[stugatz]

This is my gym until the end of the year, likely - looks like they *do* have some free weights, and this is better than not exercising.

Should I expect to get kicked out for grunting while lifting, or trannies running around in the bathroom? I assume most locations are at least a normal gym, to a degree.

[YoungAngel1]

Pretty shitty environment, but they do have weights, and a cardio area. If you lift with any intensity, they will pull that fucking alarm. it gets the job done to some extent, but you'll never get to the next level working out there.

[stugatz]

Hey, I military press under 100, so this is as good a place to start as any.

They have no real free weights for bench at my location, though - just those Smith Machines with the fixed barbell. Is doing this for about six months, and using no stabilizer muscles, going to mess me up in the long run?

[Mage]

You can achieve the same result as lifting puny weights of planet fitness by doing body-weight exercises at home, plus you will not sacrafice your integrity. You can buy a lifting stool and dumbbells, that can be easily stored at home.

Actually, if you have little more room and and really want to lift then, for lifting under 225 pounds it's possible to buy the whole olympic bar and plates and easily do squats, deadlifts and presses without specialized support cages. Start all your lifts by lifting a bar from ground it is fine with small weights, while your progress will be a bit slower, it will give you even better technique and all around workout trying to get that bar in position.

When you start lifting more then 225 on any particular lift you should probably find a real gym anyway for that lift.

[Repo]

How high so their dumbells go up to? There are plenty of challenging things you can do with only 50lb dumbells, just expect alot of reps. I would avoid the smith machine unless if you have alot experience with free weights, as its very easy for a beginner to fuck up form on the smith and not realize it.

[ElFlaco]

(03-20-2017 04:50 AM)Mage Wrote:  

You can achieve the same result as lifting puny weights of planet fitness by doing body-weight exercises at home, plus you will not sacrifice your integrity.

There are some good threads on the forum about bodyweight training:

How to start training calesthenics
The Bodyweight Workout Thread
Freeletics Datasheet
Building Muscle No Gym?

Also: Convict Conditioning (search forum)

[Merenguero]

We already have at least one thread on this. There are obviously better options, but in some areas there simply are no other twenty four hour options. Despite what many people say, if you can't get in solid and productive strength and conditioning work there, the problem isn't Planet Fatness, it's you. I'm really confident that I've spent more time in those places than anyone else on here. As far as that alarm myth, I've been in at least one location every day for over three years and have heard the alarm a total of three or four times. What's funny is that just a few days ago, I was in a location in Las Vegas and someone pulled the alarm.

[samsamsam]

You can expect pizza, donuts and easily offended people.

Make a lot of noise and you'll be fucked.

[RoadKill503]

I signed up for Planet Fatness yesterday, going in for my first work out right now.

I've heard it blows but for $10 it's worth a shot. Will report.

[Vaun]

As long as they have a pullup bar, barbell with plates, dumb bells, med balls, Concept 2 rowers, Versa Climber(if you're lucky), then you have everything you need to do elite level training.

[Thomas Jackson]

Yea shitty gym, but only $10 so you cant expect something awesome. Extremely cucky crowd though.

[Sisyphus]

Pullup bar: check - several options
Barbell with plates - negative. Barbells go up to 60 lbs
Dumbbells - Up to 65 lbs
Medicine Balls - depends on the location
Rowers - negative
Versa Climber - nope

This is my experience going to ~5 locations. For a beginner I think it's fine, but I'm not really in any position to dispense fitness advice. I can say that I see some pretty jacked people in there. Maybe they're only "gym strong" but I'd be happy with those bodies. They're way heavy on cardio machines (which take up 2/3 -3/4 of the floor space), almost all of which are treadmills (even a small location will have several dozen) followed by treadmills, a few bikes and recumbent bikes and 2-4 stair mills. Low on functional areas, some have barely any room to put down a mat. Typically no kettlebells, bands, balls/bosu etc, but depends on the location.

I used to go to one 5-6 days a week when I was cutting because it was within walking distance of my apartment and I was a total beginner, never saw the alarm pulled or really any interference. There was a minor scuffle once and one guy once asked me if I "had a problem." Some people are assholes but that's true of any place in the world where people congregate for any reason. It's not a fun place to be and definitely not for advanced lifting but if I can do 250 lbs on the lat pulldown or cable row I'd be happy with my progress.

[Sisyphus]

^^^ I meant ellipticals on the second "treadmills"

[puckerman]

It's pretty much a joke. It's often the best option in many small towns. I sometimes go there when I visit my family at Christmas time.

Years ago, when I was a member of Bally Total Fitness, some people actually complained about my body odor there. I thought: "What do these people expect? It's a gym. Of course, I'm going to sweat." That was in Columbus, Ohio. Fortunately, it's never happened in Austin, Texas. I don't know if it's because I am with Gold's now.

My only complaint about Gold's is that everything they sell is basically garbage.

[Ranch Hand]

It is not the gym. It is the man in the gym.

When I was in my worst shape of my life, I was dropping $200/month on a full meal deal gym with iron stations and all the works.

When I was in awesome shape (girl 20+ years younger shaking her head and asking how old I really was as I took off my shirt), I was working hard doing multiple circuit training at Planet Fitness (but my diet was totally on point).

[Jameson Ranger]

If you work hard it doesn't matter the environment so much. Go in and absolutely kill it. Sure there's stuff missing compared to other gyms but utilize what is there to the fullest. Use it as a spring board for the big boy gym.

[Rossi]

I went to Planet Fitness on Long Island because I was living there for 2 months and Planet Fitness was the only one who didn't ask for 1 year contract. So, I went there 2 months. I was going mostly in the morning, it was empty and they pretty much had everything I needed. Wasn't that bad but I don't know if it changes from location to location.

[Sonoma]

As others have noted, body weight exercises are about as useful as PF

That being said, I went to PF for well over a year, and it's nice to go to a gym that's not your house in order to stay focused.

At worst, you spend a pretty meaningless amount to not get in shape. Compared to a lot of other BS, PF is a decent water for a beginner looking to work out.

I started at PF as a total gym novice, and it's nice working out around fatties to boost your self esteem when you're just starting out

[Zanardi]

I haven't been to Planet Fitness (they don't exist in Romania), but have you tried calisthenics?

[Merenguero]

(04-03-2017 07:21 AM)Rossi Wrote:  

I went to Planet Fitness on Long Island because I was living there for 2 months and Planet Fitness was the only one who didn't ask for 1 year contract. So, I went there 2 months. I was going mostly in the morning, it was empty and they pretty much had everything I needed. Wasn't that bad but I don't know if it changes from location to location.

The equipment doesn't change much from location to location. Most locations either have Cybex or Life Fitness equipment, and I much prefer Cybex. The clientele varies greatly from location to location. I was in a new location yesterday where almost everyone there looked to be in really good shape.

[Hannibal]

If you want some PDF's on bodyweight exercise with little to no equipment, send me a PM.

[Shimmy]

They are actually pretty nice gyms, just lacking barbells and heavy dumbbells. It will be better than nothing. Focus on things like weighted pull ups, walking lunges with dumbbells, one footed roman dead lift with dumbbells, use the cable machines, and do dumbbell bench with short rest periods.

[Cpt. Jack Sparrow]

Good luck, but the odds are against you making anything of it with a gym membership if you're not regularly exercising already, let alone planet fitness. So here's a heads up, you can re-purpose that $150 next year on a proper weight set for yourself.