Is Planet Fitness Good For Beginners?

Everybody has seen the ads for Planet Fitness, a gym that’s cheap, accessible, and good!

But, is Planet Fitness Good for beginners?

Yes, Planet Fitness is good for beginners! It’s a cheap gym that has many locations- so it’s easily accessible no matter your schedule. It has very beginner cardio and resistance machines, which allow a beginner to slowly learn how to work out without being overwhelmed. Plus, the atmosphere is very welcoming to beginners (especially with their Lunk Alarm). It’s a great stepping stone gym to start out at, but as you outgrow the training wheels- you’ll probably have to change gyms.

Let’s talk about this more in-depth, and really answer the question: Is Planet Fitness Good for Beginners?

Is Planet Fitness Good For Beginners?
Is Planet Fitness Good For Beginners?

Planet Fitness is Cheap, So Virtually Anyone Can Start Working Out!

Planet Fitness is inexpensive. Nobody wants to drop a ton of money on a hobby or activity they aren’t sure about.

Memberships at Planet Fitness range (usually) from $10-22/month. Most people can fork over $10-20/month to work out at a gym.

This makes the gym super accessible. And the truth is, a lot of people are hesitant about going to the gym because they aren’t sure if it is for them.

You wouldn’t want to spend $1,000 on a new hobby if you aren’t sure you like it- right?

Look, most people that start seriously working out will never stop. The benefits of exercise are just so good- that most people will never quit.

But sometimes, it’s about getting that foot in the door. And the low price of Planet Fitness makes it a very good gym for beginners.

Planet Fitness Has Good Beginner Equipment

Planet Fitness has good beginner equipment.

If you step into a ‘serious big bodybuilder gym’ like Westside Barbell, you may just get overwhelmed by the intense amount and variety of equipment.

(For example, Westside Barbell has a machine that works your neck muscles, but a beginner likely is just going to get extremely confused by this!)

But, a Planet Fitness is much more relaxed and simple.

It’s like the training wheels on a bike. You don’t want to hop onto a BMX bike right away for your first ride, you want a simple bike with training wheels so you get used to biking.

Good ‘Resistance’/’Lifting’ Machines

You have good beginner equipment that works out muscles you’re familiar with and understand. They are simple machines but effective.

Think of things like:

  • Bicep Curls
  • Tricep Extensions
  • Pectoral Flyes
  • Chest Press
  • Ab Machines
  • Leg Machines

These are some of the machines you’ll find. They are simple, but effective.

The machines help you build some of that beginner muscle and get familiar and comfortable in the gym- which is really important.

Good Cardio Machines

Planet Fitness is KNOWN for its good cardio machines.

Cardio machines are a great tool for anybody trying to lose fat and tone up. Cardio machines are things like Treadmills, Ellipticals, and/or Rowing Machines. These machines are designed to make you sweat and burn fat.

These machines are simple and easy to understand, so you can learn the basics of exercise and understand how much cardio you need to do to lose weight and understand things like target heart rate, HIIT/LISS cardio, etcetera.

Good Atmosphere for Beginners

The gym is very anti-judging- which I like.

They have this thing called the ‘lunk alarm’, which basically sounds off if someone drops weights and/or grunts too loud.

Now, obviously it is not the perfect system- and it is often abused- but it does a good job at warding off some of those ‘bad apples’ in the exercise world.

I won’t lie, while most ‘big scary guys’ at the gym are some of the harmless guys you will ever meet, there certainly are some people that have a weird thing for intimidating others- and if you’re a brand new beginner it’s not something you likely want to deal with.

If you lift at Planet Fitness, you’ll likely never have to deal with any of that. This is good, because as you get more used to lifting, those weird guys that try to intimidate you lose that ‘scare’ factor once you’re comfortable in the gym.

The Hydromassage is Great!

A huge attraction factor of Planet Fitness is their hydromassage, it’s this awesome auto-massage waterbed that feels amazing.

Many beginners will have troubles with muscle cramps and soreness during their first few workouts, so a good hydromassage will be sure to help relieve that!

Also, you may be interested in their Total Body Enhancement!

You Will Likely Have to Switch Gyms As You Grow

While Planet FItness is a great gym and stepping stone for beginners- that’s all it is- a stepping stone.

They lack any ‘heavy weights’ and ‘free weights’ that more intermediate-advanced weight lifters will be looking for.

There just aren’t a lot of muscles you can target without free weights or heavier weights, and at that point, you may want to check out a different gym.

As the training wheels come off, you may want to look at a different gym with more options such as LA Fitness, Anytime Fitness, and/or SNAP Fitness.

The Bottom Line? Yes! Planet Fitness is GOOD For Beginners

Yes, Planet Fitness is good for beginners! It has great equipment, it is low cost, and has some other great things like a hydromassasge for you to enjoy! But, as those training wheels come off, you may find yourself looking at a new gym- but that’s okay. Planet Fitness is designed as a great beginner gym.

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