Planet Fitness, which operates 45 gyms across the five boroughs, is now offering teenagers free summer passes to any of its fitness centers until Thursday, Aug. 31.
The company launched its High School Summer Pass program on May 15 as part of Mental Health Awareness Month to prioritize the importance of mental and physical health for young people. The program is for 14-to-19-year olds and is in its third year.
Participants will have access to free fitness training from in-club certified trainers, free workouts designed specifically for high schoolers in the free Planet Fitness app, and workout plans. Participants will only have access to the one gym they select.
Alarming findings about teen mental health was found in a national study Planet Fitness conducted this year. The data revealed that 61% of teens face mental health struggles and 73% of parents are worried about their teen’s mental health. The study also found a huge percentage of “screen stare” among teens, with 84% spending up to four hours a day playing video games or watching television.
Planet Fitness CEO Chris Rondeau said in a statement that the summer pass program helps teenagers discover the benefit of exercise on their mental well-being.
“Research shows that teens are struggling with overall wellness, and this is one of the many reasons why the High School Summer Pass program is so important,” Rondeau said. “Having joined the gym for the first time when I was 16, I know firsthand the benefits exercise has had on my life, so we look forward to helping teens create lifelong habits in the Judgement Free Zone this summer.”
To enter, U.S. teens are asked to post a TikTok video tagging @planetfitness using the hashtags #contest and #HSSP23US that describes their High School Summer Pass experience. The contest submission period runs through Aug. 31.
Planet Fitness also announced a new initiative this year: a leaderboard keeping track of the number of signups from each school. At the end of summer, the top five schools across the U.S. in each tier on the leaderboard will each receive a $10,000 grant. Schools can use this money to fund new athletic equipment, field renovations, physical fitness classes, and health and wellness initiatives.
Around 3.5 million high school-aged students signed up for the program last year and completed 17 million workouts at Planet Fitness over the summer months, according to the company.
Planet Fitness teen memberships typically start at $10 a month, or $24.99 for the PF Black Card membership, which includes daily guest passes and access to all Planet Fitness locations.
To find a Planet Fitness gym near you, visit https://www.planetfitness.com/gyms/. For more information on Planet Fitness High School Summer Pass, including how to sign up for the free membership, visit PlanetFitness.com/SummerPass. Teens under 18 in the U.S. must register with a parent or guardian online or in-club.
