Planet Fitness: Really Planet Fatness?

In today’s competitive fitness industry, it is becoming more common that a credible college degree and reputable certification is part of the fitness professional’s resume before being considered for a personal training job. Fitness is a science involving risk stratification, measurements of different sorts, behavior change, and exercise programming. There is a lot more to it than most people believe. Those who choose to go into the field of fitness truly have a passion for helping others.

Planet Fitness, a national franchise, discontinued personal training at its club in 2010. Mike Grondahl, CEO of Planet Fitness, insulted fitness professionals when he said “…most people doing personal training are just renting friends.” Adding to this statement he wrote, “…who the hell needs a friend for 50 bucks an hour?” “For us to be selling personal training is a fraud and downright condescending to anyone who can breathe.”

Although it is true to say that you build a close relationship with your personal trainer, it is equally true that the personal trainer provides valuable information about the benefits toward not only improving their overall health and fitness, but teaching them how to work out safely, effectively, and efficiently. Did you know there is a pivot point on many of the machines in which your elbow, knee, or hip should be in line with? Personal trainers provide information to their clients on how to properly adjust resistance machines. Most people sit on these machines without properly adjusting them first allowing for increased chance of injury. However, those who choose to workout at Planet Fitness can’t make that jump from beginner to advanced levels of fitness, improving quality of life.

If Planet Fitness doesn’t offer the personal support and motivation a one-on-one training session has to offer, then how can they say in their own mission statement “We are not here to kiss your butt, only to kick it if that’s what you need.” A fitness professional cheering you on to complete those last repetitions you wouldn’t be able to complete on your own is not kissing butt. It is merely giving you the challenge to better the quality of life you live in which you wouldn’t normally give yourself.

Here’s what Planet Fitness does have: 

•  Group fitness classes which will provide you with basic exercises
•  Nice equipment
• A “no-judgment zone”. However, if you’re in shape and wear clothing showing off your muscles be aware that you will get looks.