A Planet Fitness employee named Magnus posted a video on TikTok under the handle @twisted_teeaa, sharing his frustrations with how the company treats its staff. Shortly after the video gained attention online, he was fired. Magnus believes corporate made the call because of the video, but he also thinks a manager had already been looking for reasons to let him go.
Magnus said he really doesn’t like Planet Fitness “as a company.” He drew from his own time working at a Houston location, as well as stories from other employees. His main complaint was that the company expects a lot from its workers but gives very little support in return.
One major issue he brought up was the air conditioning at the Cypress gym. The A/C unit broke down during summer, making the gym extremely hot. According to Brobible, Magnus claims the unit had been struggling for years before it finally gave out, and staff had reported the problem repeatedly with no response. Action was only taken after someone from corporate visited and felt the heat themselves.
Planet Fitness employees face neglect, unfair treatment, and a culture that works against them
Even then, the fix wasn’t proper. The company brought in a few portable A/C units and a fan instead of repairing the main system. Magnus says the original unit was never truly fixed, and about six months later, that location shut down entirely. He described a similar pattern with gym equipment. He mentioned a treadmill that had been broken for roughly two weeks at the time of his TikTok video.
He also said other machines would sit broken for weeks or even months before a technician showed up. And when someone did come, the fix was often temporary. Magnus joked that it was more like they’d “kick it to turn it back on” and declare it “all good,” only for it to break again almost immediately. This kind of experience is becoming more common, as workers exposing their employers on social media has grown into a wider trend across many industries.
On promotions, Magnus claimed Planet Fitness tends to hire outside managers rather than promote existing staff. He said he watched outside hires come in without understanding how the gym works, only to quit or get fired later, while long-term workers got passed over. He experienced this himself, believing he was being prepared for an assistant manager role, only to be skipped over multiple times before his “bench candidacy” was ended entirely.
Magnus also warned workers not to expect help from HR. He believes HR exists to protect the company, not employees. If a worker complains about management, Magnus claims the company will either dismiss the complaint or turn it around on the employee.
He argued that if it comes down to firing a manager or an employee, the company will almost always let the employee go. He also said Planet Fitness does “everything in its power” to avoid giving most workers full-time status.
Only managers, assistant managers, and trainers typically get full-time roles. Magnus himself was hired full-time but says his hours were cut significantly within two months, and his pay was reduced at some point too.
Workers are also pushed to hit membership and training goals with no commission or reward, and the company’s customer survey system, the NPS score, could hurt manager bonuses even when low ratings were caused by things like the broken A/C, which were outside anyone’s control.
In a follow-up video, Magnus confirmed he was fired after posting his exposé. Stories like these reflect a broader pattern of customer-facing workers standing up against unfair treatment in their workplaces. On job review sites like Indeed and Glassdoor, Planet Fitness holds a 3.3 out of 5 rating, with some calling it an easy job but others pointing to low pay, poor management, and little room for growth.
Employees also sometimes face physical danger at work. In December 2025, a Planet Fitness worker in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood was attacked by a member named Kiara Bryant, 35, after asking her to lower her voice in the locker room. According to CBS News, surveillance footage showed Bryant leaping over the counter and repeatedly punching the employee, who did not fight back.
His attorney, Alecsander Kohn, stated that Bryant “took things too far, brutally battered our client, and ultimately, left him in the hospital with a broken nose and severe emotional distress.” Bryant was arrested and charged with battery and disorderly conduct.
Planet Fitness released a statement saying, “The safety of our employees and members is our top priority, and we have zero tolerance for violence of any kind in our clubs. We are committed to providing a safe environment. The franchise group worked closely with local police and have cancelled the member in question.”
Published: Apr 2, 2026 10:07 am