You Can Probably Get Pretty Jacked At Planet Fitness... 

I love how many of Alan's videos have developed wholesome dad energy since he had kids.

It's gonna be interesting to see what an advanced strength athlete is able to accomplish with a focus on hypertrophy, especially in the upper body department! I've no doubt that you know what you're doing given your training background, but if you ever need some guidance feel free to shoot me a message, I think you'd make a great entry for my training/physique critique series. Cheers!

Love the contrarian advice lately. Machines are good, Planet Fitness is actually good, run and do cardio often it won’t kill your gains. It’s helpful to break the dogmatic thinking people often have in fitness. Also, this looks like a fantastic workout

Keep in mind, the Five stars are based on my needs for this item ru-vid.comUgkxUHHotQRjIQnfuxEeVotlkHVYWH0DXZoS When I first bought the bike I was going to return it immediately. After trying it out for several days/weeks I came to realize it is actually perfect for WHY I bought it.This is not a workout, the resistance is, eh, it makes a bit of noise, not loud, and it isn’t very stable even with the mat. The mat certainly keeps the bike from sliding but nothing keeps the mat from sliding (if that makes any sense, lol). Mine is place on my hard wood floor. Maybe it would be better with a rug underneath??I sit for long hours for work and wanted something to keep my legs moving. This bike does exactly that! For the price it is amazing, it is compact, easy to use, light weight, keeps track of time, calories etc (not sure how accurate it is) but good little product. I am happy with it.

I’ve been at a time in my life where planet fitness has been the gym that makes the most sense for me to go to. The worst part about it is the goofy signs. But I’ve never actually seen the infamous pizza or bagels there and they’ve never used the lunk alarm. There are some jacked people there so, I guess it is possible. Exercise works no matter where you do it. But ultimately my heart resides in the basement gym. I just can’t do that right now in my apartment.

I love the fact that your showing us work can get done in different settings. Especially your most recent videos. I think you're truly one of the best if not the best content creators in the business Alan. 👍👍👍

I’ve said this many times before, but I love how down to earth and humble Alan is. Always very motivational and I like that he took the time to help someone else out. We need more people like this. Always enjoyable videos 👍

Can't wait to see the progress you make on this hypertrophy journey.

Here is the NH video that I referenced about Hersovyac: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--sf34ScWLK8.html

gotta love the NH shotout. You guys are amazing

This video comes right on time to me. Last week I signed up on a recently open PF near my house. I can walk/run there and get my cardio out of the way, which I hate doing on a gym anyways. The biggest limitation is the lack of squat racks and barbels, but I've been working aroud replacing excercises with dumbells and smith machines. This video made me realize i'm not too crazy :)

The best gym is the gym that you actually will go to. If Planet Fitness is the only gym that’s close and convenient it’s better to go there and modify your workout to fit their equipment then to keep promising yourself that you’re going to eventually start going to the super awesome gym that’s 30 minutes away.

Metalhead, gym owner, strongman competitor and super polite. I remember the first time i found this channel, trying to do some deadlifts, the i went from lifting 30kg to 140kg in a few months without back pain, always remembering to "DO NOT MOVE THE BARBELL". Glad this is not one of these videos where the guy does everything to get spelled. You rock, Alan!

I’m a musician, and I tour 3-5 months out of the year. Planet Fitness, despite its faults, is definitely not as bad as it seems when you have no other option. I think I’ve been to at least 150 Planet Fitness locations across Canada and America. If you’re creative and adaptive with your training you can get a ton done.

This is great seeing two of the best fitness RU-vidrs I watch intersect, albeit I have watched NH more and ran a program by him for a year and now have transitioned for strength to a novice strongman meet.

Top quality work Alan. Thank you for taking time to share your knowledge. This is fantastic information for anyone who is interested in weightlifting. Keep smashing it 💪🏼

I was not expecting you to go on a hypertrophy specific training phase! Looking forward to seeing the results.

I can only work out at PF at the moment because of location and financial limitations. I really appreciate a video showing ways of using their equipment. I'd never thought about doing kneeling presses.

Haha nice Alan! Your open, unassuming personality says lot about YOU as a person!! Thank you again for your inspiration and positive content to the fitness community!😊

It's nice to see all kinds of people trying to get fit. Also nice of him to give advice.

