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RICHMOND, Calif. — A California woman was asked to cover up while working out at a Bay Area gym, after staff members say she was intimidating people with her toned body.
Tiffany Austin said she was excited to get back in shape after recovering from a recent car accident. After her doctor told her it was time to start walking more, she took a tour of the Planet Fitness Gym in Richmond. On Monday she officially joined the gym and was looking forward to her first workout – but that workout lasted a quick 15 minutes.
I would have to agree with you. I keep hearing about the supposed intimidation and judging that goes on in gyms and fitness centers but I have never seen it and I've worked out in all sorts of gyms from the neigborhood community center to the chain gym to the hardcore musclehead gym where half of the members and staff were probably on gear.
It's funny to me to hear all the complaints about "muscleheads" and "lunks" because out of all the gyms I spent time in the one that had the friendliest clientele and staff was the hardcore muscle head gym. Lots of friendly, polite people with great gym etiquitte/manners that were willing to offer advice IF YOU ASKED FOR IT. This was the type of gym that had several serious bodybuilders/powerlifters (both male and female). I can see how a gym like that could be intimidating for someone just starting out as I know I was a little taken aback the first few times I went in to work out and saw someone repping out on the bech press with 400 lbs but I got over it, stayed and was glad I did.
Had much worse experiences at Ballys/Fitworks/YMCA. each place was filled with equipment hogs, morons working out directly in front of the dumb bell rack, people curling in the squat rack, yacking on their cell phone at the top of their lungs, no self awareness, pushy, rude etc...
Which is true?
I've observed rude behavior in gyms. Heck, there's enough annoying conduct that there is even an old thread in this forum all about that topic. I can see the potential for a gym that really enforced courtesy to appeal to a lot of people.
The only thing about PF is that if the things I hear about them are true, it would be better if they dropped their more extreme definitions of "rude" behavior, like breathing hard or grunting when pushing out the last rep. I don't go to gyms anymore, but I could definitely see the appeal in a place that allowed people to work out seriously while also vigorously enforcing a few basic rules of courtesy.
Yes, because God forbid that you actually BREATHE too hard.
What a bunch of pansies. Why do I picture someone BREATHING too hard and a Richard Simmons look alike gasping and running off in tears?
You know what? I have worked out around the guys for years....I am perfectly comfortable with it. But I can see where those women that are not used to the sometimes ridiculous huffing and puffing, and the loud dropping of weights would rather be in a gym that forbids that sort of unnecessary noise. And it IS unnecessary. We have signs in our gym that ask members to NOT drop or throw weights, but there is always some lunkhead at least once a week that has to let everyone know that he is in there, working hard. It doesn't intimidate me in the least, but would I rather NOT be subjected to it? Absolutely.
I'd say know about 100 people pretty well in my daily life.. to the point where I know at least something about their lifestyle choices and preferences. And I'm not talking about 100 people at a cross fit gym or some other special interest group. Just 100 regular people, male and female, from 1 to 95.
And of all those 100 people, no more than FIVE have any sort of training as a real hobby or even as a goal (including myself as 1). Out of those 5, NONE of them love going to the gym or view it as a real passion (also including myself). The rest of fall into two main categories: The first group walks, runs, plays sports and casually pursues other activities that are a lot more enjoyable to them. Some of them also go to the gym as a sort of chore, but many have physically demanding jobs and aren't looking for any regimented exercise on top of that. The second group doesn't do much at all, because either their health is too limited or they just have no motivation. Fortunately the second group is much smaller than the first, but either of those groups could benefit from a place like Planet Fitness, because being 'hardcore' is not their desire. Heck, I'd go there too if there were one nearby and their membership really was $10 a month… because all I'm looking for is a little extra weight to lift once in a while in addition to everything I do at home and outside.
I'm 58. At this point in my life I'd fit fairly well into your first group. I walk, hike, and swim. Climbing stairs is the main aerobic kind of exercise I do as a sort of chore as opposed to really finding it an enjoyable activity in itself. I climb stairs in large part to stay in shape for hiking, which I often do on mountain trails. I wouldn't be likely to climb stairs if it didn't serve this particular purpose for conditioning, but, since I enjoy the sensation of physical activity, while I'm doing the stair-climbing workout anyway, I do get a kind of pleasure from the walk to the stadium and back, and the hard push of stair-climbing while I'm at the stadium.
