Check out the lunk alarm at Planet Fitness

[jwb]

(Thanks for modifying your reply by the way)

There is a good reason for them to be so restrictive...Its called a plan that has worked for over 10 years now and is exploding as of right now...You need to walk a mile in the shoes of someone trying to run a fitness facility and realize that barely no one stays committed to going to the gym...Not even 40% of the people that become members ever regularly use the facility...Now in a business perspective if your membership fees are soo inexpensive and the atmosphere is non-intimadating then people won't even bother canceling their memberships on a average time of two years and you just keep signing up more and more people that are doing the same thing...Think about it...Just take a one minute and think about it...This is business...Local business in many areas have gotten totally pissed about Wal-Mart coming to their area and have tried to boycott that also, but like I said hate it or love it that is business....

People should relax it's not like these gyms are owned by a multinational corporation they are owned by moms and dads and they are for moms and dads. they are a franchise like subway or whatever...

Mike G the guy who started it is a genius... he created his own market in a saturated environment... amazing

[JaggyShortBuff]

Exactly...All Planet Fitness are owned privately, by either one person or by groups of individuals...The market is wide open...If you guys have a better plan that works as well if not better than theirs than jump in the pool and swim around with your idea and pray not to drown....

[jwb]

Exactly...All Planet Fitness are owned privately, by either one person or by groups of individuals...The market is wide open...If you guys have a better plan that works as well if not better than theirs than jump in the pool and swim around with your idea and pray not to drown....

The fitness industry will segment more and more...

I was just reading about these 2 brothers in chicago who have a gym that charges the exercisers nothing.

Their customers are personal trainers who use their gym and they charge them not the client. The more sessions a trainer does at the gym the less they pay per session.

The trainer can/does charge the client whatever they can get and they have a cheap base where they can build their own PT business with basically no restrictions on them as to what they do... they simpkly pay a % of each session to the gym... some days they might train outside so the gym gets nothing from that session.

I know someone who is opening an "executive strength center" for exes to come and do their strength training once a week to stay toned and they are getting loads of interest. They are simply renting out a small office space with about 8 machines and some dumbbells in the center of a large city... these exes know they should do some weight training once a week plus they still play their tennis, run, do an outdoor PT session etc.

[JaggyShortBuff]

The fitness industry will segment more and more...

I was just reading about these 2 brothers in chicago who have a gym that charges the exercisers nothing.

Their customers are personal trainers who use their gym and they charge them not the client. The more sessions a trainer does at the gym the less they pay per session.

The trainer can/does charge the client whatever they can get and they have a cheap base where they can build their own PT business with basically no restrictions on them as to what they do... they simpkly pay a % of each session to the gym... some days they might train outside so the gym gets nothing from that session.

I know someone who is opening an "executive strength center" for exes to come and do their strength training once a week to stay toned and they are getting loads of interest. They are simply renting out a small office space with about 8 machines and some dumbbells in the center of a large city... these exes know they should do some weight training once a week plus they still play their tennis, run, do an outdoor PT session etc.

Renting your gym out soley for personal training for all trainers is an idea that is actually very successful in more than just chicago and I have read about that same idea in most metro areas and they have been doing very well as long as you have a wide range of equipment...Olympic private training facilities are just like that and they are doing amazing and offer internship to graduate students to study the human body...There are many ideas still out there, but I will tell you this; of everything I have seen I have never seen the major mix of people one gym has appealed to as Planet Fitness has- You have wealthy, middle class, lower class, every color, every sex,every age and the only thing they don't have is the lowest percentage make-up of a fitness facility=Hardcore lifters...

[jwb]

Renting your gym out soley for personal training for all trainers is an idea that is actually very successful in more than just chicago and I have read about that same idea in most metro areas and they have been doing very well as long as you have a wide range of equipment...Olympic private training facilities are just like that and they are doing amazing and offer internship to graduate students to study the human body...There are many ideas still out there, but I will tell you this; of everything I have seen I have never seen the major mix of people one gym has appealed to as Planet Fitness has- You have wealthy, middle class, lower class, every color, every sex,every age and the only thing they don't have is the lowest percentage make-up of a fitness facility=Hardcore lifters...

interesting how the wealthy will slum it when it comes to going to the gym...

tell that to some gym owners who think they have to have spas and massages to get the rich in...

[MisterMagoo]

i don't think a gym's public property, i just want to see how terrified all of those people are when some serious lifters come in and do their thing. i'm one of those guys who gets motivated after watching someone throw chalk on his back and squat six or seven plates, it kills me thinking that people find that all intimidating and scary.

it's a gym, they're not coming over to you and stealing your wallet. people need to grow a goddamn backbone and realize that even if someone's loud and looks all scary, he's just lifting and in his own little world. you do your thing, he'll do his.