The Natural Hypertrophy cross-over is one I did not expect! Looking forward to seeing your results Alan.

Great to see you giving a shout out to NH! Awesome community!

Awesome stuff, very down to earth and inspiring.

I totally relate to the slippery pull-up bars at planet fitness-I look at it as an opportunity to strengthen my grip and just overcome more adversity!!! I hate them, but I love them.

Atta boy Alan! Most sensible PF gym video so far. 🙌🏽

OHP and weighted pullups is my go-to start to an upper body day. Love that combo.

Love your videos man, you're one of the best content creators out there.

Looking good Alan! Been following this channel for a while - great to see progress and the quality content you put up!

This is the video I need right now. I'm trying to come back right now after a four-year hiatus from lifting. Between a pretty bad motorcycle accident, having kids, and starting a business, lifting just hasn't been in the cards for the past few years. I'm actually walking my dog around the neighborhood right now to at least start this getting back in shape journey. And knowing planet fitness will probably actually serve me just fine is actually really good motivation.

Love this dude! look forward to seeing all the progress you make this year

Alan teaming up with NH and GVS is the dream. Really good video.

I'm grateful you mentioned your grip failing on the dumbbell RDLs. I had this problem too, but just figured I had a particularly weak grip, because that would be just my luck. Knowing that I'm not the only one that struggles with grip on that exercises gives me a bit of hope. Also excited to try a front squat in the Smith Machine. Looks to work fairly well!

Natural Hypertrophy i a beast. love his content so much!

Interesting stuff Natural Hypertrophy, I watched a video and am subscribing. I'm 41 and never have been super serious about training. I've been consistently working out since November 2020 doing CrossFit style home workouts. I'll stay with that because I like it, but I developed a new goal, to dunk a basketball! I am trying to work into plyometrics and maximize my athletic ability. I know I'm older but I'm going for it as best as I can. Your content or someone like NH is super motivating!

Slowly destroying all the bad myths! Stay AWESOME!

I'm so glad I clicked on this video. I found the answer on how to do OHP in my low ceiling garage gym. Thank you!

Natural hypertrophy is an awesome character. I don't always agree with his views but he sure is unique in the yt fitness corner. Love him and I wish his channel grows.

Love NH- on no other RU-vid channel can you get a jacked French man talking about Nietzschean philosophy in one video and anime in the next.

Great video, Alan. Always enjoy seeing variation in strongman and powerlifting programs. I think it is important long term and helps with stagnation.

really a man for the people.. thanks alan!

Oh mine. Thank you so much man For showing this

NH's channel is amazing!

Seeing NH mentioned is crazy, his channel is great

I knew it! When I saw you doing the seated btn presses and the fat grip pullups i knew you had watched NH's about Hersovyac. Good luck putting on mass man.

we need a Natural Hypertrophy and Alan Thrall colab immediately

I learned a lot from Renaissance Periodization , but following their programs too closely took me away from my first love, antagonist supersets. Getting back into them now, and I love the constant movement, 3D pump and enhanced proprioception. This is a great workout you have here.

Common Alan Thrall W (I haven’t even gotten past the first ad and started the video while typing this)

Bro, thank you for the tip on kneeling OHPs!!!!

This guy is super positive. Great vibe

Cool video series concept, I'm looking forward to seeing your progress! When I was looking around for a gym, I did stop in a planet fitness and it wasn't bad, plenty of machines and things to do to get a really good workout there. Not the gym I ultimately chose though. I should warn you and anyone else reading this, the only way to cancel your membership at Planet Fitness is to send in a certified letter demanding your cancellation. They are infamous for making it difficult as legally possible to cancel. And they may try to continue to charge you anyway until you threaten to sue.

Very interested to see you on a hypertrophy training for an entire year! Good luck!

Now you are looking like the photos you show when you were in the navy 💪🏼🎖️

One thing that’s been amazing on my leg days is super setting walking Lunges with Dips. Something about doing dips, even weighted dips, right after lunging with heavy dumbbells in my hands makes me feel so much lighter and more “greased up” in my joints when on the dip bars 😂

Holy shit. NH got a shout-out from Alan? Looks like he made it. But this is great advice especially the longer hypertrophy phases

Very cool thanks for this man. I lucked out and found a powerlifting gym a bit away but was going to use a planet fitness and focus on strictly hypertrophy if I did.

