Man Escorted From Planet Fitness Gym For Grunting

WCBSTV.COM ^ | November 1, 2006 | Tony Aiello

[JZelle]

(CBS) WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. You can lift, strain, crunch and sweat all you want at the Planet Fitness in the Dutchess County village. But whatever you do, do not grunt.

Yep, "no grunting." It says so, in black and white, on a sign posted at the gym. One former member learned the new rule the hard way.

"This is really absurd, especially the part about the grunting," said Al Argibay, a corrections officer who learned first-hand "no grunting" means exactly that.

Argibay, a former competitive bodybuilder, joined the gym in September because it was affordable and convenient.

[JZelle]

Words escape me. You shouldn't be in a gym if this intimidates you.

[fredhead]

[sweet_diane]

A 'truth is stranger than fiction' moment. Heck...I've even heard grunting at the local Curves, for pete's sake!

[FroedrickVonFreepenstein]

I agree but if the owner asks you to leave you don't yell, curse, threaten or try to intimidate; you simply leave.

[Puppage]

You can lift, strain, crunch and sweat all you want at the Planet Fitness in the Dutchess County village. But whatever you do, do not grunt.

Now, if they'd only apply this to womens tennis...........

[Deaf Smith]

Some people are screamers like Ron White.

[Joe 6-pack]

Clearly a gym for metrosexuals. I'll bet they offer manicures as well.

[Hazcat]

I guess the gym manager has never seen (or heard) a tennis match.

[subterfuge]

It's the owner's gym and the owner's rules. What so wrong with that?

[b4its2late]

[r9etb]

It's the owner's gym and the owner's rules. What so wrong with that?

Sometimes owners have stupid rules. This fella decided to let the public know about them. What so wrong with that?

[nevergore]

Yeah...but I bet the same owner will not allow you out of your contract with them. For an activity that you contracted for doing that activity in a reasonable and customary manner.

[Perdogg]

I got kicked out of a gym because the women were having accidents because my fine physique was distracting them.

[Joe 6-pack]

"I got kicked out of a gym because the women were having accidents because my fine physique was distracting them."

I heard it was because they were all suffering abdominal strain from laughing too hard...;-)

[Gorzaloon]

I got kicked out of a gym because the women were having accidents because my fine physique was distracting them.

Yeah, I know, and it's having to live with yourself afterward that so lousy.

It keeps me awake nights.... :-)

[metmom]

"We're creating an atmosphere that's not intimidating," said Carol Palazzolo, the gym manager, who yanked Argibay's membership on Monday.

Everybody grunts when they lift something heavy. This owner is soooo out of touch with reality. I was not really surprised to find out the owner was female.

Does she forbid them to sweat also? /roll eyes

[OldFriend]

If only they had a NO GRUNTING sign up at the tennis matches.

[colinhester]

Planet Fitness, which discourages so-called "musclehead behavior."

Lovely. Are they going to limit how much one can bench as well? How about a nice game of tag....oh wait, we can't play that either.

[sausageseller]

Do you think the "No Grunting" policy was in the contract he signed?

[tioga]

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!

[vollmond]

The problem was, he was grunting when *other* people were doing a workout.

[sgtbono2002]

I cant even get out of a chair without grunting a little.

[Esther Ruth]

I get very scared when men grunt... and that's ... ok.

[HEY4QDEMS]

I got kicked out of a gym because the women were having accidents because my fine physique was distracting them.

Yeah, there's only so much vomit any health club will tolerate.

[ichabod1]

Does she forbid them to sweat also? /roll eyes

Sweating is probably ok, but I bet if you don't wipe off the equipment you'll get shown the door.

[FourPeas]

There's even a flashing light and siren on the wall, labeled a "lunk alarm," which sounds if someone grunts or drops weights on the floor.

Uh-huh.

[HEY4QDEMS]

Sweating is probably ok, but I bet if you don't wipe off the equipment you'll get shown the door.

As you should, that's just plain gross.

[subterfuge]

Sometimes owners have stupid rules. This fella decided to let the public know about them. What so wrong with that?

Not that there is anything wrong with that. But in all seriousness, I doubt people are intimidated by the grunting, it's just annoying. I've been around these guys that scream at each other, as if they're demonstrating their bad-assness, which is REALLY annoying.

[MBB1984]

I agree totally. The owner should be able to enact any rules he wants so long as it doesn't violate the law. If you don't like the rules, join another gym. The man escorted has NO cause to complain as the rules were clearly posted.

[sticker]

If you don't wipe off the equipment you should be shown the door; while riding on a rail and covered in tar and feathers.

[altura]

My words have tried to escape me, but in vain.

If this is a co-ed gym, I like this ruling. We have a strict towel policy at my gym, no one likes to lie in someone else's sweat.

Okay, maybe some people do but ...

Anyway, I find grunting annoying. It sounds show offy and like an offensive attempt to call attention to how much effort one is making.

I'm sure it's possible to suppress the urge to grunt if you want to.

(I hate it in tennis players too, but at least I have a mute button there)

[Kirkwood]

I grunt when I bend over to tie my shoes. Seems to help.

[r9etb]

I won't argue with that.

[Toby06]

I've even heard grunting at the local Curves, for pete's sake!

Pete must have been pretty good looking.

[Ready4Freddy]

Wappingers Falls... Wappingers Falls....

Tawana Brawley's old 'hood...

[SlowBoat407]

BWAAAAAHAHAHA!!!!!

[Perdogg]

That's mean, I was only making a joke.

[7thson]

BS alert! 8-)

[girlscout]

Ohhh ... what a cute picture!

[2Jedismom]

Heh heh...

I signed up for a health club once, while I was training for a marathon. The idea was I could run on a treadmill during the hottest parts of the Texas summer to get in my miles. If I went during the day, I could run for a couple of hours and no one would need the treadmill.

My standard workout apparel was a pair of gray gym shorts and a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off. I'd set up my water bottle, set the timer and take off running. After about a half an hour of running, I looked pretty bad, I imagine! Pouring sweat, hair flying out of my braid. LOL

The treadmill room overlooked the weight-lifting area. I'd watch the guys come in and work out. Most of the time, they'd come in, dressed to the nines in these skimpy florescent-colored shorts and muscle shirts. They'd prance around, hardly breaking a sweat. It was hysterical. They were beyond pretentious and I thought they were too funny!

Every now and then, one of those guys would glance over at my purple-faced self and see me laughing at them.

[HEY4QDEMS]

I was only making a joke too, I hope I didn't hurt your widdle feewings?

[Perdogg]

:)

[SlowBoat407]

unnngh!

[Perdogg]

;)

[Proud_USA_Republican]

especially Monica Seles. Now that woman knew how to grunt.

[SlowBoat407]

So none of THIS!

[InvisibleChurch]

you know, we live in a world anymore where if one person doesn't like something, they complain, and it becomes law for everyone else... stupid, i know, but what soccer mom wearing shiny tights and up to Level 6 on the walking machine really wants to hear someone making an effort?

[Lizavetta]

Plus they should key your car.

[Mr. Brightside]

I wonder if Ronnie Coleman grunts when he leg presses 2300 pounds.

[FroedrickVonFreepenstein]

The story doesn't say but I would assume so given that they have signs on the wall forbidding it and a "lunkhead" alarm system complete with flashing red light.