People work out for difference reasons, and Carol Murnane joined Planet Fitness[1] to get in shape following a bout with lung cancer.
“This is just my second day ever coming to a gym,” Murnane said on Dec. 18. “I want to get in shape and I want to breathe. I’m a survivor.”
In December 2011, Murnane was diagnosed with lung cancer. After undergoing radiation and chemotherapy, the lower left portion of her lung had to be removed. Two years later, things are going smoothly, and she is working out at the newly opened Planet Fitness in Norwood[2] .
“I’m working out on one and a half lungs, and I’m doing good,” Murnane said. “I’ve never felt better.”
While Murnane’s story is unique, it reflects the atmosphere at Planet Fitness: anyone can come in and work out, regardless of age, gender, body type or experience, co-owner Jonathan Epstein said.
“A lot of our members are first time gym users,” General Manager Chris Cooper said. “Anyone can come into any of our clubs, work out and feel comfortable.”
Planet Fitness opened at 418 Walpole St., Norwood, on Tuesday, Dec. 17. It will host a will host its grand opening celebration on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
One unique element of Planet Fitness Norwood is its hours of operation. The club is from midnight on Monday to 9 p.m. Friday, something Epstein described as a “24/5” schedule. During the weekend, the club is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“There was a demand for it, from people who work second or third shifts. A lot of people are working out later in the day,” Epstein said. “The number varies by club, but you can see 200, 300 people come in between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m.”
Epstein, who is a partial owner of eight Planet Fitness locations in Massachusetts, said this 24/5 feature is available at three of his clubs. However, it’s become a common feature at newly opened clubs.
“Consumer fitness has changed today. We are trying to promote general fitness for the general public,” Epstein said. “There are some people who can only get a workout in after their shift ends. It’s not going to be the same as the crowd at 5 p.m. on a Monday night, but there are a lot of members who will use those late hours.”
Unlike some clubs open 24 hours, Planet Fitness will be staff at all times, Epstein said. The staffing level hasn’t been finalized.
People work out for difference reasons, and Carol Murnane joined Planet Fitness[3] to get in shape following a bout with lung cancer.
“This is just my second day ever coming to a gym,” Murnane said on Dec. 18. “I want to get in shape and I want to breathe. I’m a survivor.”
In December 2011, Murnane was diagnosed with lung cancer. After undergoing radiation and chemotherapy, the lower left portion of her lung had to be removed. Two years later, things are going smoothly, and she is working out at the newly opened Planet Fitness in Norwood[4] .
“I’m working out on one and a half lungs, and I’m doing good,” Murnane said. “I’ve never felt better.”
While Murnane’s story is unique, it reflects the atmosphere at Planet Fitness: anyone can come in and work out, regardless of age, gender, body type or experience, co-owner Jonathan Epstein said.
“A lot of our members are first time gym users,” General Manager Chris Cooper said. “Anyone can come into any of our clubs, work out and feel comfortable.”
Planet Fitness opened at 418 Walpole St., Norwood, on Tuesday, Dec. 17. It will host a will host its grand opening celebration on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
One unique element of Planet Fitness Norwood is its hours of operation. The club is from midnight on Monday to 9 p.m. Friday, something Epstein described as a “24/5” schedule. During the weekend, the club is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“There was a demand for it, from people who work second or third shifts. A lot of people are working out later in the day,” Epstein said. “The number varies by club, but you can see 200, 300 people come in between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m.”
Epstein, who is a partial owner of eight Planet Fitness locations in Massachusetts, said this 24/5 feature is available at three of his clubs. However, it’s become a common feature at newly opened clubs.
“Consumer fitness has changed today. We are trying to promote general fitness for the general public,” Epstein said. “There are some people who can only get a workout in after their shift ends. It’s not going to be the same as the crowd at 5 p.m. on a Monday night, but there are a lot of members who will use those late hours.”
Unlike some clubs open 24 hours, Planet Fitness will be staff at all times, Epstein said. The staffing level hasn’t been finalized.
“Since this is a new club, we will be judging what sort of staffing we need,” Epstein said. “The club is always staffed appropriately. You can’t just come in and find no one here.”
The 24/5 hours will be included as part of every membership. There are two membership tiers- the $10/month white card level and the $20/month black card level, which provides access to over 700 Planet Fitness locations, access to the Black Card Spa and unlimited use of the massage chairs, hydro massage beds and tanning.
“A lot of people like to relax after a workout,” Cooper said. “For some, that’s the massage chairs. With the tanning, some people do that for seasonal depression or the winter blues. It’s almost a form of relaxation for them too.”
All members will be given access to PE@PF, a physical education program that provides fitness training in small classes to members. At some classes, a guest can create personalized workout routines to focus on specific body parts, like your abs, back or legs, Cooper said.
Epstein said first-time users can attend these classes as an introduction to the equipment.
“We take our fitness seriously, but we understand people like normal lives. People don’t have to just eat tofu and power bars to live healthy,” Epstein said. “Our goal is to be a supportive environment. We want everyone to feel comfortable. It really is a judgment free zone. The club is designed to let every single member get the exercise they need to meet their goals,” he said.
One way the club does this is through Planet Fitness’s lunk alarm. Epstein said the lunk alarm is a common sound at a new club, as members are learning the rules. It typically is used when someone is violating gym rules and making others feels uncomfortable by dropping weights or grunting excessively.
“The main focus of the lunk alarm is to remind people that they are in an environment where there are a variety of ages and body types working out,” Epstein said.
Staff writer Brad Cole can be reached at 781-433-8339 or bcole@wickedlocal.com. Like The Norwood Transcript and Bulletin on Facebook and follow @bradcolewrites and @NorwoodTranscri on Twitter.
References
- ^ Planet Fitness (www.planetfitness.com)
- ^ Planet Fitness in Norwood (membership.planetfitness.com)
- ^ Planet Fitness (www.planetfitness.com)
- ^ Planet Fitness in Norwood (membership.planetfitness.com)
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