Amen. Especially about people asking you how-to questions. I've been working out at Planet Fitness since August after being gymless for two years and doing kettlebell and bodyweight stuff in my garage (thanks COVID!). Now that I'm getting strong again, and have grown friendly with people, several ask for my advice. I think PF should pay me... but at $10/month, well...

Yeah love this. Supersetting antagonistic exercises is awesome, pull-ups + OHP, Dips + rows, deadlift + toes to bar. also instead of lat pull downs try "Skin the cat" with straight arms only, you'll grow wings.

what one Alan video at a planet fitness and here I am with the recommended video

The multiverse crossover I didn't expect!

I love using the Smith machine for split squat / BSS. Such an underrated alternative... especially if one has terrible balance, like I do.

I love Natural Hypertrophy! He has some great insight (even philosophically) Glad you are giving him some press.

Great video, man. Amazing to watch all the dogma in regards to hypertrophy training melt away before our very eyes. Can't wait to see your results! Do you plan on doing before/after measurements and progress photos?

Alan you the man

Damn, I misjudged Planet Fitness. That seems like quite the chill, laid back place to get a peaceful workout. I like it!

I’ve been overdoing it in regular gym lately so I’ve actually switched to PF and am more productive as well as consistent. They have a normal dumbbell selection and the machines are my fav.

I’ve been doing a similar style of dumbbell RDL/Jefferson curl, standing on a couple of bumper plates, in place of hyperextensions. Sort of letting my back round. And getting a deep stretch in my back. It has been a neat thing to experiment with.

Thanks Alan! I've been forced to abandon my basement workout for PF temporarily and was looking for exactly this.

Haven't had a chance to watch your videos for a while. You look healthy. Still jacked and a giant though. Keep up the great work

The title is absolutely correct. Obviously with the "lunk alarm", the environment isn't conducive to being loud or constantly dropping weights. But PF has a decent assortment of machines and dumbells. My main gripe is I hate their Smith machines. They're completely vertical, no slant at all. And PF typically doesn't have a hack squat machine. But whatevs.

Natural Hypertrophy is awesome, I'm surprised he's on your radar though tbh. Shame you didn't do any incline curls in this workout he'd have been in the comments already if you had.

At 58 I’ve used more hypertrophy phases of training that last 9 months. The phases of hypertrophy training get longer as I get older. Keeping the strength training phases shorter and the hypertrophy longer have been great for my physiology & central nervous system !

I love how ppl say "pf" is bad yet I been here for over 7yrs now, NEVER EVER seeen or heard the lump alarm.I wear tank tops never had a problem, i carry 3qrt water jug.. never ever had a problem. Ppl that come here to stay healthy & fit.if we wanted to be this pro,& power lifter,& all that.well guess were i woulod go?! yet that type of gym. haha..its not hard ppl are so ignorant. Its amazing! You look great keep doing your thing..

here the natural hypertophy shout was mint

I appreciated your video. 75 pound dumbbells at the one by me, Roseville MN. A similar gym as far as pricing with heavier weights and free weight barbells is Crunch. Some of them have dumbbells up to 120 pounds and barbell stations as opposed to Smith Machines like Planet Fitness. It pays to look around. Some places have more classes, some other chains have pools etcetera. Of course the price may go up but Crunch has $10 per month for basic membership like Planet Fitness. Planet Fitness meets the needs of plenty of people. Some people like machines and find 75 pound bells enough or just aren't as barbell focused or accept Smith Machines. Weighted pull ups and dips, some do have a dip belt in 360 area, as well as TRX straps... may meet their needs. For others Crunch may be better or another gym. If you are strong and don't like machines much you need to think outside of the box and know more exercises. I mentioned weighted chins and dips, I'll also mention, just to make a point, rear foot elevated split squats, aka Bulgarian split squats/Bulgarian lunges. 75 pound dumbbells can be challenging with them even for strong people and slower speed at least on the negative and more reps can be done, up to 30. Just start with squats then split squats before raising rear foot. Recent studies suggest up to 30 reps are still useful and not just for endurance. Some exercises in Smith Machines are less worrisome like a bent row... One should however look into criticism of the Smith Machine oneself... Also just realize it is a machine focused gym not a barbell focused gym so change your idea of what "must do" exercises you "must do". If you are going to use the Smith Machine research it some. Personally there are some exercises I wouldn't do in it ... Also I think they should have landmines which they don't and trap/hex bars. They are what they are and are quite affordable and meet the needs of many. They really should have land mines though... I accept they don't want heavy barbells outside of a smith machine as their business model but I think they could have landmines and trap/hex bars... Oh well... They are what they are...

