the same reason. It had the typical cardio bank, then a big row of racks and whatnot. I think they have a deal with the local HS or something because the place was packed, (consistently is) with teens all in pretty good shape.
I bailed on membership as they don’t allow kids under 13. Figured I could drop the kiddo in the kid room and do my thing but they weren’t equipped for that at the time.
My best friend started a gaming betting platform, emailed Gary V every day until they got a 10 minute pitch, nailed the pitch, and got him to invest.
But yes, the no judgement zone when their corporate office has “fireball Friday’s” and forcefully terminated employees who complain about being raped on retreats is somewhat of a conflict of interest.
I don’t know… taking shots at PF for being that kind of gym is like taking shots at Burger King for not serving tacos. Bringing up the sexual harassment just seems a bit below the belt.
Well for clarification taking pop shots at PF isnt directed towards the actual individuals whom go there. More so its directed towards the corporate heads.
Ironic is it not ? give reward individuals trying to loose weight or get fitter by providing them free of charge those types of things that have gotten them into the boat they find themselves in. Sorta like giving out shots of whiskey out at a AA meeting.
My issue I have with them goes much deeper than something as minor than that. I just find it ironic that they type of people they discourage from going there are the same type that helped developed the Fitness Boom of the 80’s making gyms and fitness facilities marketable.
@Chris_Colucci I actually find it amusing when asked a directed pointed question the main justification by PF was using their membership numbers as a form of deflection.
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The sad thing is that Planet Fitness does seem to be giving the average commercial gymgoer what they want while keeping out those who don’t fit that profile. Most commercial gyms that I have seen are at least 80% machines and only a little bit of actual weights. Years ago I used to go to the YMCA and they had just recently brought back the 90 and 100lb dumbbells, they took them away previously because some people complained that they were intimidated by the big strong guys. For someone who has neither the space at home or money to buy their own equipment it’s definitely worth paying a bit extra to train in a gym that welcomes serious lifters.
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