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Planet Fitness® Eliminates Personal Training

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According to the 2010 IDEA Fitness Programs & Equipment Trends report, personal training is continuing to show significant strength and growth potential as a profit center. Despite the promising data, however, the franchise company Planet Fitness has decided to eliminate personal training from its facilities. “The decision to end personal training has been long and arduous,” wrote Planet Fitness CEO Mike Grondahl in a letter to franchisees late last year. “It goes right to the essence of our business model. We’ve always tried to keep personal training to a minimum at Planet Fitness. But the problems related to having trainers in our gyms have never completely gone away. Lately, they’ve gotten worse. Too many trainers are pushing personal training on our members, the vast majority of whom have zero interest in it. These clubs are opening themselves up to trouble.” Grondahl also contends that consumers who work with personal trainers are “just renting friends.”

What do you think about the move to end personal training at Planet Fitness? Send your thoughts to [email protected].

Ryan Halvorson is the associate editor of IDEA Fitness Journal.

According to the 2010 IDEA Fitness Programs & Equipment Trends report, personal training is continuing to show significant strength and growth potential as a profit center. Despite the promising data, however, the franchise company Planet Fitness has decided to eliminate personal training from its facilities. “The decision to end personal training has been long and arduous,” wrote Planet Fitness CEO Mike Grondahl in a letter to franchisees late last year. “It goes right to the essence of our business model. We’ve always tried to keep personal training to a minimum at Planet Fitness. But the problems related to having trainers in our gyms have never completely gone away. Lately, they’ve gotten worse. Too many trainers are pushing personal training on our members, the vast majority of whom have zero interest in it. These clubs are opening themselves up to trouble.” Grondahl also contends that consumers who work with personal trainers are “just renting friends.&rd


Ryan Halvorson

Ryan Halvorson is an award-winning writer and editor, and IDEA's director of event programming.

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