Planet fitness has a smith machine in place of a bench press and the bars can weigh from 15 to 20lbs which is not a lot.
Planet fitness
If you are someone who is into fitness or looking to get into shape then you might have come across the name Planet Fitness.
Planet fitness is now an international brand that is related to fitness clubs and has franchises in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, and Russia.
It has almost 2000+ branches all over the country. But you might be thinking that what makes Planet fitness stand out? Well, most importantly it provides the right environment. The user-friendly environment makes it stand out among its competitors.
Smith machine
The Smith machine is one of the ways to go for weight training. It consists of a barbell that has a fixed rail. The machine is designed in such a way that it only allows near vertical and vertical movements.
After every set, the rails do not need to be re-racked. Hence, the machine works well for beginners and intermediate-level weight lifters
You do not need to worry about balancing while you are working out. And you can focus on just one of your muscles.
But it is still weight lifting so it does not rule out the danger of problems associated with weight lifting. You are lifting the weight with your spine, so you should take some precautions while doing the exercises.
How much the bar weighs
One cannot put an exact number on the bar of the bench press. But, most of the time, it can vary anywhere between 15 to 20 kgs.
If you want to check the weight, you can also look at the side of the machine. Most machine companies write the weight on the side of the machine.
The weight seems to be a lot less for people looking for muscle-building machines. And the reason behind this is that Planet fitness is not a gym that is built for bodybuilding and stuff like that. It promotes a healthier lifestyle. Hence does not focus on muscle work.
Factors affecting the weight
The machine’s weight is itself fixed. However, the weight of the bar can be different. Following are the factors that affect the weight of the bar.
Material
Usually, bars are of steel which can make them quite heavy to handle. The machines at Planet fitness do not need that kind of support from both ends and hence the rods are usually lightweight. The mass of the bar is considered to add or subtract the weight you put on your spine.
Counter Balance
Traditionally, home use machines did not come with a counterbalance. However, now advanced gyms like Planet Fitness have machines that come along with counterbalances.
The counter-balanced rods will feel lights around 6 to 20 lbs. The reason for such a vast range is that the weight depends upon how much the rods are counterbalanced.
The angle of the Rails
The bars may seem to be linear giving near vertical and vertical movements but the rails are set at an inclined position. So the weight you are lifting is affected by the angle at which the rails are set.
The angle is inclined to aid the natural movement for exercises like squatting. So the lesser the angle will be, the more weight you will feel while weight lifting. The greater the angle, the more weight you will have to lift.
Why do you need to know the weight?
Let us address the elephant in the room. So Why do you even need to know the weight of the machine?
People who are new to weight lifting, want to know how much they are lifting daily and before you start you should know how much you can lift.
By knowing the weight, one can keep a track of their daily progress. You would know the workload you are taking and how you can increase it.
If you are aware of the starting weight of the bar you would know how much you need to add to work out efficiently.
Final Words
Planet Fitness does not have the exact machines for bench press. They have smith machines that can help you do bench press and beginner-level weight lifting.
The bars at the weight lifting machines can weigh around 15-20lbs only.
This is the reason Planet fitness is famous among people who are looking for a healthy lifestyle but it is not famous among people who are looking to train professionally in weight lifting and bodybuilding.
What type of bench press does Planet Fitness use?
Planet Fitness does not use any bench press however they have a smith machine that can work the same as a bench press.
How much does Planet Fitness cost?
It starts from $10 a month and if you apply for the Black card it can start from $19.99.
