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Author Topic: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??  (Read 18747 times)

Offline Formosa

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #45 on: March 31, 2016, 05:16:04 AM »
Quote from: Shelby2 on March 03, 2016, 01:45:06 PM
Yes, $10 per month with a $39 annual fee, plus a registration fee -- right now $1 but probably more when it opens.  Plus you need to have the fees come out of either a checking account or put on a credit card.

Lured by the potential $ savings over Blink, I stopped by and was unpleasantly surprised by the need to divulge checking account info. AND credit card in order to sign up.  Apparently, PF required both on file just in case of non- payment, perhaps a reflection of its market segment.  In an age of cybercrime, abundance of caution is warranted, not to mention if this location is only a franchisee operation.  In short, proceed with caution; I smiled at the lady at the counter and declined.
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Offline Breezie

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #46 on: March 31, 2016, 07:16:05 AM »
Formosa
The market segment is much different at Blink?!!
Really?
And the seedy 78th street(under Roosevelt)  at 10 pm that much better.
Please.
 
I have had an gym membership of some sort since the age of 13. I also have a NYSC membership but the JH location will allow closer home access.
I see PF as a good deal. When their Astoria location had a flood Monday they were quick to remedy the problem. Many gyms can not claim the same.

I, too, was taken back by the bank info. Not everyone has credit cards, BTW. Swipping your card at the MTA kiosk also leaves you very vulnerable!
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Offline CaptainFlannel

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #47 on: March 31, 2016, 07:37:40 AM »
I don't recall giving my checking account information to join Blink.

A credit card would seem sufficient, since if it stops working, the account can be flagged and the member can be stopped when they check in at the front desk.
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Offline Formosa

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #48 on: March 31, 2016, 10:43:21 AM »
Quote from: Breezie on March 31, 2016, 07:16:05 AM
Formosa
The market segment is much different at Blink?!!
Really?
And the seedy 78th street(under Roosevelt)  at 10 pm that much better.
Please.
 
I have had an gym membership of some sort since the age of 13. I also have a NYSC membership but the JH location will allow closer home access.
I see PF as a good deal. When their Astoria location had a flood Monday they were quick to remedy the problem. Many gyms can not claim the same.

I, too, was taken back by the bank info. Not everyone has credit cards, BTW. Swipping your card at the MTA kiosk also leaves you very vulnerable!

Ha! As the victim one too many times of the odiferous men's locker room and other less than savory gym practices at Blink, I am under no illusion about the patrons.

My intention in posting about the bank account info. requirement at Planet Fitness is merely a heads-up to save others a trip should they be like-minded when it comes to sharing of financial information. That's all, no more, no less.
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Offline Shelby2

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #49 on: March 31, 2016, 11:09:03 AM »
I don't trust any gym as far as their business practices.  I have heard far too many stories of gyms continuing to charge people's accounts after they give proper notice and quit. 

However, that said, I am actually kind of happy to hear the news about the checking account since it means that perhaps the overcrowding won't be as severe as at Blink.  I refused to even consider joining Blink after visiting at 2pm on a weekday and finding it extremely crowded.  I figured if it was that crowded at what should have been a very off-peak hour, that it would be totally miserable at the regular peak hours.
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Offline Minimal4me

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #50 on: April 09, 2016, 10:39:57 AM »
Blink is so crowded after work that DH upgraded his membership so that he can use the location near his office. For me, I can go any time of day so it's not such an issue. I am hoping that PF will help thin out the blink crowd.

I was going to try PF until I heard about the financial info. No way.

Thanks for the heads up!
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Offline itsit

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #51 on: April 09, 2016, 02:37:07 PM »
 There is a new Blink location not far from us on Roosevelt and like 58th? which is very near the 61st express
stop and the LIRR station. Look on the side of St. Sebastians church on the second floor.
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Offline CaptainFlannel

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #52 on: April 10, 2016, 11:39:50 AM »
I think Blink might not be bad on off peak hours if you're there to mostly use the treadmills or elliptical machines.

I do free weights and run through my own HIIT workouts, which requires some floor space, and found that area at Blink to just be inadequate even during off-peak hours. I also found the gym etiquette to be wanting in some of the patrons. Guys were parking themselves in some of the weight machines and when you ask to work a set in, respond they only have one more set to go. And then proceed to keep their asses in the weight machine for another five minutes. Allowing folks to work in a set on a weight machine is basic gym etiquette but does not insist their members adhere to such basic standards. (I know. I tried to get staff and the manager to do something, and they wouldn't.)

I popped in at Planet Fitness because I'd like to see if their cardio machines are going to include Spin bikes and rowing machines  -- treadmills and ellipticals get boring, and recumbent bikes are kind of pointless -- but they are still under construction.
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Offline kristag

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #53 on: May 17, 2016, 06:22:42 PM »
Because it was so cheap and is only one block from me I went ahead and joined Planet Fitness figuring it can't be worse than Blink, which actually raises my stress levels. On day #2 in business it was 100x better, but I suspect that's just because not everyone realizes it's open yet. I could actually use the weight machines, which I never can at Blink, though the downstairs area where they are located was fairly busy (and already male-dominated). The cardio equipment on the main floor was only about 10% occupied. I would say there is roughly the same amount of equipment and machines as at Blink but it seems like more because it’s spread over two floors. I have a feeling this easygoing atmosphere won't last long, as there was a line 20+ deep to sign-up around 4:30pm.
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Offline daisy

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #54 on: May 17, 2016, 10:48:01 PM »
Do you happen to know if it's true that you can't pay by credit card per month?  Part of me would like to join but I'm not interested in giving out checking account information. 
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Offline wlirfan

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #55 on: May 18, 2016, 11:01:04 AM »
I am a member of PF, although I signed up at the Hudson, NY branch so that I can go when I'm upstate on weekends.  Payment is only via checking account, although they take your credit card information should the checking account charge not go through.

I have not gone to the JH location as of yet, but I've been to other PF's.  They're a mixed bag.  The one in Hudson NY, being less crowded and huge, is amazing.  Equipment is new, location spotless, etc.  I've also been to Flushing and regretted it - old equipment, parts broken;  locker room with old rusty lockers and filled with signs that you shouldn't keep valuables in the lockers;  dirty bathroom.  Just an FYI if you decide on the global membership.

On the plus side, global membership includes free tanning and use of some hydromassage machines.
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Offline daisy

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #56 on: May 18, 2016, 07:57:29 PM »
Ok, thanks for the heads up.  I may just continue the zumba and other fitness classes offered in the area for now, see how that goes.
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Offline Shelby2

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #57 on: May 31, 2016, 08:47:24 PM »
The reviews on Yelp are pretty bad so far.  I don't think I will even bother to stop by.  Guess I'm stuck traveling outside the neighborhood for a decent, not overly packed, relatively clean gym.  https://www.yelp.com/biz/planet-fitness-queens-queens
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Offline daisy

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Re: A planet fitness for Jackson Heights??
« Reply #58 on: May 31, 2016, 10:07:48 PM »
Ugh.  Thanks for posting.  I'll pass.  I'd rather not have to work out with children running around.  It's not a playground.
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