Planet Health — and gymnasiums prefer it — have lengthy been the butt of jokes within the health world. Stuffed with purple decor, “lunk alarms,” free pizza nights, and “judgment-free zones,” however missing in barbells, squat racks, and deadlift platforms, it’s often called the sort of place wherein critical athletes and devoted lifters wouldn’t be caught useless. Planet Health has a rep for being the sort of health club health newbies take part January, aimlessly putz round in for a number of weeks with out altering their physique, after which cease going to — whereas persevering with to pay for a membership that’s notoriously arduous to cancel.
That was mainly my tackle Planet Health for a very long time.
Although I had as soon as been a member of 1 practically twenty years in the past — when Kate and I had been first married and couldn’t afford anything — I had subsequently grow to be the sort of garage-gym-training barbell zealot who seemed down my nostril at so-called “globo-gyms.”
However, in center age, I’ve been altering my thoughts about some issues; for instance, whereas I was a free-weights-only purist, I now suppose health machines can play a wholesome function in constructing energy and muscle.
That acquired me questioning if I’d additionally misjudged Planet Health and related gyms.
So lately, I made a decision to return to Planet Health for the primary time in a pair a long time to see what sort of coaching you’ll be able to really get carried out in an inexpensive globo-gym. I acquired a day move to a close-by location to test it out and do a exercise.
The expertise shocked me.
Right here’s my report.
Be aware: As a result of the web has made us all so damned jaded and cynical, that is NOT a sponsored submit for Planet Health. I’ve no relationship with them and haven’t acquired a dime from them. To get the day move, I needed to fork over my cellphone quantity and electronic mail, and I’m now being bombarded with promotional texts and emails from Planet Health. Sacrifices have to be made for journalism! I’m utilizing Planet Health as a stand-in for all chain gyms (like 10Gym) that supply low cost month-to-month membership charges.
My Return to Planet Health: First Impressions
The Planet Health I visited sits in a strip mall and as soon as housed a Walmart a few years again.
Signing up was a breeze. I advised the man I simply wished to coach for the day, and he stated that they had a free day move for potential new members that I might use.
I stated I wasn’t curious about becoming a member of, simply coaching for the day.
“That’s cool. You possibly can nonetheless use the free day move. Have an amazing exercise!” he replied. No upsell. No pushing me to hitch.
Good.
Had I joined up, I might have purchased a yr’s membership for $15 a month, plus a $59 start-up charge and a $49 annual charge. Added altogether, that comes out to $24 a month for a yr. It’s deal; many gyms are double and even quadruple that.
I walked across the facility to get a lay of the land.
My general first impression of Planet Health after not visiting in practically twenty years?
Surprisingly impressed.
This Planet Health was actually clear and well-maintained — cleaner and higher maintained than the $75-a-month health club I belonged to earlier than constructing my storage health club.
Even the bogs/locker rooms had been actually clear.
I didn’t see something about pizza evening, however I wouldn’t be against a slice of Papa John’s after a coaching session so long as it suits my macros. Pizza is a good post-workout meals — a pleasant steadiness of carbs, protein, and fats.
They nonetheless have the “lunk alarm.” It by no means went off whereas I used to be there. I think about it hardly ever, if ever, does; it’s extra branding image than disciplinary gadget.
And actually, as a curmudgeonly 40-something, I’m glad Planet Health has a rule in opposition to folks being loud whereas understanding. Whereas there’s proof to recommend that grunting and yelling can barely enhance your athletic efficiency, it’s a must to steadiness that modest increase in opposition to annoying and distracting different folks. One of many tradeoffs of understanding in a communal house is that you just’re honor-bound to behave as a thoughtful communal citizen.
Lunks who make a bunch of noise whereas coaching are, within the phrases of Mark Rippetoe, disrespectful “ostentatious, histrionic pussies, which might be attempting to make noise to name consideration to themselves.”
I’m not a fan of dropping weights, both, except you’re doing Olympics lifts.
So far as that third potential lunk-alarm-triggering infraction, I’m undecided the way you decide whether or not somebody is judging and if/how that’s enforced.
So general, I discover the thought of making an alarm to police what must be implicit etiquette foolish, however tolerable.
Now, what concerning the tools?
Higher than I remembered.
Whereas they’re emblazoned in a garish purple primer, there have been loads of machines for each physique half you’d need to practice. Most of it was Precor, however additionally they had some Hammer Power machines. All the machines had been in nice situation. They seemed new. Listed here are the machines you’ll discover at most PF or 10Gyms:
- Chest press machine
- Shoulder press machine
- Pec deck/reverse fly machine
- Shoulder lateral elevate machine
- Lat pull-down machine
- Seated row machine
- Leg press and extension machine
- Hamstring curl machine
- Hack squat machine
- Bicep curls and tricep extension machine
- Calf elevate machine
You possibly can create a program that works your complete physique with all these machines.
