Post: #1

I hate this gym franchise but I am forced to go there for lack of better options. They're in practically every city in the nation, and I live in an RV and travel constantly. I use them mainly for the showers, but also try to get in a half-ass workout using their rather pitiful equipment selection. My question is this:

How does this franchise exist?

I was told immediately upon joining by the rep that they "don't cater to bodybuilders or guys with big muscles." I thought that was a really bizarre thing to say, and also noted everything in the damn place is purple. But OK< whatever, I can live with it.

But the kind of shit that's in the two attached photos is in your face all the time. I like how they use the term "lunk" when they really mean "asshole", because it allows them to be passive aggressive and it's socially acceptable enough that they can stick it on a 10x10 board on the wall. The statement underneath it has to be the most non-self-aware, hypocritically judgmental thing I've ever seen in print.

Then the second photo is of a muscular male with a giant red circle and a slash. What if we opened a gym franchise with an image of a fat chick in the same circle, and posted a 10x10 NO FAT CHICKS on the wall? This is exactly the same as what they're doing...but we all know that some authority or activist group would find a way to either murder us, jail us, or otherwise destroy our lives.

And the gallon water jug bit...seriously? Staying hydrated is bad?

I'm probably overreacting, but I fucking hate this business and feel that it is a prime example of feminist modern society.

Can we sue these bastards for some sort of discrimination or otherwise drag their name through the mud until they stop doing this shit? You know if it was the NO FAT CHICKS GYM, there would be lawsuits aplenty and maybe a presidential address.

Post: #2

You're right. It does have that anti-masculine theme to it. Much like everything else in America.

Post: #3

This is the gym that feeds its patrons free pizza, candy and donuts. I'm not making this up. They know their market and they're exploiting it. I can't blame them.

Post: #4

No way. Didn't know they went to these extremes. You're right, this is outright feminism. Do blacks and whites piss in different bathrooms too?

Post: #5

You want to sue Planet Fitness? Jesus Christ, that is hilarious. Have fun spending hundreds of thousands in lawyer costs.

How they stay in business? Easy. Gyms don't make money from people that actually go there. They make money from people who don't show up. So be thankful for all those people that subsidize your gym membership.

Post: #6

Its a sufficient gym for a vast majority of the population to be profitable. All the retirees use it for social hour, and $10/month is low enough for people to rationalize re-upping every month while hardly ever setting foot inside the place. Its a good hustle, can't knock em for that.

I use it now, love it for the convenience (5 min from home), and the price; and gives me enough to do upper body wise as I rehab my shoulder. I do hate that they don't have barbells (just those stupid smith machines) so I gotta think of more creative ways to work my legs out.

Post: #7

(03-19-2015 06:41 PM)Tresdus Wrote:  How they stay in business? Easy. Gyms don't make money from people that actually go there. They make money from people who don't show up. So be thankful for all those people that subsidize your gym membership.

Exactly.

I've been an Anytime Fitness member for the past three years, and I'm good friends with the owner of my home gym. He tells me that 90%+ of their revenue is derived from people who attend the gym, on average, less than once every 30 days. He thinks it's psychological-the pain of being billed $40/month is less than the pain of canceling the membership (i.e., admitting defeat). Just being a member and having the option to go to the gym makes them feel good, even if most of the time they're procrastinating and telling themselves "I'll get around to going next week".

Post: #8

Planet Fitness is the big box retailer of membership gyms. And just as Walmart had its place in the scheme of things, so does Planet Fitness. Hate on it all you want, the place is cheap. I make it there 3 to 4 times a week and have no complaints. it may not be the YMCA, but for now it will do. When I get the $$$ I will hire my own damn trainer and go from there. In the meantime, Planet Fitness has to suffice.
As for that idiotic lunk alarm, I've only heard it go off twice in the year I've been a member. It was pretty damn funny both times.
Last week there was a young dude working out on one of the machines behind me. He did some routine far in excess of what he should've have been using and dropped the weights. Then he walked away. Five minutes later, he did the same thing. This happened again, but no one hit the alarm.
I forgot about him. Then I heard a scream which sounded like a cat in heat, whipped around to see young dude on the same goddamn machine emitting the shriek. I asked him if he was OK, but he couldn't hear me because he had his tunes plugged in. Young dude dropped the weights one final time and scampered off. Didn't see him for the rest of the evening.
It's for people like him the alarm was designed

Post: #9

(03-19-2015 06:36 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  This is the gym that feeds its patrons free pizza, candy and donuts.

Post: #10

Well, at $10/month you could join another real gym and just show up at PF for the pizza...bulk!

There are some hilarious lunk alarm videos on YouTube. I remember some posted here... Search for "Planet Fitness Roid Rage" on YouTube.

Post: #11

Wait...there is actually a functional alarm? Holy shit. I will look for that next time.

On the positive side it's cool to learn about the gym business model.

The only place I can find in the entire building to do a chin-up is the stretching "device" and my head hits it on every rep. Fuck this place so hard

Post: #12

On one hand I always respect a good hustle. Like, I may loathe that cunt Anita Sarkeesian but she has made herself rich by exploiting both sides of an explosive issue. Game recognized.

