If you have been wondering about what’s the fuss around ‘Planet Fitness lunk alarm,’ we are here to tell you all about it. Planet Fitness is among the popular fitness centres in the globe, having hundreds of brands in the US and other parts of the world.
While other gyms target fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders, lunk alarm planet fitness has a unique take towards workout and fitness – targeting other people who normally do not go workout extensively. They aren’t looking for gym rats, rather the average people who want to stay fit.
Their goal is to offer a safe place for people to work out – where the staff or other members won’t judge them. Keeping the target audience in mind, Planet Fitness came up with the concept of ‘Lunk Alarm.’
For those who haven’t heard about the Planet Fitness lunk alarm, we are here to offer detailed information about it. From its purpose to people’s opinion on it, we have everything piece of information that you’ll need to know about the lunk alarm.
Lunk Alarm Meaning – What Is It?
While bench pressing or lifting weights, some individuals make grunting noises or may even bang weights – because it helps in motivating them further to complete a rep. Unfortunately, creating such noises is restricted in Planet Fitness.
Any person doing it will trigger the lunk alarm Planet Fitness to go off, which is typically done by a staff member by pressing a button to signal a loud siren.
The sound is loud and can be startling to all other members working out in the fitness club. When the siren goes off, the manager is required to locate the lunk. But who is a lunk?
Apparently, the definition of a lunk has been printed on the walls for everybody to see. It also acts as a reminder to refrain everybody from working like a lunk.
By definition, a lunk would be “one who grunts, drops weights, or judges.”
As per Planet Fitness, any individual who makes noises to grab other people’s attention to themselves would be a lunk. At times, people don’t do it on purpose. However, if you’re a club member, you need to know the rules and abide by them.
When the lunk alarm goes off, it acts as a warning to the culprit. It draws attention to the individual who went against the rules to discourage them from doing it again. Managers might still let them continue the session if they do not repeat the mistake.
However, repeatedly triggering the lunk alarm could easily get the individual kicked out of the fitness club. The membership can also get cancelled.
Because of this reason, there are a couple of exercises that are banned at Planet Fitness, a point that separates it from most of the prominent CrossFit gyms.
What is the Purpose of Planet Fitness Lunk Alarm?
Bodybuilders generally like to push themselves into picking heavier weights or performing more reps. They rely on grunting sounds because it helps them in putting for more effort to push further.
It may help them during their workout session; it can often be intimidating or distracting for others who are at the facility. Other members do not usually do anything about it or have the courage to confront them.
Planet Fitness wants to make its target demographic feel as comfortable as possible in its fitness facility. In order to create this welcoming environment, they have invented the lunk alarmPlanet Fitness.
The lunk alarm is meant to call negative attention to the lunk, discouraging that individual from continuing such behaviours to continue working out in the facility.
Dropping weights, grunting, breathing loudly and heavily, or making noises are normal in most gyms, but it isn’t certainly the case in Planet Fitness. Having such behaviours banned is meant to help new gym-goes and beginners feel less intimidated during their workout sessions.
How Often Does the Lunk Alarm Go Off?
If you’re reading about the lunk alarm for the first time, it is natural to wonder if it is actually used at the facility. It is, in fact, activated by an employee whenever there is a lunk performing any of the unwanted behaviours.
On entering the Planet Fitness facility, you will be able to see an alarm light near the area where they keep all the free weights. When the alarm goes off, the lights and siren can be seen and heard clearly.
The siren distracts not only the lunk but also other members in the gym. But they still use it when necessary to discourage banned behaviours. In fact, some of the employees enjoy using the Planet Fitness lunk alarm to call attention to the lunk.
On the flip side, this element of shame can easily be an issue. Due to this reason, managers tend to avoid using it as much as possible.
The lunk alarm can be seen more like a show – serving as a visual reminder not to be disrespectful or rude.
Often, employees tend to approach and give a warning to the lunk before they trigger the alarm. In most cases, it does the job, and the noisy member correctsthe behaviour that singles them out as a lunk.
If the individual doesn’t change their behaviour, that’s when the employees would trigger the alarm. Depending on the extent of the behaviour, the managers can even ask the lunk to leave or cancel their Planet Fitness subscription.
At times, the alarm doesn’t go off immediately. Because of this reason, several bodybuilders have taken this up as a challenge. YouTube features many videos where people have been trying to see if they can be kicked out of the facility.
In some instances, they were kicked out even without an alarm by the manager. While other times, the staff took a while before removing the lunk.
Several factors come into play to determine the alarm going off. At times, employees do not immediately notice the lunk. They might even let some of the members drop weights or grunt unless other members complain about them.
There have been times when other members go up to the employees and report unwanted behaviour to request a removal due to their lunking.
What Would Qualify As Lunking?
If you want to join Planet Fitness, the only way you can maximize your fitness membership would be to abide by the rules, including etiquette and dress code. You need to avoid being a lunk. Here are a few ways you can be perceived as one –
- Grunting loudly while lifting the weights or working out.
- Banging or dropping weights to the floor, causing a loud noise.
- Getting people’s attention by making loud sounds.
- Trying to be intimidating, which could be by behaviour or attire.
What Do Members Think About the Lunk Alarm?
It is obvious that people will have mixed opinions about the Planet Fitness lunk alarm. The thing that everybody would agree, regardless of being a lunk or not, is that the alarm is ear-piercing and irritating. It can be quite difficult to ignore the loud siren. Here are some things people have to say about the infamous alarm –
Ridiculous and Unfair –
Because the lunk alarm isn’t automatic, the reasons why it goes off can be subjective. It can depend on complaints from other members or an employee’s disciplinary personality.
Due to this reason, some members believe that the alarm could be used unfairly. There have been people who were kicked out even when they weren’t aware of lunking. Also, getting kicked out from the facility includes an element of judgment, contrary to a ‘judgment-free zone.’
Funny –
Some members find the lunk alarm to be a silly rule – one that is funny. They can be seen mocking it just for the sake of it. There are also a lot of memes about the lunk alarm all over the internet. Many have also turned the lunk alarm Planet Fitness into a game, just for the sake of fun.
Purposeful –
Some members are glad that the lunk alarm at Planet Fitness exists. It shows that the fitness facility cares about their feelings. The lunk alarm is meant to encourage people to work out peacefully without getting distracted or intimidated by the ability of other members.
At times, the grunting sounds can be tolerable. However, some do it purposefully and repeatedly, which can be annoying, distracting, and intimidating. If the employees don’t overdo it, the lunk alarm can be pretty useful.
Indifferent –
Some people don’t care about the alarm as much as the rest. They are fully aware of the alarm but don’t associate it with positive or negative feelings. Their focus is to go to the facility, work out, and stay fit.
Closing Thoughts
Planet Fitness has many brands spread in the USA and other corners of the world. The gym is unique and aspires to provide a pleasant and warm atmosphere to its members. When used fairly, the lunk alarm can be a useful tool in reprimanding unwanted behaviour and creating a welcoming environment for beginners. However, it would not be the ideal place for gym rats, CrossFit trainers, or bodybuilders to want to push themselves and train hard.
