Real (Grunting) Men vs. Planet Fitness Gyms

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Just when you think the health club business has become perfunctory, a seemingly nebulous incident explodes on the national scene.

Earlier this month 40-year-old Albert Argibay, a bodybuilder and a state correction officer, was at a Planet Fitness gym in Wappingers Falls, N.Y., when he let out, to him at least, a seemingly innocuous grunt.

Argibay was doing squats at the time with 500 pounds of weight on his shoulders and set off the Lunk Alarm (Planet Fitness has an alarm that goes off when people violate the grunting, screaming, and weight slamming etiquette).

"They didn't tell him it was Free Tampon Tuesday and Curves would not accept your membership even with proof of zero testosterone levels."

Albert Argibay (above) allegedly caused quite a stir at a Planet Fitness. He claims he only grunted once, but it set off the Lunk Alarm, and got him terminated from the club.

The Planet Fitness club manager walked over and told him it was time to leave. Mr. Argibay, the manager explained, had violated one of the club's most sacred and strictly enforced rules: He was grunting.

Soon Argibay was surrounded by town police officers, who told him to drop the weight slowly and pack his bag, then escorted him from the gym.

Now Mr. Argibay is considering suing the club, (he has retained an attorney) claiming the notoriety the incident in this 5,000-person town 75 miles north of Manhattan is tantamount to defamation.

This isolated incident soon hit the New York Times and the Bob Rivers Radio Show, syndicated out of Seattle, Washington.

Suddenly Argibay and Planet Fitness were in the national limelight. The icing was perhaps when attorney Jason L. Stearn made a flip comment about "Tampon Tuesday" an apparent reference that real men should be able to grunt.

Well apparently Planet Fitness was infuriated enough by the Bob Rivers radio show to issue the below press release. We are presenting it here in its full unabridged form:

Press Release:

Planet Fitness Issues Official Response to Inaccuracies in New York Gym Grunters Claims that his Membership was Terminated For Grunting in the Gym

Planet Fitness Spokesperson says profanity, threatening, intimidating behavior are the reasons for expulsion, not grunting - "Free Tampon Tuesday" and other misogynistic comments on the Bob Rivers Radio Show by Al Argibay and his attorney are the stimulus for an official statement.

Planet Fitness today issued an official statement in response to "The Gym Grunter" Albert Argibay. "Mr. Argibay's description of what occurred is inaccurate. Continued allegations about the actions of the Planet Fitness manager are fabrications of the event as it occurred and as it was witnessed by other gym patrons," said Dave Lakhani, spokesman for Planet Fitness.

Further, "Mr. Argibay and his attorney's sophomoric and insulting treatment of people who are trying to get in shape in an environment that is supportive and judgment free is unacceptable in this day and age."

Lakhani continued: "Mr. Agribay was asked to stop his excessively loud 'grunting and screaming' as he squatted weight, by the fitness center manager Carol Palazzolo who was giving a family a tour of the fitness center.

CBS video interview of Albert Argibay and Planet Fitness

Expletives Deleted

Mr. Argibay's response was 'I'm a bodybuilder and I'll grunt if I want to', when asked again to stop the loud noise, Mr. Argibay responded 'You are a f******g B*tch, I'm not going to stop" (shouting in a loud aggressive manner, causing other gym members to approach, telling the manager that they were worried about her safety).

According to the Planet Fitness Manager involved, Carol Palazzolo, Mr. Argibay was asked to move to the front counter. Mr. Argibay continued to shout and use profanity and identified himself as a corrections officer. When told by Palazzolo that if his intimidating behavior continued that the police would be called, he said 'My f*****g boss is the Captain of the police force.' At that time the fitness center manager contacted local authorities.

When police arrived, Mr. Argibay had retired to the men's locker room at which point and after walking through the fitness facility, the police encountered him near the front desk, where he was asked to give his full name by the manager, so that his membership could be terminated and all billing stopped. Mr. Argibay refused to give his name saying to the manager, "I'm not going to make it easy for you." The police gave him direction to give his name at which time he complied. At that point his membership was cancelled.

Mr. Argibay was not arrested, no charges were filed or persued by the fitness center manager. Mr. Argibay has continually suggested that the noise he made was no louder than heavy breathing which is inaccurate according to Planet Fitness Manager Carol Palazzolo. In public statements to the media Mr. Argibay acknowledges knowing that grunting is not allowed as it is posted clearly throughout the fitness facility.

Additionally, the agreement he signed when joining the facility clearly indicates the rule. Mr. Argibay's self-identification as a law enforcement official only made the event more threatening and intimidating to the facility staff involved according to Palazzolo. Said Lakhani, "We find it somewhat concerning that a member of law enforcement would conduct themselves in this way.

We certainly realize that Mr. Argibay's actions are the exception to the rule and training of professional law enforcement everywhere but his attempt to link his position with law enforcement was intimidating to staff none the less." Mr. Argibay was previously a member of the facility and terminated his membership saying 'This isn't the right kind of place for me,' according to Palazzolo. He later reinstated his membership.

A Policy Against Attention Seeking Behavior

Planet Fitness maintains a strict policy about loud grunting, dropping weights, chest slamming and other attention seeking behavior. Over 80% of the Planet Fitness membership is derived from people who are coming back to the gym for the first time in their adult lives to get in shape.

Planet Fitness strives to make the environment, pleasant, non-threatening and supportive of those people who often feel out of place in more aggressive workout facilities. And in all cases of violations of the rule, people are light heartedly notified of the rule and asked to stop. The "Lunk Alarm" is sounded as a way of reinforcing the no grunt and judgment free zone. "

"Mr. Argibay and his attorney continue to make inflammatory and misogynistic statements to the media such as "They didn't tell him it was Free Tampon Tuesday and Curves (a well known women only gym) would not accept your membership even with proof of zero testosterone levels."

Throughout the show Mr. Argibay and his attorney insult men and women alike, demonstrating the kind of behavior that was experienced with Mr. Argibay at Planet Fitness. "We feel that these kind of sophomoric comments and insults are inappropriate and indicative of the unacceptable behavior which lead to the termination of his membership."

Planet Fitness has received a tremendous outpouring of support from members and non-members alike who applaud the no judgment, no grunting atmosphere.

Lakhani said: "In our continued commitment to fitness and healthy living, stand by our policy of creating a judgment free zone for all in all of our Planet Fitness facilities."

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Posted: 11/22/2006

Source: Dave Lakhani Planet Fitness

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