Planet Fitness

So, I joined Planet Fitness. It's been a month and a half now, and I've learned who the regulars are during the week and on weekends. I've been very regular, working out at least 5 days a week. I knew moving away from the garage gym would require significant adjustments in what I do, but, all in all, joining Planet Fitness has been a huge positive. It has its pros and cons, but I cannot deny the benefits I've reaped from my regular, early-morning visits. Pros Planet Fitness is shockingly affordable, and it's easy to join. My previous gym was $29.99 per month after the initiation fee, and there was loads of paperwork and disclaimers, etc., to sign. I installed the PF phone app one day in early April, 2025, created an account, chose a membership level, added a payment method, and I was ready to go. No initiation fee, $15 a month for basic membership. Upgrading to PF black card offers multiple benefits; I just don't see myself using them any time soon. PF is open and staffed 24/7! I used to show up at my previous gym at the 5am open time, and it was not an uncommon occurrence for staff to be late opening the doors, especially on Saturdays. I appreciate the fact that I can jump up at any time I want and head to the gym for a workout. Initially, I was going at 4:30 or 5:00 because old habits, you know. Then it became routine to roll out of bed at 3am. Once, when I woke early, I checked in at 2:30 AM. Yeah, I know, I'm probably insane. But you would actually be surprised at the number of folks who are there at 3:30 AM and 4:00 AM working out. It's a diverse mix of older folks and youngsters. And I will probably always work out very early in the morning because I really, really hate dealing with crowds. One of the issues that has always frustrated me about gyms is having to wait my turn to use various pieces of equipment. That has not been an issue at PF thus far. And PF boasts a good array of workout equipment. There are multiples of frequently used items; for example 8-10 Smith Machines. The gym also boasts multiple types of machines for different movements, for example, two different models of shoulder press machines. The dumbbell area is of decent size with plenty of benches and dumbbells. I have to be at a loss for exercise options. I would not say it's a 100% complete gym for bodybuilders and powerlifters, but PF offers everything a person could want for general strength and fitness training. Cons So what's missing? Well, mainly, PF doesn't do free weights. It's all plate-loaded machines. The only barbells that exist are in Smith Machines. Yes, you can do all your pressing there, your squats, your deadlifts, bent-over row, but the simple fact is, it's not really the same. I love the Smith Machine for all it offers: It's self-spotting, which allows you to push yourself without fear of ending up pinned under a bar or something. It can reinforce form and maintain stable movement paths. The Smith Machine exists for a reason, and it's great, but it's just not the same as free weights. And, yes, I'm biased in favor of free weights, but that in no way discounts the value of the Smith Machine. PF boasts a large number of dumbbells, but, unfortunately, the weights top out at 75. That's fine and good for general fitness workouts, but when you need to do high-intensity work on rows or goblet squats, for example, you need heavier weights. As big as the weight training area is, it's still limited in the number of people it can accommodate. I wouldn't want to try working out at peak activity time. It would just be way too crowded for me. Outside of those minor quibbles, PF is great, and I will continue my daily visits for the foreseeable future. At some point, I will probably have a home or garage gym again equipped with everything I need, but it's also possible that I'll be happy to continue paying PF $15 a month.