In addition to the fact that I climb stairs more for conditioning than purely as an enjoyable activity, the other difference between me and the people you describe in group one is that the basic strength workout I do at home is more intense than the people you describe in group one would likely pursue. I don't go to gyms these days, and don't spend hours at a time doing strength work at home, but with the workout I do, I push myself. Efficiency through intensity, getting the most out of a fairly short workout, that idea.
I've never been to PF, but if some of the things I've heard about them are true, they'd be too easygoing for me. The maximum weights available would be too light for me on a number of exercises, I have been known to breathe heavily as I push up that last rep, and if it's true that they don't allow certain lifts that are staples of serious strength training (is it really true that they don't allow deadlifts?), then PF wouldn't work for me. Still, I can see how someone who mostly engages in recreational kinds of physical activity might find it useful to supplement this with a really basic workout at PF.
In any case, I don't see that the woman in the article needs to make a big deal about this. She agreed to PF's rules when she joined. If you don't like their policies, find another gym. Simple enough.
I'm 58. At this point in my life I'd fit fairly well into your first group. I walk, hike, and swim. Climbing stairs is the main aerobic kind of exercise I do as a sort of chore as opposed to really finding it an enjoyable activity in itself. I climb stairs in large part to stay in shape for hiking, which I often do on mountain trails. I wouldn't be likely to climb stairs if it didn't serve this particular purpose for conditioning, but, since I enjoy the sensation of physical activity, while I'm doing the stair-climbing workout anyway, I do get a kind of pleasure from the walk to the stadium and back, and the hard push of stair-climbing while I'm at the stadium.
In addition to the fact that I climb stairs more for conditioning than purely as an enjoyable activity, the other difference between me and the people you describe in group one is that the basic strength workout I do at home is more intense than the people you describe in group one would likely pursue. I don't go to gyms these days, and don't spend hours at a time doing strength work at home, but with the workout I do, I push myself. Efficiency through intensity, getting the most out of a fairly short workout, that idea.
I've never been to PF, but if some of the things I've heard about them are true, they'd be too easygoing for me. The maximum weights available would be too light for me on a number of exercises, I have been known to breathe heavily as I push up that last rep, and if it's true that they don't allow certain lifts that are staples of serious strength training (is it really true that they don't allow deadlifts?), then PF wouldn't work for me. Still, I can see how someone who mostly engages in recreational kinds of physical activity might find it useful to supplement this with a really basic workout at PF.
In any case, I don't see that the woman in the article needs to make a big deal about this. She agreed to PF's rules when she joined. If you don't like their policies, find another gym. Simple enough.
I lot of what you have heard is true. They have no squat racks, no t-bar row machine, no power cage, no olympic style benches for old school bench press, no olympic style incline bench, no olympic style decline bench, no Hammer Strength machines whatsoever, no lying leg curl machines, no standing or seated calf machines (the ones you and me are familiar with), no standard 7 ft olympic bars, no preacher curl bench( just preacher curl machines which is cretainly not the same thing), no olympic style seated shoulder press bench. They might have a couple of olympic style 35 lbs bars which can be used for curling and a few other exercises (good luck getting your hands on them because there seems to always be someone using them), the one here where I live recently added some pre set bars that you can use without having to adjust them, (unfortunately they only go up to 60 lbs), if you are lucky the dumbells at you PF might go up to 75 lbs and that's about it. So I guess if you want to just go and get somewhat of a workout then I guess it is ok. If you want big results then pick a better facility. Yeah it is $10.00 a month and you know what they say; you get what you pay for. Maybe there are some pf clubs out there that are better but from what I have seen on the ones I have visited I doubt it.
I lot of what you have heard is true. They have no squat racks, no t-bar row machine, no power cage, no olympic style benches for old school bench press, no olympic style incline bench, no olympic style decline bench, no Hammer Strength machines whatsoever, no lying leg curl machines, no standing or seated calf machines (the ones you and me are familiar with), no standard 7 ft olympic bars, no preacher curl bench( just preacher curl machines which is cretainly not the same thing), no olympic style seated shoulder press bench. They might have a couple of olympic style 35 lbs bars which can be used for curling and a few other exercises (good luck getting your hands on them because there seems to always be someone using them), the one here where I live recently added some pre set bars that you can use without having to adjust them, (unfortunately they only go up to 60 lbs), if you are lucky the dumbells at you PF might go up to 75 lbs and that's about it.
It's obvious that this wouldn't work for bodybuilders, power lifters, or those competing in Olympic-style lifting. My interest is not in any kind of competition, but the development and maintenance of strength and mass for fitness and well-being. For that purpose I don't need all the equipment you list for isolation moves, though these may be key items for bodybuilders.
