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Planet Fitness is an American franchise of fitness centers based in Newington, New Hampshire. Each gym features exercise equipment and personal trainers to assist its members. It markets itself as a "Judgement Free Zone", though somewhat controversially it has rules in place to discourage bodybuilders, power-lifters and "grunters".

History
The fitness club was founded in 1992, when Michael Grondahl acquired a financially struggling gym and dramatically reduced prices to compete against better-known brands. He not only succeeded at managing gyms, currently expanding to nearly 650 locations with an estimated 4.5 million members, but also on a personal level considering he actually lived in his very first gym because he couldn't afford an apartment. The low-cost business model focuses on the needs of occasional or first-time health club members rather than more experienced members.

There are eleven corporately owned gyms, with the rest being independently owned and operated. The franchise is concentrated mostly in the Northeast, but it is a nationwide franchise. The Franchise has been added to the Inc. 500 list.

Membership Benefits
Planet Fitness likes to keep things simple and affordable. Joining your club will cost $10 a month, which doesn't include yoga, group classes, or childcare. However, the minimal monthly fee includes a clean atmosphere to workout in, a dozen flat screen televisions, various cardio equipment, circuit training, free weights, locker rooms with showers, and free personal training. The cardio equipment includes treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bicycles, and stair climber machines. Every gym also has an area designated for use of mats and ab exercise balls. Plus, most clubs are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Additionally, Planet Fitness takes pride in creating a relaxed workout environment for all of their members; they achieve this by having mottos posted around the clubs such as "no critics allowed" and "judgement free zone". The Planet Fitness franchises are not complete without a "lunk alarm", which is a siren that blares and flashes a blue light when gym-goers violate prohibitions on grunting and other bodybuilding behaviors.

Sponsors
As of January 2012 it is the national gym sponsor of NBC's reality show The Biggest Loser. The contestants on the show will work out on Planet Fitness equipment while at The Biggest Loser Ranch in Calabasas, California, and then at Planet Fitness gyms near their homes, working with Planet Fitness personal trainers.

Controversy
The chain was the subject of controversy in 2006 because of a New York Times article describing the public cancellation of a patron's membership (for "grunting") at their Wappingers Falls, New York location. The event resulted in the club calling the police on the member, and later a lawsuit for defamation on the part of the ex-member, which was ultimately settled for an undisclosed amount.

Some people have complained to Planet Fitness that what they thought was a gym, is not a gym. Members are expecting too much from a place that only costs $10 a month. They want more intense equipment, classes, child care offered, and want an overall serious workout. However, $10 a month only goes so far.

Planet Fitness is known for their free food they give out throughout every month. For example, tootsie rolls are available daily, there is a free pizza day every first Monday of the month, and free bagel days every second Tuesday of the month. Members often find that the temptation of food is hard to resist and think that a gym is not the place to offer to people who are either starting a workout out or finishing one.

Starting January 1, 2014, members of Planet Fitness are required to a pay a tax on their memberships as mandatory by the implementation of provisions of the Affordable Health Care Act. The membership fee is not increasing but rather it is a tax required by the federal government. The reasoning behind the tax is due to the option for members to tan at Planet Fitness. The increase is a "five-cent-per-month tax related to the ability to tan under the membership." It does not matter if the member uses or does not use the tanning facilities.