[Stubborn]

Soon we'll have to sit at the back of the bus and drink from separate water fountains!

[jwb]

i don't think a gym's public property, i just want to see how terrified all of those people are when some serious lifters come in and do their thing. i'm one of those guys who gets motivated after watching someone throw chalk on his back and squat six or seven plates, it kills me thinking that people find that all intimidating and scary.

it's a gym, they're not coming over to you and stealing your wallet. people need to grow a goddamn backbone and realize that even if someone's loud and looks all scary, he's just lifting and in his own little world. you do your thing, he'll do his.

dude we all know that but people are stupid lets face it...

[davidpaul]

lol

[TheAnimal]

Soon we'll have to sit at the back of the bus and drink from separate water fountains!

HAHAHA and not allowed to use the same bathrooms as its "intimidating" then in 2060 a civil war begins

[Blockhead]

 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! nice work davidpaul...oops! I mean...uh...nice work, ME.

[Luga74]

I belong to a World Gym in RI and spoke to the owner again today. He was laughing his ass off about the rumors about Worlds turning into Planet Fitness. He did confirm what everyone knew that the Worlds Gym trademark was sold but in the agreement is that it is up to the owners of the gyms itself to decided whether to change. His two Worlds in RI aren't changing and he said his other in Mass isn't either. We also have a Planet Fagness in RI and they are losing members left and right so now their offering 18mos membership for $99.

[jwb]

I belong to a World Gym in RI and spoke to the owner again today. He was laughing his ass off about the rumors about Worlds turning into Planet Fitness. He did confirm what everyone knew that the Worlds Gym trademark was sold but in the agreement is that it is up to the owners of the gyms itself to decided whether to change. His two Worlds in RI aren't changing and he said his other in Mass isn't either. We also have a Planet Fagness in RI and they are losing members left and right so now their offering 18mos membership for $99.

I bet he goes to powerhouse in a few years...

[onlyme]

someone said planet fitness has bought out world gym.

now that doesn't mean that planet fitness corporate now owns ALL world gyms since they are all owned by individuals.

what it means is they have bought the world gym name and will collect dues from those gyms each month for use of the name.

someone else said the current owners of world gyms have the option to change to planet fitness really cheap or stay as a world gym if they prefer.

some of the current world gyms simply cannot change over because of the way they are setup. they couldn't reduce their price down to a planet fitness level because of their sheer size and what they offer people.

some rural world gyms are doing very well and are leaders in their markets. most are doing pretty poorly because they are getting lost in the shuffle in their markets - if they go hardcore they are dead yet they are too gritty to not be hardcore - a big dilema.

most of the smaller, struggling world gyms will become planet fitness gyms though for sure.

Generally you pay a yearly fee.  Now some franchises are charging a percentage on gross sales.  Like Golds in some cases.  Also, these guys are under an agreement and that agreement is binding till the expiration date. In some cases franchises protect themselves by having a clause where if a franchisee sells outs or changes their name they must pay a fine or penalty.  Cause they have established themselves for example as a World Gym now they are changing their name.  Now World Gym Franchising has to spend time and money finding another franchisee and again have to penetrate a market with another competitor.  So to help alleviate any financial loss and brand recognition they charge a fee. 

From what I have heard there are close to 40 World Gym already looking into Temple Gym.  And I wouldn't think Planet Fitness can tell their franchisee what to charge.  A franchisee can charge anything they want so I wouldn't think there is a structured price schedule for all Planet Fitness's.

[gordiano]

Geez........


I wonder if I would get kicked out of PF for having a giant member?


Imagine this, I am at the urinal minding my own business........my love hose is hanging out, in all its glory, some dude using the urinal next to me decides to peek over, and sees my colossal cock......will he be intimidated and if so, will he sound off the "lunk" alarm or the "Cokazoid" alarm?



Imagine the news coverage?


"Man with giant cock, kicked out of gym.....more at eleven!"

[Sexual Mustard]

DavidPaul, that's fucking hilarious!  I used to watch that show all the time as a kid, and had forgotten about that character until you posted that pic!

SM

[beatmaster]

stupid rulls for stupid peoples (or from stupid peoples)

[Special Ed]

Geez........

I wonder if I would get kicked out of PF for having a giant member?

Imagine this, I am at the urinal minding my own business........my love hose is hanging out, in all its glory, some dude using the urinal next to me decides to peek over, and sees my colossal cock......will he be intimidated and if so, will he sound off the "lunk" alarm or the "Cokazoid" alarm?

Imagine the news coverage?

"Man with giant cock, kicked out of gym.....more at eleven!"

Actually, cocksurfing (as it's commonly called) is encouraged at Planet Clitness, so you don't pull the LUNK alarm -- you actually pull the cock until it lunks all over your mesh shorts.

