We’ve all seen the memes, the videos, the commercials, the pictures. The gym franchise, Planet Fitness, has been the butt of many jokes, many YouTube videos of guys purposely setting off the famous “Lunk Alarm”(an alarm that sounds off in the gym when excessive noise or breathing occurs) by slamming weights down doing deadlifts, yelling during bench presses and squats. It’s funny. To us. The “hardcore” lifters. At the same time, to us, this is a mockery, a travesty, a throat punch to the gritty gyms across the world.
But, and I’ll play Devil’s advocate here, let’s take a step back and look at this. “Planet Fitness: A Judgment Free” gym. “No Gymtimidation. No Lunks.” That’s their hook. It doesn’t matter that their monthly membership fee is a measly ten bucks. That’s just the cheese on the pizza. The icing on the cake. See what I did there? It’s the “Judgment Free” and the “No Gymtimidation” that keeps this franchise growing across the country. I’m losing you, aren’t I? Let me simplify.
I’ve worked in gyms for 9 years. I’ve sold gym memberships in the fanciest gyms. I’ve had potential members turn and walk out of the gym during the tour or immediately after because they become intimidated. That guy over there with the all the muscles, hunkering over a pile of dumbbells like he’s deciding which ones to eat. The skinny girl with the shortest shorts she could find. The other girl with “too much muscle for a girl”. These people are scary… to those who judge yet do not want to be judged. Enters Planet Fitness. Those gym rats mentioned above are not welcome in a Planet Fitness. I know, from personal experience, that I am not allowed to get past the front desk of a Planet Fitness. I walked into one, carrying my gallon jug of water, my bulky gym bag, hat turned backward, tank top… I was immediately told, “I’m sorry. You can’t work out, here…” Wait. I thought this was a judgment free zone?
Planet Fitness doesn’t target our kind. That’s just it. That’s all. Their aim is at those that feel uncomfortable with going to any other gyms where there are too many people that are in shape to make them feel insecure. Ask yourself—how many people do you know that want to exercise but are intimidated by gyms versus how many you know that hit the gym several times a week? I can safely assume that you know more that are intimidated than you do that aren’t. A majority of Americans have an issue with walking into a place where people may be more fit. When they walk into a restaurant or a store, they don’t care so much… but a gym? A health facility? No thanks. But there is this trending gym.
Not just anyone can walk in on a day pass or join. You can’t have too much muscle or wear the skimpy workout attire. And this gym will give you pizza and candy for “a job well done”. I admit, it would be cool if my gym hooked me up with a slice of pizza at any given moment of my training.
Bottom line… Planet Fitness, with its gimmicks, much like other gyms have, has a certain genre of people locked down. Keeping people like myself from getting through the doors seems to be exactly what their members want. With a $10 a month membership fee to boot, I can honestly see how they manage to be so successful and spreading. Marketing. Targeting. Judgment free. No Gymtimidation.
And free pizza. Planet Fitness.
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