With more than 2,000 clubs and an affordable gym membership, it is no wonder that Planet Fitness is so popular. They have all kinds of gym and fitness amenities, but does Planet Fitness have a sauna or steam room?
Most of the Planet Fitness gyms do not have a sauna or steam room. The main goal of Planet Fitness is to provide low membership fees to its patrons. If they provided saunas and steam rooms, the cost of membership would be much higher.
It costs many resources to build, operate and maintain a sauna and still offers low membership fees at Planet Fitness. However, those who opted for the upgraded $20 membership have access to a tanning bed, a hydro-massage machine, and other amenities in the gym.
Read on to learn more about Planet Fitness amenities, why they don’t have saunas or steam rooms, and other interesting details about Planet Fitness.
Does Planet Fitness Have a Sauna or Steam Room?
Planet Fitness does not have saunas. They also do not have steam rooms. Those who have $20 memberships are entitled to a tanning bed, a hydro-massage machine, and some other amenities offered by the gym.
To offer saunas and steam rooms, you will have to design, build, run and maintain the kind of structure that will be required. That will cost a lot of money. With Planet Fitness’s focus on offering affordable gym membership prices, that wouldn’t be possible.
As an alternative to a Planet Fitness sauna, you can use their red light technology and vibration technology. A therapy session usually includes being inside the booth for about 12 minutes before and after workouts.
The Total Body Enhancement Machine of Planet Fitness is excellent for post-workout recovery.
Why There Is No Planet Fitness Sauna?
1. Costly to Install and Run Steam Rooms
Planet Fitness’s main objective is to provide affordable memberships to those who want to keep their bodies fit. As such, they could only provide the very basic gym necessities. It is very costly to install and run steam rooms, especially if they are on a commercial scale.
2. Unisex Steam Rooms and Saunas Are Not Allowed in the U.S
Additionally, unisex steam rooms and saunas are not allowed in the United States. Therefore, to build, run and maintain steam rooms, Planet Fitness has to pay at least twice the cost of construction and installation of sauna structure and equipment.
3. Operating Cost
Operating costs are also a considerable issue. You also need to clean saunas and steam rooms every 30 minutes because they tend to attract too much dirt and debris. A majority of Planet Fitness gyms have only one maintenance crew per shift.
The company cannot afford this kind of expense and still offer memberships at meager prices. If ever it will install and operate steam rooms in its gyms across the country, it would have to raise its membership fees.
A majority of its members wouldn’t like that. As such, there is really no Planet Fitness steam room in a typical Planet Fitness gym.
4. It Isn’t Easy to Monetize Saunas
Additionally, it isn’t easy to monetize saunas. Since it is forbidden to operate unisex saunas in the United States, that means you have to build one for the women and one for the men. The current financial capability of Planet Fitness does not allow it to venture into this area.
Available Facilities at Planet Fitness
Here are the facilities each membership type are allowed to use:
Basic Membership
To maintain its inexpensive membership fees, Planet Fitness can only offer fundamental gym amenities. Here are the things that you will find at any Planet Fitness across the United States:
- Equipment for cardio and strength training – including bike, treadmills, and so forth.
- Various weights
- Locker rooms
- Shower stalls
- Hairdryers
Black Card Membership
Planet Fitness offers Black Card memberships which are more expensive than its basic membership. The fee ranges from $20 to $22.99 per month.
What you will get if you choose this type of gym membership are the following:
Access to Any Planet Fitness Location
There are hundreds of Planet Fitness gyms across the country, which you can access any time if you have this membership card. You will still be able to have your workouts while you are on the road.
Unlimited Use of Massage Chairs
You will require a healthful rest after a tough workout or a tough day at work. With a Black Card membership, you can use a massage chair at the gym without any time limit. You can experience whole-body benefits such as reduced stress, muscle relief, and improved sleep.
Unlimited Use of Tanning Beds
Using a tanning bed will help you display the results of your heavy workouts a bit more. Just one session will help you show off your results. And you are not limited to just one session.
Unlimited Guest Privileges
That means you can bring a workout buddy with you to keep you up, work out more and improve results.
Discounts on Reebok Products
If you want to upgrade your workout gear and attire, you can buy what you need at Reebok.com, and you will get an automatic 20% discount just by being a Black Card member of Planet Fitness.
Half-price Cooler Drinks
When you are working out, staying hydrated is very important. It will provide the fuel required by your body as you perform your workouts and as you recover after that.
Having a Black Card membership will make this cheaper and easier because you can get all the hydration your body needs at only half the price.
Amenities Not Available at Planet Fitness
The amenities that you won’t usually find in any U.S. Planet Fitness gym are the following:
- Steam rooms or saunas
- Jacuzzis
- Swimming pools
- Yoga or Pilates studios
- Workout classes
Alternative to a Planet Fitness Sauna: Red Light Therapy
At Planet Fitness, there are two membership levels: the Basic membership and the Black Card membership. Lately, Planet Fitness has added another fitness amenity in all its gyms. This is the red light therapy booth.
Mechanism
Planet Fitness calls it ‘Beauty Angle.’ It looks very much like a tanning booth, but it does not use ultraviolet light. Instead, this red light therapy booth uses infra-red lights that target the entire body. Infra-red light can be produced by low-level laser light.