Good job! Feels like my test levels drop about 200 points whenever I walk inside that place.

When I first started lifting, it was at Planet Fitness. For $10 a month, I learned how to use the different machines and perform different exercises which was the groundwork of my lifting foundation. With that said, it’s not the gym, it’s the lifter. If you’re serious about getting a good workout in, you can get it anywhere.

Never set foot in a pf due to the hate on powerlifting I saw....good job!

The Planet Fitness in your area actually has some weight plates, plate loaded machines, barbells, dumbbells, and bodyweight stations. The Planet Fitness here doesn't have any of that. All the Planet Fitness here has is treadmills, bikes, rowing machines, stairmasters, elliptical machines, and plate/selectorized equipment that doesn't go very heavy at all. That's why I don't train at my local Planet Fitness. The only other option here is the 24 Hour Fitness and they have a lot of freeweights, barbells, dumbbells, plate loaded equipment, cables, selectorized machines, and more.

Ahhh, this just makes me cry inside to see you film a video at a Planet Fitness when you own.the best gym in the world.

Hell yeah Alan

Cool to see that Alan is also a natural hypotrophy enjoyer.

The kneeling behind the neck press was a great idea. Wheeling a bench over would have probably triggered the Lunk Alarm.

Such a gym is better than 90% gyms in my country 😂

Jordan chasing the pump and now Alan..we need to change it to BodyBuilding Medicine! 🤘💪

Makes sense other patrons asked you about leg exercises since I was also 100% mirin your legs gains the whole video

Never thought I would see the day where Alan Thrall Front Squats on a smith machine at Planet Fitness

this is so fucking crazy. I was just there for the 2nd time and everything looks so strange. I was like wheres the instructions that fit my powerlifter mindset? lolll youre a god dud

Interesting, thanks

Alan Man, love your stuff, passion and commitment. I'm 58 which means I've been working out for 40 years in gyms and I've always stayed away from the Smith machine because I've been told and believe it locks you into one trajectory that prohibits auxiliary muscles to assist the move and makes us more prone or susceptible to an injury. Maybe that is for only really heavy things like a one rep deadlift, but you use it repeatedly in the video. I'd be interested to hear your opinion because I do workout at Planet Fitness and they don't have any heavy dumbbells or benches so I'd love to use it.

AMAZIN

Very cool to see your programming vlog at a Planet Fitness - I would think your shear presence would set off the alarms, but maybe the shorter hair cut saved you from that. Does PF allow you to use liquid chalk? That would help a lot... I don't konw if you've tried one, but the "Jones" machine (a Smith machine that slides back and forth) is a pretty good option for split squats - I used to use one of those before opting for a "yolk" instead. Great video - always enjoy your training and instruction videos!!! 👍

Common Hersovyac W

ive started putting money on the side to buy your belt one day ( pioneer ) , great content keep it up.

I went to planet fitness for a week while out of town. It was overall fun.

I also tried out the behind the neck press after NHs last video, def gives a interesting rear delt pump

Alan, blink twice if you are in danger... In all seriousness, glad to see these types of videos lately showing that even if you don't have ideal equipment, you can still get an effective workout.

What a nice guy!? He plugged another guy's channel!

Heck yeah dude! Honestly, nice to see a multifaceted gym owner, strength athlete, coach &’regular father/human not making excuses but making gains💪❤️‍🔥 My only problem is the falsity of inclusion they tout. I don’t appreciate the “call out” or negative connotation of body builders or disciplined gym rats as viable. If you truly are inclusive then don’t segregate, call it or negate an entire population of fitness enthusiasts based on your predatory business model. Just sayin😜

Looking better with the trim

So after a decade and a half of powerlifting, and a battle with cancer, I decided to go back to my roots of swimming. My town's rec center has a great competition pool but horrid weight room, but my old gym is expensive. Since my focus is no longer lifting big weight I have been considering swallowing my pride and going to planet fitness because I am cheap......good timing on this video!