The Real Weight of the Planet Fitness Bar: Solved
You have just loaded up what you think is a specific weight, you lay down on the bench, and something feels off. It feels lighter than your gym buddy’s setup in their garage, or perhaps smoother but deceptively easy. If you have been scouring threads searching for how much is the bar at planet fitness reddit discussions, you are not alone. This is one of the most debated topics among lifters transitioning to or from the 'Judgement Free Zone.'
The confusion stems from a fundamental difference in equipment. Planet Fitness does not utilize standard Olympic barbells for safety and liability reasons. Instead, they rely almost exclusively on Smith machines. Understanding the mechanical difference is crucial for tracking your progressive overload accurately.
Key Takeaways: The Short Answer
- Standard Weight: The bar on a Planet Fitness Smith machine typically weighs 20 lbs (approx. 9 kg), not the standard 45 lbs found in free-weight gyms.
- The Mechanism: These bars are counterbalanced using a pulley system, which reduces the starting resistance.
- Visual Cues: Look for a sticker on the side of the machine frame labeled "Starting Resistance."
- Brand Variance: While most are 20 lbs, some older Life Fitness models may range between 15 lbs and 25 lbs.
The Smith Machine vs. The Olympic Bar
To understand the weight, you have to understand the machine. If you are asking "does planet fitness have bench press reddit threads are right," the answer is technically no. They do not have free-weight bench press stations with a standard 45-pound (20.4 kg) Olympic bar.
Planet Fitness floors are stocked with Smith machines. In a Smith machine, the bar travels on fixed vertical steel rails. This removes the need for you to stabilize the weight laterally. Because the bar is attached to a carriage system with counterweights (pulleys and cables hidden inside the frame), the actual weight you are lifting is significantly reduced compared to holding a loose piece of steel.
Analyzing the Numbers: What Reddit Says
If you dig through the planet fitness smith machine bar weight reddit archives, you will find a consensus that settles around the 20-pound mark. However, this isn't a guess; it is usually manufacturer speculation based on the equipment brand.
The Life Fitness Factor
Most Planet Fitness locations use equipment from manufacturers like Life Fitness or Hammer Strength. According to life fitness smith machine bar weight reddit investigations and manufacturer specs, the counterbalance system is designed to offer a low starting resistance to accommodate beginners.
For the vast majority of these machines, the "bar" weight is effectively 20 lbs. This means if you put a 45-pound plate on each side, you are lifting 110 lbs total (45 + 45 + 20), not 135 lbs as you would on a standard bench press.
Why Some People Claim It's Zero
You might see comments in a smith machine bar weight reddit thread claiming the bar weighs nothing. This is a misconception. While the counterbalance makes it feel incredibly light, it is rarely zero. If the bar weighed zero, it would float upward or stay suspended in mid-air when unlatched. Since it falls down due to gravity when you unhook it, it has mass—usually that 20lb standard.
How to Track Your Progress Correctly
The number one mistake lifters make at Planet Fitness is ego-lifting based on wrong math. If you tell your friends you bench 225 lbs, but you did it on a Smith machine calculating the bar at 45 lbs, your actual lift was likely closer to 200 lbs (and mechanically easier due to the fixed path).
Here is the healthy approach to tracking:
- Assume 20 lbs: Unless the machine has a sticker stating otherwise, log the bar as 20 lbs.
- Consistency is King: It matters less what the specific number is, and more that you use the same number every time. If you track the bar as 0 lbs, just always track it as 0 lbs. Your progress (adding plates) remains valid.
- Don't Compare: Do not compare your Smith machine bench press directly to a free-weight bench press. The stabilization requirements are completely different.
My Training Log: Real Talk
I’ve spent plenty of time training at Planet Fitness during travel when it was the only gym open at 10 PM. Here is the reality of the equipment that the spec sheets don't tell you.
The first time I unracked the Smith machine for a squat, I almost fell backward. I was expecting the 45-pound heft on my traps, but the bar felt hollow. But the specific detail that always gets me is the "friction point."
On a standard Life Fitness Smith machine, specifically the ones with the silver angled uprights, there is often a distinct drag if the rails haven't been lubricated recently. I remember doing an incline press and feeling the carriage vibrate and "catch" slightly on the way down—a gritty feeling that transfers right into your palms. It’s not smooth like a free weight. Also, that "Starting Resistance: 20 lbs" sticker? It’s almost always peeled half-off or scratched out by people racking weights against it, so you often just have to trust the 20-pound rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Planet Fitness bar 45 lbs?
No. The Smith machine bar at Planet Fitness typically has a starting resistance of 20 lbs due to the counterweight mechanism. Standard Olympic bars found in other gyms weigh 45 lbs.
Can you bench press at Planet Fitness?
You can perform a bench press movement, but only on a Smith machine. Planet Fitness does not provide free-weight bench press stations with standard barbells.
Does the Smith machine make lifting easier?
Generally, yes. The fixed path removes the need for stabilizing muscles, and the counterbalanced bar is lighter. Most people can lift slightly more weight on a Smith machine than with free weights.