This kind of low-level laser red light therapy, according to a study, stimulates the mitochondria within the skin cells to produce more adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The energy source of the cells is ATP. In other words, there is improved cellular activity with more ATP in the skin cells.
Used to Treat Cosmetic Issues
Red light therapy is now being used to treat cosmetic issues such as stretch marks and wrinkles. Besides, the Beauty Angel booth of Planet Fitness has a vibrating plate that can tone the body.
The vibrations produced by the plates provide physiological stimulations for the muscles of the legs, back, and abdomen.
Being enclosed in a small booth can be claustrophobic to some people. To alleviate this condition, Planet Fitness provides an option for users to listen to uplifting music. This will result in a more relaxing experience inside the booth. You may need to change clothes before entering the booth.
Overall, the combined technologies of red light therapy and vibration will result in the burning of more calories, improved circulation, and cellulite formation prevention.
In combination with proper nutrition and exercise, the frequent use of Beauty Angel will result in a more toned body and reduced weight.
Again, does Planet Fitness have a sauna? Does Planet Fitness have a steam room? Planet Fitness does not have a sauna or steam room since the operational cost for both is quite high.
Planet Fitness wants its members to be able to afford their services. However, as an alternative, you can try Red Light Therapy.
Benefits of Red Light Therapy
The many benefits that you can expect after undergoing red light therapy for some time are the following:
1. Slow Down Aging
This infrared laser therapy is known for its ability to slow down aging and even reverse it. Skin damaged by UV light directly from the sun or tanning beds increases skin aging and results in wrinkles and fine lines on the skin.
Studies have shown that exposure of photo-damaged skin to red light therapy makes the skin thicker’s collagen fibers, resulting in smoother and softer skin with fewer wrinkles.
2. Reduce Depression and Body Fatigue
This therapy is also effective in reducing depression and body fatigue. It stimulates the energy within the cells, just like what acupuncture does.
The results are usually reduced anxiety, mood improvement, and the inducement of a positive outlook. They are similar to the results of using Light Therapy Glasses and Happy Lights.
3. Reduce Pain
In a study of patients with oral mucositis, it was found that 96% of the patients that underwent infrared light treatments for two years were able to get pain relief.
A separate study of how effective low-level laser therapy reduces pain in adults who have musculoskeletal disorders revealed that it could reduce pain effectively. There are home devices like the Laser Touch Once that many patients are already using to relieve their pain.
4. Improve Joint Health
Since red light therapy can stimulate collagen production, new studies were conducted to determine its effectiveness in treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
These studies proved that red light therapy could relieve the pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis and even Achilles tendonitis.
5. Improve Healing of Wounds
Several studies have also shown that red light therapy can speed up tissue repair and the healing of wounds. One of these studies stated that light therapy reduces inflammation, rejuvenates the skin, and stimulates healing.
Why Choose Planet Fitness?
One primary reason why many people choose to be Planet Fitness members is the very affordable price of its membership. But apart from that, there are still other reasons why Planet Fitness is a good choice:
1. At Planet Fitness, There Is Usually No Waiting Involved
Planet Fitness gyms are fully stocked with basic gym equipment that you will need. There are plenty of weights, bikes, treadmills, and more. You don’t have to wait for your turn to use any of the equipment. There are so many of them to go around.
It is not uncommon to find around two dozen treadmills in a typical Planet Fitness gym. So there is no need to hurry. You can take your time to walk or run as far as you want. There are no restrictions in that regard at Planet Fitness.
2. Their Gyms Are Kept Clean
Members of Planet Fitness generally agree that the gyms are decently clean. Planet Fitness crew members wipe down the machines regularly. They change the curtains in the shower and the changing rooms often.
There is no worry that you will be touching dirty machines or smelling mildew on them. You will be surprised how to clean Planet Fitness gyms are if you are used to unsanitary gyms before.
3. They Are Open 24/7
Some people love to work out very early in the morning. In contrast, some can only squeeze some time for their workouts after office hours. Planet Fitness has opened its facilities 24/7 to cater to all types of gym members in answer to these needs.
Therefore, you can go there early in the morning or even late at night. There will be somebody there who will open the door for you. You will be able to do your workouts any time of the day.
This is very convenient because you don’t have to schedule your workout routine to fit the gym’s schedule.
If you don’t want too many people at the gym when you do your workouts, you can go to the gym at odd hours. You will have the whole place on your own.
Conclusion: Does Planet Fitness Have a Steam Room or Sauna?
There are no steam rooms or saunas in most Planet Fitness gyms since their primary objective is to provide affordable membership to their patrons.
And it takes a lot of money to build and maintain steam rooms. This is perhaps the main reason why most of their clubs don’t have steam rooms.
But Planet Fitness offers another option in place of saunas. This is the Red Light Therapy. It is the latest addition to Planet Fitness amenities. It is a good alternative to a sauna.
Again, here are some benefits of Planet Fitness’ Red Light Therapy:
- Slow Down Aging
- Reduce Depression and Body Fatigue
- Reduce Pain
- Improve Joint Health
- Improve Healing of Wounds
Related reading:
Does Planet Fitness Have a Sauna, Pool, Free Weights, Showers? [Planet Fitness Amenities]
Planet Fitness Lunk Alarm [What Is It and Why Is It Used?]
How Much Does Anytime Fitness Cost?
