Planet Fitness is a great gym for anyone looking to improve their health and fitness without the insane monthly costs of many mainstream gyms.
Though not as advanced as most gyms, Planet Fitness does have more than enough equipment to get you started and stimulate some major muscle growth.
Let’s take a look at your next big workout at Planet Fitness.
Table of Contents
About The Creator – George Eiferman
George Eiferman was a former military serviceman turned bodybuilder in the 1940s. After returning from battle in World War II, Eiferman transitioned his time and attention to resistance training and sculpting his body.
He eventually went on to win Mr. Philadephia, Mr. California, Mr. America, and Mr. Universe.
Eiferman was a firm believer in the full-body workout and his gains can be attributed directly to that workout style. Though this type of routine is now considered outdated, it clearly is effective when it comes to boosting gains and strength.
What is the Full-body Planet Fitness Workout (Inspired by George Eiferman)?
Eiferman’s original workout consisted of 11 different exercises, most of which target the major muscle groups of the body. There seemed to be more of a focus on building up the arms, but all areas of the body were accounted for.
Well, we used Eiferman’s full-body workout ideology and a specific routine he performed as a basis for this workout. We adapted the routine slightly to make sure that you would have the equipment available to you at Planet Fitness and would be targeting all areas of the body more equally.
Related: Hot Take: Honestly, Planet Fitness Isn’t That Bad
Equipment
You’ll be making use of the pulley machine, benches, Smith machine, resistance machines, and dumbbell free weights at Planet Fitness. We made sure to offer alternatives for a lot of the exercises on machines that tend to get a little crowded.
Also, due to equipment restrictions, you’ll find some major compound lifts missing from this program. Since loaded barbells are not welcome in the “judgement-free” zone, you won’t be able to do any back squats or deadlifts at Planet Fitness.
However, it’s still easy to work some of those same muscle groups using other methods like the back extension.
Target Audience
This workout is perfect for anyone just starting out and looking for massive gains quickly. It’s also a great option for anyone that can’t currently dedicate five days a week at the gym.
With that said, you have to be dedicated to hitting the gym as soon as your muscles are fully recovered. Wasting days and skipping workouts will surely set you back with this routine.
Time
With this program, you should expect to spend well over an hour at the gym on any given training day. Depending on how quickly it takes your body to recover, you should be able to get back into the gym within 48 hours of your last workout.
Adjustments
A few of the exercises included in the original routine were considered “cheat” exercises. While these can be useful in building muscle, they can also lead to injury if done improperly or with an extremely heavy weight.
If you’re looking for a good vertical pull exercise to add to this routine, consider the lat pull-down or Planet Fitness’ assisted pull-up machine.
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Full-body Planet Fitness Workout Details
We’re going to make it easy for you! In this section, we’ve broken down the exercises you’ll be performing, the sets and reps for each, and how much rest you should take in between.
One-Day Full-Body Workout
- Hack Squat (or Leg Press) – 3 sets x 7-10 reps (120 seconds rest)
- Bench Press (Smith machine or dumbbell) – 3 sets x 7-10 reps (120 seconds rest)
- Dumbbell Fly – 3 sets x 7-10 reps (120 seconds rest)
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise – 3 sets x 7-10 reps (120 seconds rest)
- Alternate Dumbbell Press – 3 sets x 7-10 reps (120 seconds rest)
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row (or cable row) – 3 sets x 7-10 reps (120 seconds rest)
- Cable Curl (or dumbbell curl) – 3 sets x 7-10 reps (120 seconds rest)
- Cable Tricep Extension (or dumbbell extension) – 3 sets x 7-10 reps (120 seconds rest)
- Leg Curl – 3 sets x 7-10 reps (120 seconds rest)
- Dumbbell Side Bend (or cable side bend) – 3 sets x 7-10 reps (120 seconds rest)
- Sit-Up (or use any ab machine) – 3 sets x 8-12 reps (120 seconds rest)
Full-body Planet Fitness Workout Pros
For the most part, this workout routine is perfect for any beginner, especially if you’re looking for gains and strength. Here are the major benefits of participating in this workout routine.
- It targets the entire body in a single workout. The best part about this routine is that you don’t have to worry about “skipping” a workout. If you can’t make it to the gym one day, just push your training day a day forward and continue as if nothing happened.
- No single muscle group is overworked. The biggest problem with many legitimate full-body routines is that certain muscles like the chest and triceps are overworked. This routine limits all exercises to three sets a piece to get in some training, but not overdo it.
- You have alternatives. This is one of the benefits of going to Planet Fitness. If the equipment you’re looking to use is currently occupied, you can simply perform the exercise with a similar piece of equipment (i.e. Swapping out dumbbell bench press with a Smith bench press).
Full-body Planet Fitness Workout Cons
As much as we would love to say that this is the perfect workout, it has its downfalls like any other workout routine. Here are the negatives associated with this routine.
- It takes a while to complete. Given the fact that you’ll be doing 33 sets followed by two minutes of rest after each, you’ll be in the gym for well over an hour. If you’re a beginner, that can be a bit overwhelming.
- It might not target the muscles you’re going for. You want gains, but you might want to see more gains in the triceps, biceps, or other specific muscles. This routine equally works on all areas of the body, which might not lead to the exact gains that you’re looking for.
Full-body Planet Fitness Workout Conclusion
By sticking to this workout routine for at least 8 weeks, you’ll begin to notice gains all across your body. As you continue with the routine, feel free to make any changes, add or remove exercises, or adjust the rest times.
At the end of the day, it’s all about what works for you and your body. Give this workout a try and see how it impacts your gains.
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