Convincing Planet Fitness to add ergs

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gcanyon
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Convincing Planet Fitness to add ergs

Post by gcanyon » July 21st, 2016, 2:23 pm

Planet Fitness has 1,000 locations, and they're very affordable, but they don't have ergs. They say that ergs are "advanced" fitness equipment, and they are a "beginner" gym. They have treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, and other equipment, and they offer an "Intro to the Machines" class, so I don't understand why the erg should be a problem for them.

I just reached out to them to let them know that the erg is a deal-breaker for me -- that I'd be a member if they had the Concept 2, but I'm not since they don't. We'll see what they say. Anyone who thinks they might join if PF had ergs, or just wants to let them know that ergs are awesome, can reach out to them at http://www.planetfitness.com/contact-pf

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Carl Watts
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Re: Convincing Planet Fitness to add ergs

Post by Carl Watts » July 21st, 2016, 5:05 pm

Buy your own and give up the gyms totally, thats what I ended up doing.

Typically Ergs in a gym get in a mess and do not get the maintenance they need. Your Erg at home can be kept in "Race Fit" condition and they are so cheap in the USA compared to anywhere else in the world.

Also if you like the Erg that much you can add RowPro to your home set-up.
Carl Watts.
Age:56 Weight: 108kg Height:183cm
Concept 2 Monitor Service Technician & indoor rower.
http://log.concept2.com/profile/863525/log

ArmandoChavezUNC
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Re: Convincing Planet Fitness to add ergs

Post by ArmandoChavezUNC » July 22nd, 2016, 8:47 am

Planet Fitness is too cheap to buy ergs. Also, the ergs wouldn't last more than a few months, knowing the demographic that frequents those gyms and their general lack of athletic prowess. The ergs would be broken in no time.

Just buy your own and ditch Planet Fitness. Any gym that feeds it's members free pizza is not a real gym.
PBs: 2k 6:09.0 (2020), 6k 19:38.9 (2020), 10k 33:55.5 (2019), 60' 17,014m (2018), HM 1:13:27.5 (2019)

Old PBs: LP 1:09.9 (~2010), 100m 16.1 (~2010), 500m 1:26.7 (~2010), 1k 3:07.0 (~2010)

gcanyon
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Re: Convincing Planet Fitness to add ergs

Post by gcanyon » July 22nd, 2016, 12:16 pm

I own an erg, have for almost ten years. I just moved to New York and had to put it in storage.

I disagree about the Concept 2 dying at Planet Fitness. I just went by a Crunch Gym ($75/month, too much just to use their erg) and they have a Model C on the floor! That thing is at least 13 years old, and still working.

It really seems like my only option is to spend $75-$100 a month or give up erging. Even the YMCA here is ~$90/month.

ArmandoChavezUNC
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Re: Convincing Planet Fitness to add ergs

Post by ArmandoChavezUNC » July 22nd, 2016, 12:43 pm

I don't know if Anytime Fitness exists in NY, but a lot of their locations have ergs.

The reason I think an erg at a Planet Fitness would be abused more than another gym is because Planet Fitness tends to be a much bigger gym with more users. They also cater to the less athletically inclined, so you're more bound to get people using it who don't do it properly.
PBs: 2k 6:09.0 (2020), 6k 19:38.9 (2020), 10k 33:55.5 (2019), 60' 17,014m (2018), HM 1:13:27.5 (2019)

Old PBs: LP 1:09.9 (~2010), 100m 16.1 (~2010), 500m 1:26.7 (~2010), 1k 3:07.0 (~2010)

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Carl Watts
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Re: Convincing Planet Fitness to add ergs

Post by Carl Watts » July 22nd, 2016, 4:27 pm

Why put it in storage and pay for that as well ?

Donate your Erg to the planet fitness you want to use and negotiate a cheaper membership.

Think outside the box, its worked out well for me in life, go round the problem don't get stuck on it.
Carl Watts.
Age:56 Weight: 108kg Height:183cm
Concept 2 Monitor Service Technician & indoor rower.
http://log.concept2.com/profile/863525/log

sekitori
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Re: Convincing Planet Fitness to add ergs

Post by sekitori » July 22nd, 2016, 7:08 pm

Carl Watts wrote:
Donate your Erg to the planet fitness you want to use and negotiate a cheaper membership.
That's a good idea but I don't think it will work. I doubt the reason a facility will refuse to accept a donated erg is because it's too "advanced" for their "beginner" gym. I think the real reason is that the vast majority of their instructors are not knowledgeable enough about ergs to instruct people as to their proper use. Using a rowing machine is quite technique sensitive. Teaching people how to use elliptical machines, treadmills, bicycle ergometers, etc. is considerably easier because the techniques involved are fairly simple. Most instructors are able to teach people how to use those machines well. The same thing cannot be said about rowers.

It can take quite a while to learn how to use a rowing machine. It can take even longer learning how to teach people to properly use one.

Trying to use an erg with very poor instruction or no instruction at all can be an accident waiting to happen. When people get injured at a fitness facility because they feel they have been given little or no information about the use of a piece of equipment, some of them could take legal action.

Why would a gym or health club want to add a piece of equipment that could leave them open to negligence lawsuits? I'm sure they have quite enough of those already.

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Carl Watts
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Re: Convincing Planet Fitness to add ergs

Post by Carl Watts » July 22nd, 2016, 10:21 pm

sekitori wrote: Trying to use an erg with very poor instruction or no instruction at all can be an accident waiting to happen. When people get injured at a fitness facility because they feel they have been given little or no information about the use of a piece of equipment, some of them could take legal action.

Why would a gym or health club want to add a piece of equipment that could leave them open to negligence lawsuits? I'm sure they have quite enough of those already.
Gee you got to love America, there was a comment here but thought I had better edit it. To be fair no gym I have visited knows how to use or maintain the rowers. Personal trainers in general are hopeless, they know nothing about drag factor or technique either.As for me I never used to know enough either, its only when I purchased one and got serious with it that the knowledge came. Before that it was just part of a 20 minute cardio thrash at the Gym forming part of an hour total using the bike and the stepper as well.

Forgot to add, make sure you pull the batteries out from that rower in storage or the next time you come to use it the batteries may have gone flat and leaked acid and stuffed the monitor. Rowers not being used for long periods or put in storage keeps me busy repairing monitors.
Carl Watts.
Age:56 Weight: 108kg Height:183cm
Concept 2 Monitor Service Technician & indoor rower.
http://log.concept2.com/profile/863525/log

Bob S.
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Re: Convincing Planet Fitness to add ergs

Post by Bob S. » August 1st, 2016, 10:22 am

remisture wrote:Every CrossFit gym has rowers. But memberships tend to be pricey ($100-150?). Maybe you can get a row-only membership?
The one in my locality has a one day drop in fee of $10.

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