Glad I don't go to Planet Fitness

Water Cooler
#1

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/gym-tells-woman-shes-intimidating-guests-toned-bod/nfGHz/

RICHMOND, Calif. —

A Bay Area woman was asked to cover up while working out at a Richmond 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.

Austin said things started out well. She hopped on a treadmill, set the speed to slow, put her earbuds in and started walking. She started to notice others staring at her, and quickly grew self-conscious but she kept on walking. That is until a staff-member stopped her.

According to Austin that staff member said, "excuse me we’ve had some complaints you’re intimidating people with your toned body. So can you put on a shirt?”

Austin was wearing a tank that showed her stomach and capri-pants and says she didn’t see anything wrong with the outfit. She says she was only told not to wear a string tank because of the dress code policy at the gym.

She agreed to wear the shirt, but while the first staff member went to get it she says she was approached by another staff member who also took issue with her body. Austin says at that point she had enough; she asked for a manager - asked for her money back and left.

Planet Fitness boasts 5 million members and a policy that bans what they call “gymtimidation.” Its website says members can get in shape without being, “subjected to the hardcore look-at-me-attitude that exists in too many gyms.”

The franchise goes even further and has a “lunk alarm” in every gym which sends off a siren if someone drops a weight or breathes too hard or shows any behavior that staff members consider “lunk-like”.

YouTube videos show members across the country getting in trouble for that kind of “lunk-head” behavior.

Derek Van Reheenen is the director of the Athletic Studies Center at UC Berkeley.

He says, “In a lot of ways I think what Planet Fitness is doing is a positive thing. They obviously need to iron out some of these issues but sport in the U.S. is by nature is discriminatory too, it is selective and it is elite."

Geovanna Borges joined the Richmond gym two months ago and says she likes the policies.

Borges says, “it’s unfair to show off your body” because it can make other people feel bad.

#2

Fat women are the biggest haters.

#3

Yet every HCB has a fat friend.

#4

people are upset because someone else who takes care of their body is exercising in the same gym?

No wonder foreigners make fun of the US.

#5

Wow, that is disgusting. They probably wouldn’t even allow this poor girl in the locker room, what if one of the other members saw her “intimidatingly toned” body while she was changing!

I used to occasionally go to a Planet Fitness with a friend who was a member there (so I could go free as her guest) and twice the “lunk alarm” went off. The thing is I never noticed any noise from the supposed “offenders” but the alarm would always unnerve me and make me jump. This is just one more reason I will never go to a PF again.

#6

Pics or she doesn’t exist!

#7

What a bunch of morons!

What kind of gym doesn’t allow grunting or loose clothing?? Wtf people there can’t be working out very hard.

#8

I think it’s a great business move. With so many options for gyms with the same equipment how can a company differentiate itself? Culture. A lot of people want to join a gym, but are afraid to be seen as a fattie. It seems like this company is doing a good job of setting themselves up as the best option for these people.

#9

^ Plus, the fatties are the least likely to actually go to the gym, so in theory there are fewer operating costs.

#10

God bless America.

#11

Right so what’s next, restaurants that don’t allow thin people? Or at least you’re not allowed to order a salad?

People need to get over themselves. When I go to the gym I am there to workout not look at/judge other people. What they did to this girl is exactly what they are supposed to be against.

#12

Right. Let’s take the whole idea of creating a culture and throw it out the window for examples of punishing good behavior or health.

#13

The “culture” they are creating is one where a woman is told she must cover up because her body is in good shape and where an ALARM goes off when someone grunts or breathes loudly during a strenuous workout. They are punishing those who take working out seriously. For God’s sake they have pizza nights and bagel days.

#14

It sounds like you and these people are not their target market. I’m glad we’ve figured this out. I still think it’s a good idea. I’m in good shape and when I had a NYSC membership I did see a lot of obnoxious people there. I cannot comment on these people (and neither can you) because I was not there. I can only assume if the manager deemed the offense bad enough to kick them out it was justified. You gotta hear both sides.

#15

Let the overweight, obese congregate and rejoice in their mediocrity. Let them claim a place of their own and create an environment of sub par performance and purposeless movement. I have no problem so long as they don’t try to push their sentiment on the general public, as they do with their commercials. Just like the income gap, america’s health gap will continue to diverge: those who are overweight will continue to be overweight, and those who are informed and dedicated will continue to improve themselves.

#16

It doesn’t seem like the culture here is of a gym at all, it sounds more like a book club for the insecure!!

#17

Ha Ha, this is epic. A lot of shy people will like this.

That doesn’t mean that they are unconcerned with self improvement.

#18

they should rename it “Fatty Whiners Gym”

#19

It seems like “intimidated by your toned body” is just something that some employee said without thinking. The lady just violated the gym’s dress code, and the employee probably made some stupid comment that somehow made the news.

#20

A gym’s business model is simple. Cater to the 10% of people who actually show up. The other 90% that pay don’t show up more than 5 times a year.