Everything You Need to Know About the Planet Fitness Lunk Alarm

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Get the inside scoop on Planet Fitness’s controversial Lunk Alarm

Co-authored by Bertha Isabel Crombet, PhD

Last Updated: November 25, 2024 Fact Checked

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What is a Lunk Alarm?

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How Gym Members Feel about the Lunk Alarm

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What is a lunk?

If you’re part of the Planet Fitness gym community, it’s likely that you’ve heard a “Lunk Alarm” go off once or twice before. The scene usually involves an overzealous gym bro who has grunted loudly, dropped 50-pound dumbbells, or both. These Lunk-like behaviors are sure to trigger the siren, which in turn will signal to other gym goers and managers that somebody is breaking the rules. But what exactly are their rules? And what is the purpose of the Lunk Alarm? Keep reading if you want a comprehensive guide to the Lunk Alarm, including why it's used and how Planet Fitness members really feel about it.

The Lunk Alarm Explained

Planet Fitness' “Lunk Alarm” is a siren triggered by aggressive or obnoxious behavior like grunting, throwing weights, or flexing in a way that may be seen as intimidating to new gym members. Some gym members dislike the alarm and feel it goes against Planet Fitness's judgment-free zone philosophy.

Section 1 of 3:

What is a Lunk Alarm?

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Planet Fitness's Lunk Alarm discourages "gym-timidating" behaviors. The Planet Fitness siren, which lights up while making a loud, shrill sound for a few moments, is triggered by behaviors Planet Fitness views as going against their judgment-free zone policy.^{[1]
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Research source} Behaviors that may set off the alarm include grunting loudly, dropping heavy weights, or flexing muscles with the intention to intimidate.^{[2]
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- The alarm is set off by the managers on shift. Because of this, its usage ultimately varies from gym to gym, as do the consequences.
- Managers may choose to give the lunk in question a slap on the wrist, warning them about minding their gym manners in the future, or they may reprimand lunks by asking them to leave the premises for the day, or altogether, sometimes even after their first offense.
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The Lunk Alarm reinforces Planet Fitness’s "zero-judgment" mission. Planet Fitness aimed to create an affordable, judgment-free gym where people could work out without feeling "gym-timidated." Catering to the majority of the demographic, which is comprised of entry-level workout enthusiasts, Planet Fitness developed the Lunk Alarm in an effort to discourage behaviors that make these casual gym goers uncomfortable. The Lunk Alarm is meant to:
- Promote inclusivity. The gym-vironment at Planet Fitness is tailored to the non-bodybuilding masses, who don’t want to feel lesser than in the face of big, muscular, experienced lunks. The Lunk Alarm aids in maintaining a zero-judgment atmosphere by “stopping a Lunk in his/her tracks.”^{[3]
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- Offer guidelines for gym etiquette. Although it’s normal to make certain sounds of struggle during a serious sweat sesh, Planet Fitness requests that you either keep them low or find a gym better suited to your needs. Grunting, dropping heavy weights, wearing barely-there tank-tops to achieve the ultimate mid-flex mirror selfie—none of these will fly at your local PF.
- Reinforce their Judgement-Free Zone policy. Planet Fitness doubles down on their original objective with the Lunk Alarm, stating that the company was “built on the premise of no intimidation” and the siren is used to enforce that.

Section 2 of 3:

How do Planet Fitness members feel about the Lunk Alarm?

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Some people believe that Planet Fitness holds hypocritical attitudes around inclusivity—and it’s not just the lunks complaining!^{[4]
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Research source} Members of the gym community may ask themselves, “If this is a judgement-free zone, why am I being judged by the sounds I make?” Other fitness enthusiasts are simply annoyed at having their sets interrupted by the neon noise of the Lunk Alarm, which puts the company’s goal of a peaceful and welcoming gym environment into question.
There's a sense of apprehension and distrust about the arbitrary situations that trigger the siren, and ultimately, how memberships are cancelled as a result. Lunks who have set off the alarm and been consequently expelled from the gym typically have the worst opinions of Planet Fitness, varying in degrees of severity.^{[5]
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One theory states that the Lunk Alarms may be used to dissuade people from coming to the gym too often, creating the illusion of an emptier gym, and therefore selling more memberships based on this.
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The bodybuilding community has raised many concerns with Planet Fitness. In 2011, a string of offensive commercials poking fun at lunks were released by Planet Fitness. One such commercial involved a Planet Fitness employee giving a lunk a tour of the gym, while the lunk paraded around in shredded gym clothes, drinking a gallon of pre-workout, and repeating the phrase, "I pick things up and put them down." The commercial ends with the employee showing the lunk the door.
- These initiatives were viewed as discriminatory by the bodybuilding community, causing many PF members to boycott the establishment and even make their own commercials in defiance.^{[6]
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Due to the protests from the lunks, the PF YouTube channel was shut down and then reinstated under a different name. Still, bodybuilders remained dissatisfied by the attitudes and business model for the gym, which they ultimately believe promotes discrimination over inclusivity.^{[7]
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The alarm is a reminder to some that this gym is for the everyman, who might do cardio and dabble in lifting some light weights, but have no real desire to ever compete in a bodybuilding competition. If your fitness goals do not align with PF's, exploring other options that better meet all your gym needs may be the way to go.

Section 3 of 3:

What is a lunk?

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A lunk is a gym bro who lifts heavy weights and acts obnoxiously. Typically, a lunk shows little regard for others who may be intimidated by their grunting and general aggressive demeanor. Planet Fitness’s definition of "lunk" is somebody who “grunts, drops weights or judges” and further, “a person who draws attention upon themselves, whether intentionally or not.” It may derive from the term "lunkhead," which means "a stupid or slow-witted person."^{[8]
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Research source} Here’s how you can use it in a sentence:
- Them: Did you see that guy in a cropped tank top flexing in the mirror?
- You: Yep, he was such a lunk.