I have heard that PF gyms differ some in what equipment they provide, but if what you describe here is typical, that wouldn't work for me. As I said in the post you quoted, I don't do strength training for hours and hours in a week, but I do aim for a serious workout in the time I spend. This goal involves getting the most out of each exercise, and that means making good use of exercises that are staples of strength training. It's obvious that what you describe above is almost completely lacking in the equipment needed for that purpose, and what equipment they do have, like dumbbells, does not go up to weights that are heavy enough.
One question, though, is whether they have a decent collection of weight machines. If so, I can see how the people Otterprods described, who focus on outdoor sports and recreational activities they participate in for both pleasure and fitness, might still find PF useful. A circuit on a complete collection of machines could still be fine for the most basic strength work, for maintenance of bone density and the like, which these people might wish to do as a supplement to their main activities.
Without a good collection of machines, PF would be mainly a place for cardio workouts. That's fine for those who find it convenient to get in cardio work indoors, but would be redundant for people more interested in outdoor recreational activities, and in any case would not be a complete gym at even a basic level.
So what's the story about that? Do they at least have all the basic weight machines?
It's obvious that this wouldn't work for bodybuilders, power lifters, or those competing in Olympic-style lifting. My interest is not in any kind of competition, but the development and maintenance of strength and mass for fitness and well-being. For that purpose I don't need all the equipment you list for isolation moves, though these may be key items for bodybuilders.
I have heard that PF gyms differ some in what equipment they provide, but if what you describe here is typical, that wouldn't work for me. As I said in the post you quoted, I don't do strength training for hours and hours in a week, but I do aim for a serious workout in the time I spend. This goal involves getting the most out of each exercise, and that means focusing on exercises that are staples of strength training. It's obvious that what you describe above is almost completely lacking in the equipment needed for that purpose, and what equipment they do have, like dumbbells, does not go up to weights that are heavy enough.
One question, though, is whether they have a decent collection of weight machines. If so, I can see how the people Otterprods described, who focus on outdoor sports and recreational activities they participate in for both pleasure and fitness, might still find PF useful. A circuit on a complete collection of machines could still be fine for the most basic strength work, for maintenance of bone density and the like, which these people might wish to do as a supplement to their main activities.
Without a good collection of machines, PF would be mainly a place for cardio workouts. That's fine for those who find it convenient to get in cardio work indoors, but would be redundant for people more interested in outdoor recreational activities, and in any case would not be a complete gym at even a basic level.
So what's the story about that? Do they at least have all the basic weight machines?
Well that is of course a matter of opinion, but I will be absolutely honest with you I am going by what I.have personally seen with my very own two eyes at the PF where I live. They have three parallell rows of machines so in other words they have three exact machines of each type. Some of the machines are chest press seated leg curl, leg extension, peck dec fly, rear delt machine, tricep machine, seated shoulder press, back machine, rowing machine, inner and outter thigh machines, seated leg press, seated calf machine( not the old school ones). The machines that they do have that I consider good are, dip tower, 45 degree plate loaded leg press machine(of course it only has a few plates available so you can't go heavy) lat pulldown machine, cable crossover machine and smith machines of which I am no big fan but they do serve a purpose. So as you can see the most basic exercises are nearly impossible to do because of how these clubs are equiped. Any type of squat, bench press barbell row or othe basic compound exercise that requires a barbell will have to be done at the smith machine and that is not the same thing as free weights. Oh forget about doing basic standing military presses or clean and press unless you want to use that 35 lbs bar. Here is the problem, people say that PF offers newbies a chance to learn the ropes right? The way you learn the ropes in by starting with the very basics. Machines are not the very basics, free weigths ard the very basics, it is important to develop and learn to use sabilizing muscles first then you move to more specialized equipment like those machines they have. They go backwards, you see the equipment I listed that they do not have is not just for powerlifting, weightlifting and bodybuilding, it is for so many other people and it is just not there. Anyway you seen to have your stuff in order anyway so keep it up a move forward.
I don't understand all the hating on PF that's been going on here. It almost sounds like envy to me, or whatever you want to call it.
It's $10 a month! I'd join if there were one within 20 miles of me if only to go use the calf press or a nice rower a couple times a month and then I'd grab a slice of pizza on my way out! Or maybe I'd just stop there to shower after a long run or just a long day at work. Who cares if people are not working out 'seriously' there??? At least they're working out and I'm not there to gawk at other people anyways.
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