Sammi’s 7 Favorite Exercises To Perform At Planet Fitness

Let’s have a brief discussion about Planet Fitness.

The gym franchise is notable for its unique approach to fitness and gym culture. Planet Fitness’ main goal is to create a more inclusive space for all people who want to work out. This goes for seasoned gym-goers and first-timers alike. They do this by removing the intimidating environment that is present in many gyms. They've created the “Judgement Free Zone” to promote the image of a gym space that is all inclusive. This means actions like grunting and slamming weights after sets are strictly prohibited.

There are many differences between Planet Fitness and other mainstream gyms. The biggest difference is the lack of squat racks or barbells in general. These are used to perform popular exercises such as squats or deadlifts. For some, this is a deal breaker. If you are just getting started or don’t have dreams of going to the Olympics for powerlifting, don’t let this deter you from deciding to join Planet Fitness. Their prices are fabulous. The basic membership an incredible $10 a month. Upgrading to their premium “Black Card” includes access to tanning beds, massage beds and chairs, red light therapy, and discounts to many stores online.

While lifters with specific goals might need a barbell, individuals who just want to generally be stronger and healthier will find that the options at Planet Fitness are more than enough. Many exercises that use a barbell can even be altered and performed with the dumbbells at PF!

If you’re wanting to try out Planet Fitness but you aren’t sure where to start, I’ve got you covered. Here are seven of my go-to exercises. Pick and choose the ones you want to try, or perform each three times at a weight and number that is difficult for you. No doubt this will provide you with a killer full body workout!

Disclaimer: I am NOT a professional. This advice is simply my own opinion/what has worked for me.

Primarily targets: glutes and hamstrings
Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, resting each against the front of your legs. Slowly bend at the waist, allowing your knees to bend very slightly. Once you cannot bend any further, return to starting position and repeat.

Primarily Targets: quads, glutes, and hamstrings
Stand in front of a bench or smith machine bar that is at the level of or slightly lower than your knee. Step forward with one foot, then extend you other leg backwards to place your foot on the bench. Bend your front leg to lower yourself toward the ground, trying to form a 90 degree angle with your leg. Return to starting position. Keep your torso upright throughout the movement. To increase difficulty, hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.

Primarily targets: biceps
Adjust your bench so that you are leaning back slightly. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Lift each dumbbell toward your shoulder, keeping your palms toward the ceiling. Return to starting position and repeat.

Primarily targets: pectoral muscles
Lay flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms straight upwards from your body toward the ceiling. Bending your elbows so that your arms form a 45 degree angle with your body, slowly lower the weight to your chest, then push upward to return to the starting position

Primarily targets: lats and biceps
Start in a dead hang on a bar with your hands a bit more than shoulder width apart and in an over hand grip (or “on top” of the bar). Pull yourself upwards by bending your elbows and bringing your chest to the bar. Slowly return to starting position. Try to avoid moving your lower body. For assistance, loop a band around the bar between your hands, then place your foot through the bottom of the loop so that it helps you move upward.

Primarily targets: glutes
Place a bench parallel to the Smith machine bar in a position where you can place the bottoms of your shoulder blades on the edge of the bench and the Smith machine bar at the very top of your thighs. Move between the bench in the bar and position yourself under the bar. Place your hips on the bottom of the bar by extending your torso upward, and rest the upper part of your back against the edge of the bench. Your niece should be add about a 90° angle now. When ready, release the smith machine so that the weight is resting on your hips, then bend at the waist so that the bar moves downward. Then, thrust your hips upward so that you return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes to force the bar up.

Primarily targets: triceps
Head to the cable machine with a tricep rope (which looks like a rope with a knob on each end). Position the pulley at the highest setting and attach the rope to the clip. Crap each side of the rope and stand a step away from the cable machine. Position your elbows at your sides and do not move them through light the movement. Pull the rope downward toward each side of your body, straightening your arms at the bottom then slowly returning to the starting position.

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Employees are working longer hours than they ever have, and the effects are starting to show.

Higher absentee levels, abandoned vacation time, and reduced productivity are all byproducts of an overtaxed workforce. Prioritizing mental health has taken on new relevance in today’s corporate world, though many wonder how to do this amid strict deadlines, unmanageable workloads, and overbooked personal lives.

Many companies have begun integrating policies to support a healthy work-life balance, indicating an acknowledgment that the most productive employees are often the most supported and least burnt out. These initiatives include robust wellness programs and educational offerings or expanded staffing to manage bandwidths.

But even if your employer hasn't rolled out programs like these, there are simple steps each of us can take to protect our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Patient-driven telehealth company Ro compiled a list of 10 ways employees can prioritize their mental health while working, using information from health experts, human resource managers, and counselors.

