Man Escorted From Planet Fitness Gym For Grunting - SuperiorMuscle.com

bad14u · #1 11-03-06, 07:46 AM

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_305235233.html

(CBS) WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. You can lift, strain, crunch and sweat all you want at the Planet Fitness in the Dutchess County village. But whatever you do, do not grunt.

Yep, "no grunting." It says so, in black and white, on a sign posted at the gym. One former member learned the new rule the hard way.

"This is really absurd, especially the part about the grunting," said Al Argibay, a corrections officer who learned first-hand "no grunting" means exactly that.

Argibay, a former competitive bodybuilder, joined the gym in September because it was affordable and convenient.

Planet Fitness is also somewhat picky, with a long list of dos-and-don'ts posted right inside the door.

"No grunting or screaming" is listed, along with "no bandanas or do-rags."

"We're creating an atmosphere that's not intimidating," said Carol Palazzolo, the gym manager, who yanked Argibay's membership on Monday.

Argibay said he was at a multi-press station, getting ready to squat about 500 pounds when the forbidden sin happened. "I let out a grunt, squatted down, back up, grunt again. That's it," explained Argibay. "Basically, grunt, grunt, basic breathing in heavy, and breathing out."

Grunting is commonplace at most gyms, but not Planet Fitness, which discourages so-called "musclehead behavior."

There's even a flashing light and siren on the wall, labeled a "lunk alarm," which sounds if someone grunts or drops weights on the floor.

Palazzolo admits she called the cops on Argibay. The Wappingers Falls police report said officers were asked to "escort a member out of the club for grunting while working out...which is not conforming with the rules of the establishment."

But Palazzolo said that's only part of the story.

"He did grunt, and when I told him he wasn't allowed to grunt, he got irate at me, he swore, and he yelled at me," Palazzolo said. "I asked him not to [grunt), he got irate and nasty, and I can't have him in my facility if he's gonna do those kind of things."

Argibay denied he yelled, cursed, or acted inappropriately. He demanded an apology from the gym and its manager.

"It's an attack on my character, and it's very embarrasing, and an insult," Argibay said. "At the end of the day, after serving your community as a corrections officer, the last thing I want is to be escorted out of the gym by the local authorities."

Palazzolo is standing her ground.

"I'm not out to hurt anybody," she said. "If he feels I hurt his feelings, I apologize for that, but I do not apologize for the way I handled the situation and I am not apologizing for our etiquette at Planet Fitness."

It's not personal, she said, it's policy. Grunters should go elsewhere.

tracylyn · #2 11-03-06, 09:09 AM

The "gym" should be named Curves not Planet Fitness!

rado · #3 11-03-06, 09:09 AM

:laughnew:

That fitness center is so

bad14u · #4 11-03-06, 09:31 AM

1572 Route 9
Wappingers Falls, NY 12590

Phone: 845.298.8100

Carol Palazzolo, manager

I called and Martha answered the phone with that New Yorker accent...made me cringe. I asked to speak to Carol, she said she wasn't there. Go figure.

rado · #5 11-03-06, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bad14u

1572 Route 9
Wappingers Falls, NY 12590

Phone: 845.298.8100

Carol Palazzolo, manager

I called and Martha answered the phone with that New Yorker accent...made me cringe. I asked to speak to Carol, she said she wasn't there. Go figure.

I just did the same thing:laughnew: I could never date a chick that tawlks like that...lol...Damn those yonkers.

bad14u · #6 11-03-06, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rado

I just did the same thing:laughnew: I could never date a chick that tawlks like that...lol...Damn those yonkers.

Was it Martha that answered? Her voice reminds me of that girl on "Friends" that Chandler dated. "Thanks for cawling Planet Fitness, this Mauthuh..." barf....lol

bad14u · #7 11-03-06, 09:53 AM

Oh my God...people have to start calling them and grunting! :laughnew:

rado · #8 11-03-06, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bad14u

Oh my God...people have to start calling them and grunting! :laughnew:

I just called again

I think if everyone from this site calls and grunts, they may change their number

meat12 · #9 11-03-06, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bad14u

Oh my God...people have to start calling them and grunting! :laughnew:

lol
I did

bad14u · #10 11-03-06, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rado

I just called again

I think if everyone from this site calls and grunts, they may change their number

:bravonew: Me too! :laughnew:

rado · #11 11-03-06, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meat12

lol
I did

grrrrr......