Moreover the machines, PF had a number of cable towers the place you may do lat pull-downs and tricep pushdowns. There was a purposeful coach (which we’ve written about earlier than).
Planet Health’ dumbbell choice was spectacular. Their dumbbells had been from American Barbell and felt good in my arms. You might create a full-body exercise with simply the dumbbells they’ve.
Whereas they don’t have squat racks, they do have Smith machines. I’m not an enormous fan of Smith machines (particularly for bench press), however they’re a good possibility for squats, RDLs, rows, and lunges.
And, after all, that they had loads of treadmills and elliptical machines the place you may do Zone 2 cardio whereas watching Columbo.
Along with the absence of squat racks, there are certainly no barbells or deadlift platforms.
However, you’ve nonetheless acquired all the pieces you should create a well-rounded health program and get jacked within the course of.
The Science of Muscle Progress Doesn’t Care About Your Gymnasium’s Branding
Right here’s the factor about muscle progress: it doesn’t care in case your health club seems to be like Barney the Dinosaur, whether or not you’re utilizing barbells or machines, or whether or not you’re paying $15 or $100 a month for a health club membership.
Your muscle mass reply to mechanical rigidity and progressive overload. Interval.
While you topic a muscle to adequate mechanical rigidity after which enable it to recuperate with ample vitamin and relaxation, it grows. This course of is identical whether or not you’re utilizing a 500-pound barbell or a leg press machine with the pin set at 300 kilos.
Analysis confirms this. Research have discovered that free weights and machines are equally efficient in rising energy and muscle mass. So long as you’re getting ample mechanical rigidity to stimulate muscle progress and are progressively overloading your muscle mass exercise to exercise, you’ll get greater and stronger . . . even when you use vibrant purple weight machines.
A Pattern Routine You Can Use at a Low cost Globo-Gymnasium
So that you’ve acquired all the pieces you should get jacked at Planet Health or 10Gym.
I had an amazing upper-body exercise whereas I used to be there. Received a incredible pump with that purple Barney the Dinosaur tools.
Beneath is a four-day higher/decrease break up you may do at any Planet Health throughout the nation:
Day 1: Higher (that is the precise exercise I did on my go to to PF)
- Machine Chest Press: 3 units of 8-12 reps
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 units of 10-15 reps
- Lat Pull-Downs: 3 units of 8-12 reps
- Machine Shoulder Lateral Increase: 3 units of 12-15 reps
- Pec Deck: 3 units of 10-12 reps
- Machine Bicep Hammer Curl: 3 units of 10-12 reps
- Cable Tricep Pushdown: 3 units of 10-12 reps
Day 2: Decrease (Quad focus)
- Smith Machine RDL: 3 units of 10-12 reps
- Hack Squat: 3 units of 10-12 reps
- Bulgarian Break up Squat: 3 units of 8-12 reps
- Seated Leg Extensions: 3 units of 12-15 reps
- Smith Machine Calf Raises: 3 units of 12-15 reps
Day 3: Higher
- Machine Shoulder Press: 3 units of 10-12 reps
- Hammer Power Machine Press: 3 units of 10-12 reps
- Machine Seated Row: 3 units of 10-12 reps
- Face Pulls: 3 units of 12-15 reps
- Dumbbell Curls: 3 units of 12-15 reps
- Dips: 3 units of 10-12 reps
Day 4: Decrease
- Smith Machine Squat: 3 units of 10-12 reps
- Single Leg Dumbbell RDLs: 3 units of 10-12 reps
- Leg Press: 3 units of 10-12 reps
- Machine Leg Curls: 3 units of 12-15 reps
- Glute Machine: 3 units of 12-15 reps
- Machine Seated Calf Raises: 3 units of 10-15 reps
I’d do that Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. I’d do cardio on Wednesday and Saturday.
You may as well use this immediate for ChatGPT; it created a very stable higher/decrease break up for me:
You might be an knowledgeable health coach who focuses on hypertrophy. Create an higher/decrease 4-day break up utilizing tools that you will discover at Planet Health gyms. Objective is to pack on as a lot muscle as doable.
In case your price range or circumstances lead you to Planet Health or 10Gym, go for it. Prepare arduous, be constant, concentrate on progressive overload, and also you’ll be shocked by what you’ll be able to obtain in that purple and yellow judgment-free zone.
The iron doesn’t care the place you raise it. And neither must you.