Is Sauna at Planet Fitness Worth It in 2024?
If you’re considering joining a gym, one of the first thoughts that crosses your mind is what more besides the machines at the gym. Among many popular questions, one is whether Planet Fitness has saunas as part of the additional options that come with membership and if they are worth it. Please look closely at Sauna at Planet Fitness, some available alternatives for members, and whether it’s worth it for your health and fitness goals.
Does Sauna at Planet Fitness Worth It?
No, Planet Fitness does not have typical sauna facilities in its gyms. While more expensive fitness clubs offer saunas, steam rooms, or whirlpools, Planet Fitness primarily focuses on providing low-cost membership without such equipment and services being added.
Their philosophy is to make fitness available to everybody with low-cost memberships and a non-intimidating environment. This factor alone makes Planet Fitness one of the most affordable gyms, but it also means you can’t expect to enjoy luxury features like a sauna as part of your membership package.
What Recovery and Wellness Amenities Does Planet Fitness Offer Instead?
Though Planet Fitness does not have regular saunas, it does have some other recovery and relaxation amenities that may enhance your post-workout experience. These Sauna at planet Fitness are usually accorded to Black Card members, who have higher-tier membership options with more added benefits.
Wellness Amenities to Expect at Planet Fitness.
Hydromassage Beds
One of Planet Fitness’s more popular recovery amenities is the hydro massage beds. These beds feature jets of water that create a massaging effect on your muscles to relax them from the workout you have completed. A great thing about hydromassage beds is that you don’t need to remove your clothes to get a massage, allowing for a quick and easy way to help relieve tension and soreness.
Sauna at Planet Fitness: Massage Chairs
Some Planet Fitness franchises include hydromassage beds within the Black Card membership; others also have massage chairs. They will fully cover your body, paying more attention to your back, neck, and legs. Like hydromassage, a massage chair is also suitable for recovery or relaxation after the workout.
Total Body Enhancement (Red Light Therapy)
Total Body Enhancement utilizes red light therapy along with vibration technology to help with muscle recovery, skin health, and overall body wellness. The machine helps induce blood flow, relaxes the muscles, and soothes the body. While it does not give you the “heat” one feels when going to a traditional sauna, it’s a new way to recover from your workout.
Tanning Beds
If you like to keep a tan, Planet Fitness offers tanning beds for its Black Card members. While these do not provide the same recovery benefits as a sauna or a massage, they can be nice additions to your routine of unwinding after a workout.
Why Doesn’t Planet Fitness Have a Sauna?
Sauna at Planet Fitness’s business model is centered on offering an affordable and accessible gym experience to the masses. However, saunas and steam rooms take up more space, require maintenance, and increase costs, which eventually increases membership prices.
It helps Planet Fitness keep membership fees low by focusing on essential fitness equipment and offering only a few recovery amenities. Their aim is to make the environment friendly and approachable for people who may not need or want the extra luxury features that come with high-priced gyms.
Pros and Cons of Planet Fitness Not Having a Sauna
Not having a sauna at Planet Fitness entails several advantages and disadvantages. One of the probable advantages may be that it can reduce the membership cost and lighten maintenance. At the same time, it means not getting all those good relaxing and recovering moments that a sauna provides.
Pros:
Affordability
One of the best features of Planet Fitness is the membership cost. Memberships begin for as low as $10 a month, which makes it one of the cheapest gyms to attend. It allows you to be frugal and still utilize the needed equipment.
Convenience
Planet Fitness does not have large sauna facilities or other frills associated with high-priced gyms, so the company can use smaller locations. These are more convenient and accessible.
Focus to Fitness
It centers the services on essential workout equipment in the Planet Fitness centers, so one can easily concentrate on his fitness goals rather than being distracted by various luxury amenities he probably does not need.
Cons
Lack of Relaxation Options
If you like to spend a little time in a sauna to relax and unwind after a workout, you may find the recovery options at Planet Fitness a little limited compared to high-end gyms.
No Heat Therapy: Sauna At Planet Fitness
Take, for example, the sauna: heat therapy enhances muscle recovery, reduces joint stiffness, and improves circulation. If this type of heat therapy is part of your essential fitness or wellness program, you must seek it elsewhere.
Are Recovery Amenities at Planet Fitness Worth It?
Though Planet Fitness does not have a sauna, most recovery services included in their facilities, such as hydromassage beds, massage chairs, and Total Body Enhancement, are great deals when considering the fee one has to pay. The following are reasons why they might be worth the cost to you:
Affordable Recovery
For a Black Card membership, usually about $22.99 monthly, you can access several recovery amenities that will upgrade your after-workout routine. Hydromassage beds and massage chairs can go a long way in relieving tension and general muscle soreness; another added wellness benefit comes from the Total Body Enhancement machine.
Easy to Use and Convenient
No specialized preparation is required for any of Planet Fitness’s recovery amenities. After your workout, you can jump into the massage chair or hydromassage bed without needing to change, which can be highly convenient for busy schedules.
Alternate Heat Therapy
If you’re looking for just some type of heat therapy, such as what’s provided through a sauna, then Planet Fitness will not work for your needs. However, the red light therapy coupled with the vibration technology in the Total Body Enhancement machine offers another modality for promoting recovery and relaxation.
Are Saunas Important to Reach Your Fitness Goals?
If you are on the fence regarding whether a gym with a sauna is necessary, consider the added advantages that saunas provide and go forth, depending on how those align with your goals of working out. Some benefits of spending time in the sauna include:
Muscle Recovery
The heat in saunas relaxes your muscles, reducing soreness and improving blood flow, which may speed recovery after hard workout sessions.
Detoxification
Saunas create heavy sweat that may help flush toxic substances from within and improve skin condition.
Stress Relief
The sauna is warm and quiet, offering an appropriate atmosphere for reducing stress and relaxing one’s mind. It aids in letting go of all tensions and yields a fresh breath.
Relieve Joint Pain
The heat generated inside the sauna may temporarily relieve joint pain in people with arthritis by reducing stiffness and making the joints flexible.
If these benefits are essential for you and your exercise routine, you should explore other gyms with sauna facilities. If you are mainly looking for an affordable gym to exercise and receive some recovery options, Planet Fitness may still be a great choice.
Other Gym Options with Sauna Facilities
If saunas are part of your recovery routine and essential to you, plenty of other gyms offer traditional saunas, steam rooms, or whirlpools. In general, these are premium gyms with higher membership fees, yet also with the inclusion of more comprehensive wellness facilities. Popular gyms that offer saunas include the following:
- LA Fitness
- Lifetime Fitness
- Equinox
- Gold’s Gym
Membership can be any amount, from $40 to $200 a month, depending on how luxurious it is and the amenities provided.
Conclusion:
Are the Amenities of Sauna at Planet Fitness Worth?
While Planet Fitness doesn’t have saunas, this gym still offers a mix of recovery and wellness features to complement your fitness routine. The hydromassage beds, massage chairs, and Total Body Enhancement machine are high-value touches, particularly for finding an affordable gym membership. These other options will be sufficient for many individuals to help with muscle recovery and relaxation after a workout.
However, if saunas are essential to your fitness or wellness routine, you may look elsewhere for a place that accommodates such needs. Then again, personal preference and fitness goals will set the final decision. For those looking for an affordable gym with bare recovery, Planet Fitness could still be worth it.
If heat therapy and upscale facilities are the chief considerations, then a pricier gym would serve them best. For more budget-oriented gym-goers who appreciate a no-judgment workout space and extra recovery options, Planet Fitness can be quite great value.
