Judgement Free Zone Opens in Harlem
Amid all the hoopla about NYSC opening up all over Harlem, low price competitor Planet Fitness was able to slide into the neighborhood relatively unnoticed. This nationwide chain is opening up inexpensive gyms from coast to coast. There had been a lot of talk about it last year when they opened the location in the Bronx. Has anyone joined Planet Fitness? Is it really the too good to be true deal that it seems to be? See what Terry Bradshaw has to say about it.
D. Bell
Dee Bell is a freelance writer and the founder of Uptownflavor, Harlem's premier online lifestyle destination since 2006.
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I’ve been working out at Planet Fitness in the Bronx non-stop lately to get ready for the Miss Black USA pageant. As a past Crunch and NYSC member, I can say that Planet Fitness is just as good as these other gyms, just without the classes. Well, for the money I save–its worth it!!!!
I used to pay 80/month for NYSC and 29/month for Hollywood Tans. Now I get a gym AND tanning in one for 19/month. So, Planet Fitness I has saved me 90/month. That’s huge! The staff is super friendly, I have never had a problem getting on a machine even at peak hours, and they have a great system where you can plug your headphones into the machine and listen to the TV while you watch.
Just what I need to save some money before the pageant!
I checked the website but couldn’t find any fitness classes. Is it just an open gym with machines, or do they have classes?
Cool! Sounds like my kind of gym. Thanks for the review.
I joined the Planet Fitness in the Bronx (W.225th St. & B’way) back in November and it is truly a cool experience. Unlike Bally’s, where it seems to me that everyone there is already slim and trim and are only working on maintaining their physiques, and unlike Curves which was a little too “clique-ish” for me, Plant Fitness is what they say they are. The staff welcome me warmly with a smile when I walked in the first time and took the time to take me on a tour of the gym. They sit you down and explain every part of their contract. It’s only 19.95 a month for their special VIP Black Card with a one time sign up fee of (I believe) $28.00. And after a year, you can choose to keep going or end contract. No questions asked. If you decide to quit in the middle, it is only $58 to cancel.
What I also like is that after I joined, I went strong for a month and then fell off the wagon for two weeks. When I came back, the manager said “Hey! We haven’t seen you in a few days. Everything okay?” I simply said yes, had some stuff to take care of. And the manager said “Well, welcome back!”
That might not sound like a big deal? But it was to me. Just shows the attentiveness of the staff.
The ladies locker room is wonderfully clean and they have fresh flowers in there everyday. There is sanitizer at every turn, so as long as you keep with gym etiquette, you will be fine.
My only criticism is that they give you a schedule of different classes that are supposed to take place, but I have been there at different times and days and have yet to see one take place. Not a prob with me, since I am there for the treadmill & lightweights, but it is a question that could be asked.
I’d recommend it, especially to women who, like me, are looking for a place they can go with a workout buddy. Planet Fitness is what they say: 100% judgement free.