Yet another Planet Fitness member says she was prevented from using equipment over her five-finger shoes.
Boston-based nail technician Sadiddy (@nailsbysadiddy) posted about the incident to TikTok.
“I just had an interesting experience at Planet Fitness. And I really am constantly disappointed with Planet Fitness. But more so with the way that the person who works there was interacting with me,” she says to her viewers.
According to Sadiddy, the point of contention stemmed from her Vibram FiveFingers. “I have on my Vibram shoes. Because I knew I was just going in to walk on the treadmill, … [I] wanted to be comfortable. And I know that I just got my Vibrams. I absolutely love them. I’m going to continue to wear them because [they are] literally most comfortable shoes that I own. But I just wanted to walk real quick,” she says.
Sadiddy then details when the problems at the gym arose. “As soon as I walk in and get on the treadmill, the worker comes up to me and is like, ‘You can’t wear those. Do you have a shoe you can change into?’” she recounts.
5-Finger Shoes In Planet Fitness
At first, Sadiddy says she was confused by the worker’s commentary, which she intones by looking around her car. “Who are you talking to?” she asks rhetorically, before going on. “Why do you think you can come up to somebody without, ‘Hey, how are you doing? Sorry to interrupt. I did just want to tell you, you know, due to our policy, whatever, what have you,’” she remarks, demonstrating the type of approach she wishes the employee would have taken when interacting with her.
However, Sadiddy says that after looking up Planet Fitness’s policy regarding footwear, she didn’t see anything in it that explicitly inhibits guests from wearing Vibram shoes in the facility.
“But then, when I look up the policy, it’s not even in the policy. And so it’s just like he tried to do this back-and-forth with me, and I was, like, I have on a walking shoe, and it also has a strap around my ankle. So, what’s the issue?” she asks.
The gym-goer says that even after bringing this information up to the Planet Fitness employee, he persisted in claiming her shoes were unfit for exercise.
“‘No, it’s like a Croc; it’s like a slide,’” Sadiddy says he told her.
Who Is In The Wrong?
Sadiddy says the worker kept pressing the issue of her wearing her Vibram shoes to the gym, even while she was exiting the premises. “Like, that was not kind; that was not respectful. Then when I’m leaving, it’s ‘Make sure you don’t wear those again.’ … Why are we still on this? And I’m just really, I’m constantly disappointed by Planet Fitness,” she tells her followers before asking for recommendations for other gyms.
Viewers seemed split down the middle when it came to Sadiddy’s story. Some stated that there wasn’t anything wrong with wearing Vibrams at the gym.
“My sister wears the Vibrams in the gym almost every time…” one stated.
Another replied, “Vibrams are perfect for working out. They trippin’.”
But there were those who thought the worker was simply just doing his job. “Not to be this person but at my gym I work at it does have to be a physical tennis shoe for any equipment in the building. I do wish he was much nicer though,” they wrote.
“Literally just doing his job btw … not everything is a direct attack,” another commenter echoed.
What Shoes Can’t You Wear In Planet Fitness?
Other folks who responded to Sadiddy’s video said that Planet Fitness doesn’t allow folks to enter the gym whilst wearing Vibram shoes. “Mind you, you sign off agreeing to the policy and yes it is in there,” a viewer stated.
A viewer claiming to be a Planet Fitness worker chimed in, saying, “In our training it specifically tells us that Vibrams are not allowed. Now that info should be more accessible to members and the employee could have been nicer for sure, the point still stands though.”
Sadiddy is not the first Planet Fitness member to get booted for wearing this type of shoe. TikToker @nurseontwos said he was told by a Planet Fitness worker that his Vibram FiveFingers were “a safety risk, a safety hazard.”
According to Planet Fitness’ website, there is no direct mention of Vibrams or similar five-finger shoes. Its membership policies pertaining to attire strictly bans “jeans or pants with prominent grommets” along with “open-toed shoes or sandals.” The latter, the gym states, “pose a safety hazard for members working out.”
Also prohibited inside of Planet Fitness gyms are “clothing/tattoos with hateful, lewd, or offensive messaging.”
@nailsbysadiddy Gym recs in Boston PLEASE, I can’t do this anymore. #plussizegymgirl #planetfitness #bostongyms #bostonplanetfitness #vibramfivefingers
BroBible has reached out to Planet Fitness and Sadiddy via email for further comment.