Man Escorted From Planet Fitness Gym For Grunting

[Logan13]

Man Escorted From Planet Fitness Gym For Grunting
Nov. 02, 2006
(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.

[perfectbeast2001]

planet fitness sounds like the crappest gym ever.

[ebjack]

no bandanas or dew rags

[RA]

My local gym is like a friggen library cept for the "light-nobody-wants-to-listen-to" music on. Thats one of the reasons I bought equipment for the basement

[BigLittleTim]

I am so damned disappointed at all the once serious gyms that have become "family friendly" at the expense of the serious lifters who originally made the reputations of these establishments.

The day of the small "Mom & Pop" gym, owned by a former competitive bodybuilder, is long gone. Most gyms are now owned by huge corporations and directed by bean-counters, not body-builders.

Old-time gyms catered to guys who wanted to pay $30 a month, and work-out with free weights five/six days per week. New gyms want members to pay $90 a month, and only to come two/three times per week to do cardio and buy expensive classes and personal-trainer hours.

Gold's (sux!) has gotten rid of all dumbells over 90 lbs., has thrown out all but ONE of its squat racks, added a DAYCARE CENTER (!), and banned the use of chalk, workboots, lifting straps, POWERLIFTING, and the wearing of TANK TOPS!!!

WHEN, oh WHEN, did the pussies inherit the gym floor!

Those people already HAD the rest of America; did they need Gold's Gym too?

-BigLittleTim

("Grunt, grunt, grunt!")

[DSM4Life]

Rules are rules, if you don't like it then leave.

" If it doesn't make sense then its not true."

I am sure after this guy squatted 500lbs and was asked to no grunt because it's the rule, i can almost be certain that the guy said something negative back to the manager. Think about it guys. If you just did a 500lbs squat and someone told you to be quite what would you do ? I would tell him to go F*** off which is not right but after a lift like that the last thing you want is to be treated like a child in front of others and ask to not grunt.

[Phreak101]

Anyone who does not grunt during a compund lift should not be lifting at all. Go do a circuit training class with the pregnant moms...

[1819]

carol palazzolo is a loser. plain and simple. dumb bit*h probably does her nails and hair while "running" the gym. give me a break.

[RJstrong]

you couldn't pay me to work out at place like that... they can have it! commercial gyms blow!!!

[AnabolicAndre]

I want to open a gym the only rule would be

"Go Big or Go Home!"

[cfiler]

I hate it when people grunt. Why do you need to grunt? I don't. There is no point. It doesn't allow you to lift any more weight, and you sound like an idiot when grunting. I wish my gym had the no grunting rule.

There is this huge fat guy, who always grunts. He benchs his 65lbs, and grunts each rep. I've asked him nicely to keep quiet, but still he grunts.

If he continues, I'm going to drop a plate on his foot.

[RA]

I hate it when people grunt. Why do you need to grunt? I don't. There is no point. It doesn't allow you to lift any more weight, and you sound like an idiot when grunting. I wish my gym had the no grunting rule.

Because some people are very intense while lifting



Anyway a good gym doesnt have a juice bar or daycare. A good gym has the latest "I want to tear your head off" music playing so loud that when someone grunts you can barely hear em.

While Im at it a good gym has all the free weights you can think of, one shitty old mirror, and the seat on the leg lift has ducktape on it. Thats my kind of gym

[Act of God]

Wow, that's complete bullshit. That gym is right by where my parent's live, I'm going to have to go check it out when I go back home for the holidays..I plan on getting kicked out within 15 minutes. A couple of my friends actually go there I think.

Guess you can't offend the soccer moms. I can see why they would rather have them there than us though. People like us are there at least 5 times a week usin all the equipment, wearing it down. The soccer moms come maybe 2 times a week and barely touch anything. That equipment will last forever!

[*Narkissos*]

This is the stupidest thing i've ever read

[Kärnfysikern]

That must be the wierdest thing I have ever read. I dont know if I should laugh or cry.

The solution is obvious for that gym. Remove ALL free weights and limit the weighstack on all equipment to 50ibs or so. That way they will never get any grunter there again.

[Yesevil]

That is pretty freakin retarded!!! I don't see how you could be pushing yourself to the limit and not let out a grunt. Hell, I freakin yell sometimes. If it hurts bad enough and you keep doing it you at least gonna grunt a little... unless your a mute. Then I bet you'd be wishing you could grunt!