**FitnessBrat** · #12 11-03-06, 11:20 AM

The place sounds absolutely ridiculous - but the guy knew going in what type of gym this was....

babyblues · #13 11-03-06, 12:13 PM

How the hell is that a gym? Sounds more like a home for the mentally retarded. Watching some guy squat 500lbs, grunting a couple of times isn't "intimidating"....it's fucking inspiring. And there are probably only like 3 members who find it intimidating and it's probably because their own lack of strength in comparison makes them feel sick and pathetic. They want to be able to go to a "gym" and use their little pink rubber coated dumbells and feel like they're "in shape". But those 3 bitches....excuse me...."people"....complain and suddenly it's a crime? That's stupid. I will never set foot in Planet Fitness ever. They have two in the area where I live and the wife was bugging me to go and check it out with her. No freakin way. If I ever do go into Planet Shitness, I'm going to take a nice steamy dump right on the front desk.

lestatgear · #14 11-03-06, 12:56 PM

Okay - check this out. I moved to Florida about a year and a half ago, but lived in the Hudson Valley prior to moving down here. That gym prior to being a Planet Fitness was a World's and one of the hardest core gyms in the area. Lots of guys who competed at National levels and some good locals too. When they changed ownership, I switched to Gold's in the area because I heard of the changes Planet Fitness wanted to install.

bowbow · #15 11-03-06, 03:25 PM

Thats screwed up, I can't imagine belonging to a place like that.

rado · #16 11-03-06, 03:28 PM

Well have you guys called it or what?

fog_hat1981 · #17 11-03-06, 07:52 PM

"We" aren't your typical gym goers - if they want rules that cater to the "typical" fitness club member then so be it...

**FitnessBrat** · #18 11-03-06, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fog_hat1981

"We" aren't your typical gym goers - if they want rules that cater to the "typical" fitness club member then so be it...

ding ding ding....

That was my point - and the rules are clearly stated. There are a lot more people than you think that are very intimidated by that type of "behavior" - and it's not just the people using pink or rubber dumbbells.

Big Eagle · #19 11-04-06, 08:38 AM

I think it is silly to have a rule like that...sometimes you need that extra grunt as motivation to get those last reps out....but I agree with you FB rules are rules and they were clearly stated when he signed up for that gym, if it was a problem with it then he should have never joined in the first place

mindstar · #20 11-04-06, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fog_hat1981

"We" aren't your typical gym goers - if they want rules that cater to the "typical" fitness club member then so be it...

In my area though, the problem is that there aren't enough of 'us' to support a hardcore gym in any one area, so we are forced to go the 'their' gyms, where I think we deserve to be treated just like any other gym member. If people are being douches, no matter their size, then have them leave, but if their very appearance is intimidating, then it is more of a problem with the people bringing their own stereotypes to the gym with them. Grunting, sweating, and working hard seem more like an excuse to get 'unwanted' people out of the gym in order to cater to bigots.

house1 · #21 11-07-06, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lestatgear

Okay - check this out. I moved to Florida about a year and a half ago, but lived in the Hudson Valley prior to moving down here. That gym prior to being a Planet Fitness was a World's and one of the hardest core gyms in the area. Lots of guys who competed at National levels and some good locals too. When they changed ownership, I switched to Gold's in the area because I heard of the changes Planet Fitness wanted to install.

yup - i use to go to it ! i now go to a local golds gym --

Big Eagle · #22 11-07-06, 07:38 PM

I bet you would grunt if this were to happen...Grunt

bonebreaker · #23 11-08-06, 04:42 PM

I know this has happened to everyone who has lifted any length of time at all and has done a bit of straining w/heavy weights----As your pushing or pulling hard, you uncontrollably let a little squeaker out. I wonder if they would give you the boot if you farted, (by accident), loud enough to be heard? Frankly, I would rather hear a grunt than a fart. If you hear a grunt, you just get hyped, but a fart is funny. Imagine having the bar loaded and you're half way through a bench press and the guy beside you let one out. I'd probably be dead 'cause I'd start laughing. Farts are distracting---grunts for some reason, (to me), are not---go figure. At any rate, this place is not a gym, it's a social club. BB