What my $10 Planet Fitness Membership Buys

Hey WSO,

Today, I'd like to share an experience.

You see, I was at the gym early this morning doing my Saturday morning routine, when I noticed something peculiar.

It was the second half of my workout, which consisted of 30 minutes of sprint intervals. About 10 minutes in, some BroScience PhD's arrived, lifting belts fastened snugly, and gatorade in hand. The team of 3 grabbed all the 5-pound dumbbells on the rack and came on over to where I was on the treadmills. They were warming up. This grabbed my attention because the entire row of treadmills was empty - I'm not sure why they came to where I was.

Their warmup consisted of walking at a not-so-brisk 3 mile-an-hour pace, while swinging the 5's in each hand like Rocky Balboa in his diaper-days. The leader, who I assume had earned his tenure at the prestigious BroScience University, consistently made these weird "ungh" sounds as he pumped the weights on his walk. Yes, the exact "ungh" sound that Jay-Z makes in virtually all of his songs.

After an excruciating 6 or so minutes of that, they got off and hopped on to the cable crossover. What followed was disturbing.

Please observe exhibit 1, the center-left dude in the white shirt:

I apologize for the shakiness; I was on a 3-minute "rest" interval, and YT corrected as much as it could.

Now, on to business: You should not use the cable crossover machine as a boxing trainer. Especially if you can't box.

Laidies, feel free to do this. However, to the bros on here: I hope to never see you on a cable crossover, hitting the "invisible punching bag," with fucking FIVE POUNDS of resistance on the machine.

You are better off doing plyometric pushups to increase your explosiveness, bench or dumbbell presses for some added power, or actual sparring to improve your form and technique.

These guys did this for about 10 minutes, then went on to some strange form of lunge (without any added weight), during which they barely got their legs bent past a 140-degree angle. You can see the guy in the dark shirt in front of Rocky doing this.

As I cleaned up in the men's room before leaving, the trio walked in, loudly threw their gatorades away and said, in ghetto-Spanish nonetheless, "shit, that was great. What you wanna eat once we get home?"

I guess this is what $10 gets me. I just want to use this opportunity to remind everyone who works out:

Proper form is proper exercise.

Please feel free to add or discuss any sad gym experiences, including this one.

 

You work out at Planet Fitness.

You can't perform any compound lifts there = you can't lift. You are only a true lifter if you aren't natural, anything else and you are kidding yourself.

What are your big three lifts?

 
Best Response

"You are only a true lifter if you aren't natural."

What's that supposed to mean?

And why can't I do compound lifts at PF? Nothing is stopping me from doing 3 kinds of pull-up, dumbbell presses, weighted dips, rows, snatch and cleans, dumbbell lunges, standing barbell military presses, the list goes on.

Add some core work and intensity intervals and you're set. I last used the bench press this past winter: 275. Squat is at 315, however I used to do breathing squats for mass (that's a single set of 20 squats at high weight, for the uninitiated). Deadlift wasn't as high, no exact number.

Now if you'd like to keep waving your tiny pee-pee, let's meet up and do the first ever WSO lifting competition.

in it 2 win it
 

LOL

@WestCoast:

I strongly recommend 24-Hour Fitness. I was a member there a while ago and really got my money's worth. It's rarely crowded, at least in my neighborhood, and the machines are all new. Plus it's open 24-hours; that's half the reason I got on the planet fitness grind to begin with.

Also, I would never pay what Equinox charges.

in it 2 win it
 
FrankD'anconia:

PF isn't made for people that lift. They do everything in their power to assure this is the case (dumbbells peaking at 60 lbs, no squat racks, disallowing deadlifts, their marketing campaign, the "lunk alarm"). I mean, it makes sense as a business model because 80+% of people with gym memberships don't even "lift" and don't want to go to a gym where people do. They're just playing to the biggest segment of the market.

This. They even make it clear in their commercials:

Contemplating a new Gym. I use Equinox at the moment because it is closest. Even so, they close at 10pm, and I was standing around at 7am waiting for them to open.

But 24 hour fitness seems compelling, and I like 2am workouts. Opinions on them vs Crunch and New York Sports Club?

 

Crunch hands down. Promise you will not regret it.

The Broadway location is moving one street but the current place is amazing. Three floors, full boxing ring, deadlift mats, squat racks and power cages.

The location in West Village is nice and toned down as well but is closing end of August so don't rely on that.

Do Crunch.

Frank Sinatra - "Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy."
 

This is why I love my hole in the wall gym. No thrills, just weight to be moved and I don't get bitched at for using chalk

I had a PF membership in college because they were open 24hrs and way more accesible compared to the gym on campus. The PF by me actually had a few squat racks and benches with db's going to 80lb (never seen any of this at any other PF, they have smith machines and 60lb db's). Decent, for the price. Deadlift day I would use the gym on campus because of the "lunk" policy at PF.

 

Hole in the wall gyms are the best way to go if you are a serious lifter. Between the knowledge, culture, and cost, they are the best imo.

In high school I worked out at my local fitness center which my mom signed me up for - I made no gains for 3 1/2 years because I wasn't doing it right.

For the last half of senior year, through college I lifted at an "underground gym". The lifters there, although a lot bigger than me, would always give me tips because I wasn't an ass. The advice from the lifters paid off, my peak surpassed 1000 easily (not anymore due to injuries but getting back on it!) at 170 pounds. I considered for some time trying my luck in a competition.

Not to mention everyone there was incredibly nice despite their appearance. I click surprisingly well with motorcycle and car guys who are jacked lol.

Now I walk into my gym in the city and everyone is struggling to DL 225+ - it is night and day.

 

Do 24 hour gyms allow for free weights? Was under the impression that, unless there is an attendant present, that 24 hour gyms aren't allowed to have free weights over a certain weight (e.g. 60lbs or w.e)

People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for freedom of thought which they seldom use.
 

PF is one of the most hypocritical organizations ever. that said, as a beginner you can get your moneys worth there as long as you can bench and squat. some places are more chill than others when it comes deadlifting, but I've personally never had a problem.

don't lift there anymore though, i'm on that YMCA grind

 
abrahaa:

PF is one of the most hypocritical organizations ever. that said, as a beginner you can get your moneys worth there as long as you can bench and squat. some places are more chill than others when it comes deadlifting, but I've personally never had a problem.

don't lift there anymore though, i'm on that YMCA grind

Benching and sqautting on a smith machine is brutal

 
Kassad:

Precisely why I moved to bodyweight exercises. Pull-ups, dips, weighted lunges. Once I move back to a real gym I'll get back on the bench and hit the squat rack again.

Doesn't squat and then makes fun of other people at the gym. I can confirm OP is indeed a non lifting phaggot.

And whoever threw monkey shit at me, my jimmies remain unrustled.

 
kingoftheotherroad:

strong Misc presence on WSO lately - mirin hard

BUT - I recently have incorporated some plyo exercises into my WO routine and I have been seeing some solid gains (especially my stabilization muscles coupled with heavy lifts). The thread about plyo exercises is solid imo - great advice.

Misc...we everywhere. But I agree high box jumps helped the explosiveness in my squats tremendously

 

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