Special "Cocksurfing - v. to peer at another man's cock at a urinal, usually discreetly" Ed

[Mr. Intenseone]

I found the "lunk alarm"......



 !

[JaggyShortBuff]

LoL....You guys are damn hilarious comparing Planet Fitness rules to taking away your civil rights....Wow...I guess all of you guys are being forced to workout at Planet Fitness right??? You are all acting as though you are...Bitching up a storm about their rules and what are you hoping to get done with this??? I really am worried about some of you guys lol...Like I told someone else on here, instead of bitching about their rules as if they force you to pay for a membership there and make up your own fitness franchise that has a better business than Planet Fitness and put them out of business with your ultimate idea...Until then, bitch till ya get blue in the face cause at least it makes ya feel better to just bitch rather than do something LoL....

[Yev33]

This is happenning all because the public of the United States has started to put a lot of emphasis on sensitivity and people's feelings. Basically a male child growing up today is not taught to be the man his grandfather and maybe father was, agressiveness is frowned upon. This is starting to creep into every area of our society and it's disturbing. We are taught to be passive, anyone who doesn't conform is frowned upon, and with a smirk called a "hardass". I would not be surprised if we saw a gay version of James Bond in the next twenty-years. I belong to a World Gym and if it ever converted to Planet Fitness I would leave. Problem is in my area that is the only gym with dumbells over 90lbs.. In my opinion the "fitness fad" will blow over eventually and these gyms will again have to cater to their old clientele. I applaud people that are letting their voices be heard, maybe it will help maybe it won't. At least you are acting and not being passive about the situation.

[JaggyShortBuff]

This is happenning all because the public of the United States has started to put a lot of emphasis on sensitivity and people's feelings. Basically a male child growing up today is not taught to be the man his grandfather and maybe father was, agressiveness is frowned upon. This is starting to creep into every area of our society and it's disturbing. We are taught to be passive, anyone who doesn't conform is frowned upon, and with a smirk called a "hardass". I would not be surprised if we saw a gay version of James Bond in the next twenty-years. I belong to a World Gym and if it ever converted to Planet Fitness I would leave. Problem is in my area that is the only gym with dumbells over 90lbs.. In my opinion the "fitness fad" will blow over eventually and these gyms will again have to cater to their old clientele. I applaud people that are letting their voices be heard, maybe it will help maybe it won't. At least you are acting and not being passive about the situation.

Thank you for stating "fitness fad"....In the fitness industry as far as running facilities go this is very true and it changes with the times...Planet Fitness and everyone involved (depending on the area) are doing very well cashing in on it...There will be another "fad" that will come out history has proven this in the fitness industry...I respect all of you for voicing your opinions, but it won't get you anywhere as long as they are still successful...How bout one of you guys come up with the next "fad" that appeals to more of the majority than Planet Fitness does instead of just bitching about it......

[JaggyShortBuff]

Well, sure I'll do something.  I want to create a society again where Men are men and aren't told to ask like a bunch of crying pussies.  Who cares about people's feelings in the gym.  At my college, there was a rule of no cut off sleeves because of sweat on the benches and to not intimidate smaller members.  Stupid shit like that pisses me off. 

Than get a business plan together that you feel will work and that will appeal to just about everyone that has the ability to use a fitness facility...Then, unless you are pretty wealthy, get a group of investors together and get something started...Ya never know, the founders of Planet Fitness did this and they are doing extremely well now....You could be next and get the changes that you want to see done....

[Yev33]

...  and to not intimidate smaller members. 

That's classic, if the smaller member is intimidated by the fact that the guy next to him is warming up for barbell curls with the weight of his max bench then HE is the problem not the bigger guy. A person like that does not belong in a gym, he belongs behind a desk as a sectretary eh.., I mean Administrative Assistant (didn't mean to trample on his feelings). Someone who belongs in a gym would be motivated to see someone bigger and stronger than them, that's a lifetime member and a customer, not someone who wants to try "working out" for a month and see how it goes.

[JaggyShortBuff]

Believe me, I tried to change the rule at school and it did not end well.  As far as opening a gym, I have thought about when I have become more established.  I'm young and would need some more capital but hey, maybe you will see a gym or chain of gyms I create.  I just think by catering to one group, you alienate others.  If this was the onyl gym around and you wanted to train for a show, you would be SOL.  See the point?

Okay wait, wait, wait....You say that Planet Fitness only caters to one group??? Why do you think they are doing so well again??? You have it backwards brother, just about the only groups they don't cater to is the extreme lifters, bodybuilders, and powerlifters...That my friend makes up the smallest percentage at most facilities...If you can find a way to bring all of them together than you will be a very rich man...Many have tried so far and I am not saying it cannot be done, but it has not been able to be successfully done on a wide spectrum so far...Planet Fitness has been successful at catering to the majority though, that is the reason they are doing so well and spreading like wild fire all over the nation....