Planet Fitness Truly is the Anti-Fitness Gym

Club Industry.com is reporting that Planet Fitness is discontinuing Personal Training at it’s clubs. (clubindustry.com/news/planet-fitness-grondahl-personal-training-20101209/)   Their reason for doing so has nothing to do with the economy.   As a Fitness Professional, I find their reasons for doing so appalling and insulting but before I get into that, let’s talk a bit about this anti-gym.

The fact that Planet Fitness is ending Personal Training does not surprise me and I do not view their actions as a trend.  They clearly are the anti-fitness gym.

Seriously, what do you expect from a gym that doesn’t allow it’s members to grunt during their workout, has a sign with an image of a bodybuilder with a big red “NO” line going through it (clearly not very a Alpha Male Challenge friendly environment) serves it’s members pizza and has large fish bowls of Tootsie Rolls?

Yes, Planet Fitness truly is the Anti-Fitness “Gym”

As a Fitness Professional I am appalled and quite frankly insulted on how Planet Fitness devalues what we do as a profession and what we do for the fitness industry.

The reasons for discontinuing Personal Training at Planet fitness was put out in a statement by it’s CEO, Mike Grondahl.

Let’s take their reasoning behind this decision:

“Too many trainers are pushing PT on our members, the vast majority of whom have zero interest in it.” First of all, if the Personal Trainers aren’t encouraging the members to have the experience of working with a Personal Trainer, how are the PT’s supposed to earn a living?  also, doesn’t the facility make money from PT?  Could it be that the reason why the majority of Planet Fitness members have zero interest in discovering the benefits of what a PT can do for them is because Planet Fitness really doesn’t encourage it’s members the resources to live a fit and healthy lifestyle?

Most gyms encourage their Fitness Professionals to approach it’s members and let them know about the benefits a Personal Trainer can provide them with towards not only improving their overall health and fitness, but teaching them how to workout safely, effectively and efficiently.

Grondahl began the letter by claiming that most people doing personal training are “just renting friends.”  …” 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,” he wrote.

Is what we do fraud!!?? really??!!  Am I nothing more than just a “rent a friend” to my clients? do I offer no value to my clients?  Is that what a therapist is to someone seeking advice or guidance on how to overcome personal/emotional problems?  What about those who do life coaching?  are they too, nothing more than a rent a friend???!!!

If you really want to take the “rent a friend” one step further, Mr. Grondahl, you may as well compare us to what “escorts” do minus the sex.  Essentially, what you’re saying is that we are being paid solely to give someone attention for an hour and make them feel all warm and fuzzy.

Seriously, not only is this whole thing insulting to the Profession of Personal Training, but the clients who pay for our services and value we provide towards improving someone’s quality of life, possibly saving a life, by improving their health and fitness.

I encourage you to please share your comments and opinions on this story.

Yours in health and fitness,ShariFitness, CPT, SFN