These simple steps are designed to help prevent some of the major side effects of increased workloads and unending workdays, whether anxiety and stress or depression. Keep reading to learn more about setting clear boundaries and carving out time for yourself during every workday.

In a survey of 7,500 full-time employees, a full 44% reported feeling burned out sometimes while nearly a quarter reported feeling burned out always or often, according to a 2018 Gallup study. Limits and boundaries in the workplace are especially important for those who work from home, as the lines between work and home life often blur.

Setting boundaries can be as simple as making sure not to connect your phone to your work email or to avoid checking work emails between certain evening hours to shift focus to family or personal time. Realizing when and how to delegate responsibilities is also a necessity when boundary-setting.

Breaks are an important way to recharge during the workday, and no break is more important than the lunch hour (or half-hour). A Tork survey released in 2021 found that nearly 40% of workers take breaks occasionally, rarely, or never. There's a major gender divide, too: Women are twice as likely as men to not take breaks during the workday.

Many say they feel guilty stepping away, but the benefits of a lunch break are clear and include an increase in productivity, a boost to creativity, and a reduction in stress. Not taking lunch breaks can actually have a negative impact on employees and employers.

Not only does learning to say no help to set boundaries and limits, but it also helps to prioritize essential work tasks. Employees often overextend themselves at work by saying yes to everything, which can lead to burnout.

Those who have trouble saying no are more likely to suffer from burnout, stress, and depression, according to research from the University of California in San Francisco in 2013. With so much work and so little time, employees have to learn that saying no can not only be OK—it can be one of the most effective ways to prioritize mental health at work.

Some tips to saying no properly include being polite and brief, but firm; being honest; offering an alternative; and remembering that saying no does not make you a lazy or bad employee.

Many corporate workplaces have gyms or offer weekly workout classes like yoga. For those who work from home, there are apps featuring everything from tai chi to five-minute power workouts, and many offer free trials.

Sitting behind a desk is a sedentary activity, and lack of movement has all sorts of negative effects on not just physical health, but mental health as well. Being sedentary can increase the odds of depression and elevate anxiety levels. Doing a workout is not the only way to incorporate movement into your workday—taking a brief walk around the block works just as well.

The same research found that those who plan their vacations use more vacation time to travel and are happier in several areas, including their personal relationships and overall well-being. Either way, vacation time is an important way to recharge and find enjoyment outside of the workplace.

Bringing a small lamp from home or a few favorite books to display and read on your lunch break offers a way to make office surroundings more comfortable. Inspiring quotes, color-coded accessories, family pictures, or a plant can all help to boost creativity and productivity while elevating your mood and making your workspace feel more like home.

While co-workers don’t have to be best friends, it is important to foster positive relationships at work. Those who engage in small talk perform better on cognitive tests and showed an increase in executive functioning, according to a study published in 2010 by researchers at the University of Michigan.

Whether making small talk when getting that morning cup of coffee or chatting up a colleague while waiting for the 4 p.m. conference call to begin, having a brief discussion can bolster mood and even serve as a small break from the monotony of the workday. Establishing workplace relationships can improve overall quality of life according to a study conducted by Globoforce and published in 2014. That study also found that having a work friend increased workers’ commitment to their employer.

There are several advantages to throwing on the radio or streaming a well-thought-out playlist at work. Listening to music helps with focus, absorption of information, reduces stress and anxiety, and boosts mood, all of which help to improve mental health. It also stimulates creativity and brings an increase in productivity, though not all music is good for all types of work.

Popular music may interfere with complicated tasks, while classical music can help with focus. One important rule to remember when it comes to listening to music is that not everyone has the same taste. Avoid upsetting co-workers by bringing in earbuds to listen at a respectful volume.

Whether it’s a professional development course offered online or through your workplace or a college course your company will reimburse, continuing education opportunities keep the mind sharp and help sustain interest at work by offering additional knowledge. This increase in knowledge often offers opportunities for advancement.

Approximately 50% of employers offer some type of undergraduate assistance, and 53% offer assistance for graduate degrees, according to a 2017 Employee Benefits Survey by the Society for Human Resource Management. Many companies have corporate accounts with online services like Coursera, which provides educational enrichment through online courses and certifications. To figure out what companies offer, employees should reach out to human resources.

Studies have shown that clutter can contribute to heightened anxiety and stress, decreased productivity, and feelings of losing control. A few minutes a day devoted to organization can work wonders in the workplace, and filing systems don’t have to be complex to be effective.

The effects of clutter on the body and mind are so significant that they can even cause people to overindulge in food and create other unhealthy habits. An Express Employment Professionals study found that disorganization causes significant loss of actual work time, with 57% of participants admitting to losing six work hours per week due to disorganization.