The same with this. I absolutely loathe the standards of society that allows Planet Fitness to thrive. The idea that maximizing your physical strength makes you a lunk is so anti-masculine and obnoxious. And the idea of a gym where I can't deadlift is sacrilege. But they are making money off of the fat ugly feminists that I don't want to deal with at my gym, so I guess game recognized.

Post: #13

Wait? Isn't calling someone a "lunk" judgmental?

Wouldn't that make anyone who rings the lunk alarm, themselves a lunk?

Post: #14

I think that was one of my favorites. I crack up when he does the chalk.

Post: #15

Because of the crazy hours I keep, the only options for me are Planet Fatness and Anytine Fitness. I used to go to 24 hour fitness in California and I thought it was better than the other two gyms, but unfortunately there isn't one in my area, so I am limited to the other two. I kept getting locked out of Anytime Fitness due to problems with my key fob, so then only real choice for me is Planet Fatness. I've become by far the strongest I've ever been as a result of going there and it's cheap, so I can't really complain. I've only heard the lunk alarm go off once in over a year and I have no idea why it went off.

Post: #16

LOL they actually sound an alarm if people grunt or drop weights??

I mean sometimes grunting can be excessive (as seen in the trolling job) but in that case the gym workers should just approach and ask them to lower their outbursts as to not disturb people, if even approach them at all.

In any case it's so rare to see grunting behaviour that is even remotely annoying.

Post: #17

Post: #18

(03-19-2015 08:58 PM)Suits Wrote:  Wait? Isn't calling someone a "lunk" judgmental?

Wouldn't that make anyone who rings the lunk alarm, themselves a lunk?

They fancy themselves as a "Judgment Free Zone"

Not making that up either

Post: #19

(03-19-2015 08:48 PM)Killface Wrote:  Wait...there is actually a functional alarm? Holy shit. I will look for that next time.

On the positive side it's cool to learn about the gym business model.

The only place I can find in the entire building to do a chin-up is the stretching "device" and my head hits it on every rep. Fuck this place so hard

You probably just got shit out of luck with the ownership that operates your gym. The planet fitness I go to has a pull-up bar, some basic cross-fit equipment, and battle ropes, so I guess each owner can add whatever he wants as long as he keeps to the "basic" planet fitness model.

Post: #20

(03-19-2015 09:34 PM)MY DETROIT PLAYAS Wrote:  

(03-19-2015 08:58 PM)Suits Wrote:  Wait? Isn't calling someone a "lunk" judgmental?

Wouldn't that make anyone who rings the lunk alarm, themselves a lunk?

They fancy themselves as a "Judgment Free Zone"

Not making that up either

I do love the fact they let a guy into the woman's bathroom and banned the woman complaining about it.

Post: #21

People should go to each one and stick a penny in the 'lunk alarm' buttons.

Post: #22

(03-19-2015 06:36 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  This is the gym that feeds its patrons free pizza, candy and donuts. I'm not making this up. They know their market and they're exploiting it. I can't blame them.

Post: #23

Planet Fitness is old news.

The nice thing about capitalism and a (relatively) free society is that if as a consumer you don't like something you don't have to buy it.

Fuck Planet Fitness?! Good! Then don't go there. Go to a crossfit gym or a powerlifting gym. Or better yet, buy a power rack for your home and put it in your garage with classic farrah fawcett and arnold posters for motivation! Then you can jam out to Iron Maiden without headphones on too and grunt like you're moving a mountain and no one will care.

Find your superior niche and thrive in it, but don't let bullshit below-average people and niches get under your skin and get you down. Let go of that shit.

Post: #24

(03-19-2015 10:37 PM)monster Wrote:  ....

Find your superior niche and thrive in it, but don't let bullshit below-average people and niches get under your skin and get you down. Let go of that shit.

This. Not talking about gyms in particular but rather life in general. For the longest time, I used to rue the fuked up society we live in. Even now, I sometimes see threads here on RVF that get my blood pressure going and I'm itching to start commenting and venting my frustrations at just how completely retarded and degenerate things are getting.

But I take a deep breath, and remind myself that I don't control the world, and that I just don't care enough to make trying to change the world my priority. Fuck 'em. I'll worry about getting $$ and pussy for myself and laugh at the retarded antics of our degenerate society from a good safe distance.

In short, wrong attitude to have:


Right attitude to have:

Post: #25

Planet Fitness exists only because there was a vacuum to fill for their customers. Suppliers never supply anything unless there is a guaranteed customer base. These lazy pizza gobblers would still exist even if Planet Fitness didn't operate. They would be at home eating pizza on their couches, but at least Planet Fitness gives them one workout every January 2nd.

Planet Fitness is free market economics at its finest. They're working under 2nd degree price discrimination, where the lazy customer base self-segregate themselves into Planet Fitness. These people know that aren't serious trainers, so they pay $10 for a dopamine shot of self-pride. That leaves the top quality gyms and trainers for serious lifters like us. Planet Fitness is like a cheap wooden pasture fence, the pizza and lunk commercials are the shepherd dogs that herd the sheep into the pasture of comfort and disillusion. Meanwhile, us lions feast on the rough savannah. Planet Fitness is doing a damn fine job.