Planet Fitness is a gym that has been around for a while now. They have a lot of locations all over the United States, and they continue to grow. One of the things that makes Planet Fitness so popular is the fact that they have such low prices. But some people are unsure about what equipment they have, and what they don't have. In this article, we will take a look at the history of Planet Fitness, and discuss what type of equipment they have in their gyms.
They get a bad rap with the hardcore weightlifting community, but there is nothing really wrong with them. They are just there for everybody of all levels too get into shape and don't cater to any one person. If this is all you have when it comes to options they can be a great place to reach your goals especially in the beginning.
The “lunk alarm” is the main rule they throw in there to keep those loud grunting weightlifters out of the gym. So if you are a loud lifter, like to drop your weights, etc. then probably wouldn't even bother joining up.
Does Planet Fitness Have A Bench Press?
Planet Fitness does not have a bench press. It doesn't necessarily make it useless for bulking, but if you are training for a powerlifting meet than you will want to train elsewhere. They do have dumbbells and circuity training chest equipment along with cables. So you can get a very good chest workout in still.
Why You Don't Need Bench Press
There are many other exercises that hit your chest muscles like:
- Dumbbell Bench Press – Planet fitness still has dumbbells that go up to 80lbs a piece and do have adjustable benches available as well. Begin by sitting on a flat bench with your arms straight and holding a dumbbell in each hand. Your upper arm and forearm should make a 90-degree angle, with your elbows at the sides of your chest. The palms of your hands should be facing each other at this point. Rotate your wrists so that your palms face forward (away from face). Exhale as you push the dumbbells up with your chest muscles. Take a breath and tighten your chest muscles when your arms are fully extended. Hold this position for a second before lowering the dumbbells slowly. Lowering the weights should take twice as long as lifting them up.
- Butterfly Machine – Planet fitness does have some of the best circuit training equipment including the butterfly machine to hit that inner chest region. Adjust the seat height before sitting down on the butterfly machine so that it is suitable for you. Then place your back against the cushion with your arms by your side. Gripe the handles and make sure your upper arms are parallel to the floor. You're ready to get started now. Grasp the handles and slowly push them together while squeezing your arms toward your chest and breathing out. Hold this posture for a moment before breathing in as you return to starting position. This is one complete repetition in our game of hopscotch.
- Pushup – never forget about mixing in some bodyweight workouts like pushups and pullups. That do a great job to hit those other muscle groups that you don't with weights. Pushups don't need anything except your body weight, so no equipment is required! Assume a full plank position to begin. Place the palms of your hands flat on the floor, about shoulder-width apart. The balls of your feet should touch the floor as well, either together or separated by a foot. Place your hands on the wall, with your feet and legs together. Your body should be straight and your core muscles should be tight. Look at the ground. Then, coming down to a 90-degree angle, lower yourself until both elbows are parallel to the floor. Push into the floor and return to take up the plank position to complete one repetition.
- Chest Press Machine – the do have a situp right chest press machine as well.
- Smith Machine – you can perform the bench press on the smith machine as well since they do have adjustable benches. So you can hit the flat bench, decline and incline to get those workouts in. Most Planet fitness have 2-3 smith machines available.
Since Planet Fitness does have adjustable benches, you can use the Smith Machine to bench press. This will allow you to have a more stable platform to push off of and increase your overall range of motion. Here are the steps:
1) Assume a shoulder-width stance in front of the Smith Machine.
2) Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip.
Note: You can also use a reverse grip if you want to target your triceps more.
When using the Smith Machine, be sure to set the safety catches at a point where it will not impede your range of motion.
Start by lying on your back on a bench with your feet flat on the floor and your head, neck, and back in a straight line.
Reach up and grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, making sure that your hands are spaced wider than shoulder-width apart.
Unrack the bar by straightening your arms.
Slowly lower the barbell to your chest, making sure to keep your elbows tucked in close to your sides.
Once the barbell touches your chest, press it back up to the starting position and repeat.
Final Thoughts
Planet Fitness is one of the most popular gym chains in America with over 1,200 locations. They're known for their low-cost memberships and equipment that can be used by anyone from beginners to top athletes. In this article we talked about what types of equipment Planet fitness has available for you as a member. We also touched on some other things like the history of Planet Fitness and what their mission is. Thanks for reading and we hope this was helpful!
What are your thoughts on Planet Fitness? Have you had a good experience there? Let us know in the comments below! And be sure to check out our other blog posts for more health and fitness tips! Thank you for reading!
