Becoming a new member at a gym is exhilarating. You feel like a part of the elite, you feel like part of the “in crowd”, you feel… nervous? If you have recently taken the first step and become a member of Planet Fitness or are thinking about joining, this ultimate guide is for you.
Planet Fitness first opened its doors in 1992 in a small New Hampshire town. Two brothers decided to buy a struggling Gold’s gym and quickly strategized how to thrive in such a competitive market. There weren’t hundreds of bodybuilders based in such a small town so they had to figure out how to appeal to normal, everyday people. The brothers decided to lure potential members in with low monthly rates and a welcoming atmosphere. Their tagline became “Judgment Free Zone” and to this day Planet Fitness prides itself on user-friendly facilities.
Now, with close to 2,000 franchise locations and over 9 million members, Planet Fitness is one of the largest gyms in the USA. The main objective of planet fitness is to make the gym experience easy and comfortable for novice and casual members. For dependability, the approach is basic and streamlined. No matter which location you visit, you will have the same experience. This conformity makes for easy and comfortable gym-goer experiences.
Membership
Currently, there are two types of memberships available. There is the normal membership and then the upgraded “Black Card” membership. With the normal membership, you only have access to one location of your choosing. This is known as your home gym and can only be changed after 90 days. You get access to your home gym 24 hours 7 days a week, free usage of wifi as well as free fitness classes. There is no commitment so you can cancel at any time. Not having to worry about a contract helps new members to feel comfortable when just getting started.
There are a few more perks to the upgraded Black Card membership. Instead of being tied to one specific location, you can use any Planet Fitness gym anytime you like. You get free access to hydro water massage beds, massage chairs, tanning, a 20% discount on cooler drinks and you can also bring a guest with you to workout. This membership usually requires a 1-year agreement but they often have promotions that waive the contract.
The normal membership goes for $10 while the Black Card goes for $22 a month. Choose the plan that fits you best and you can always swap between the two after you get started.
Classes
All locations offer small group classes free of charge to every member. Classes range from total-body to abs and vary depending on the day of the week. Each class has less than 12 people and runs for 30 minutes. They are instructed by personal trainers so take advantage of this membership perk if you want to learn proper form techniques or have any questions for the trainer. Class schedules are usually posted several places around the gym but you can always ask the staff at the front desk.
Basics
Every Planet Fitness facility has men and women’s locker rooms with lockers, showers, changing areas, toilets, mirrors, hairdryers and tv’s. There is free wifi throughout the facility as well as water fountains, scales and lounge areas. Black card members get free access to tanning beds, sitting massage chairs, and lay down hydro-massage beds as well as discounted cooler drinks. Take advantage of these benefits if you are paying the extra monthly charge.
Bonus
Planet Fitness offers it’s members free pizza the first Monday of every month and free bagels the first Tuesday of every month. Just a little incentive to draw you in. Black card members of Puerto Rico also get free hair cuts at barbershops located inside the facility.
The Layout
Planet Fitness supplies members with a sea of cardio equipment including, treadmills, stair-masters, rowers, ellipticals and stationary bikes. This is definitely going to be one of the first things you notice around the gym. All the cardio machines are easy to use. Simple get on and press start to begin in manual mode. This allows you the flexibility to adjust levels and speed on your own. Another option is to try out one of the preset programs like fat-burn, cardio or hill where the machine sets the pace and difficulty for you. This puts workouts in autopilot and is almost like having a personal trainer.
*Pro Tip*- It is best for beginners to try out different cardio machines to learn how each one challenges them and to also maintain variety and interest.
Along the mirrored wall there are free weights, weight benches, and squat racks. This is the best area to be in if you are on a fitness routine or are interested in the benefits of free weights. Squat racks are for legs but feel free to move a weight bench to the rack and practice bench presses. You will also find two or three cable towers near this area. This piece of equipment is very versatile as you can hit just about any muscle using the adjustable cables. The pull-down bar located at the cable tower is ideal for shoulders or back exercises.
One of the best sections has to be the circuit workout area. It hardly gets used which means you will have a lot of space to do your thing. It is easy to spot because there will be a half-circle of yellow-colored machines and in front of the machines are step-up benches. Pick a machine to start off on and look for the green and red changing lights on the wall. Green means go and red means stop/ move to the next position. The aim is to do one round on a machine and then one round of mini-cardio with the step-up bench and then continue all the way around until you have completed every exercise. This should take about 30-minutes to complete. It’s a nice way to get a whole body workout in a short period of time without having to think about anything.
Another section is the 360 area which is dedicated to TRX suspension training as well as plyometrics style training. Here you will find battle ropes, pull-up bars, kettlebells, medicine balls, tension bands, cables, as well as an adjustable step for box jumps. It is easy to get an intense full-body workout just in this area as long as you are familiar with the equipment and know which moves to perform.
Lastly, there is an abs area where you can find mats, kettlebells, medicine balls, and ab machines. This is also where the hip abduction machines are located. This section can be used before or after stretching as well. It tends to be more calm and relaxed here and ideal if you just need a moment. If you want to work on legs using free weights but don’t feel like doing it around a lot of people, take your weights into the abs or 360 area and do your workout there instead. Take full advantage of the different areas around the gym and use them to make exercise sessions fun and comfortable.
Rules
Planet Fitness prides itself on being beginner-friendly and in order to maintain this atmosphere, there are certain rules all members must abide by. The biggest rule is no weight dropping. The floor by the free weight section has sensors in it and if you drop weights in this area the alarm will go off. This discourages any threatening or intimidating behaviors and also alerts staff if it continues. Members who ignore this rule and continue to drop weights will be asked to leave. Habitually behaving like this will result in membership cancellation. Also, playing music on phones without using headphones is discouraged. You will be asked to turn it off so if you forgot your headphones there are some for purchase at the front desk. Generic music is always playing over the loudspeaker so it’s still possible to make it through without buying new headphones.
Strategy
The best strategy when becoming a member of Planet Fitness is to take full advantage of all the resources available. If you need some advice on proper form or how to get a good workout then go to one of the group fitness classes. This way you have the opportunity to talk with a personal trainer and get advice. If you are unsure about how to use a certain piece of equipment then ask someone at the front desk to help you. Please note that staff will never advise you on free weight activities however the personal trainer on staff might be able to.
The first gym session should be spent getting acquainted with the facility and all of the amenities offered. Walk around and take note of the different areas and which ones you want to explore first. Hop onto a couple of pieces of cardio equipment and see how it feels. Talk to staff about class schedules and any relative information, upcoming promotions or new programs. Getting familiar with the facility will help you learn where everything is but will also help you formulate a routine.
*Pro Tip* Just about everyone at the gym is friendly and courteous. If you need advice from a fellow member or you see them doing a particular exercise that you want to know more about, politely ask them.
Going into the second session you should have a clear understanding of what you want to do or which type of training/ program you want to be on. If you are getting back into the gym after taking some time off then you might have an idea as to what your routine is. Beginners should try watching a few youtube videos or using an exercise app to help navigate and formulate routines. A no-fail option is to get started with 20 minutes of cardio and then moving over to the 30-minute circuit area. Do this 3 times a week for maximum benefit.
Conclusion
Being a member of Planet Fitness is an inexpensive way to incorporate strength and better health into your life. It is a friendly gym that gives members the freedom and confidence to be a beginner and learn at a comfortable pace. With over 2,000 locations, low monthly rates and free pizza, non-members are running out of excuses. Get in, do your workout and go about your business in the most casual of ways.
