You walk into the Judgment Free Zone, past the rows of purple treadmills, and there it is—the tower with the kneepad and the stack of weights. It’s the Planet Fitness assisted pull up machine. Most people look at it with a mix of gratitude and slight confusion. Pull-ups are hard. Honestly, they’re one of the most ego-bruising exercises in the gym. But this machine promises to make you feel like a superhero by offsetting your body weight.
Here’s the thing: most lifters treat it like a mindless elevator. They hop on, bounce around, and wonder why their "real" pull-up strength isn't improving. If you want to actually build a wider back and stronger arms, you need to understand the physics of the counterweight. It isn't just a shortcut. It’s a precision tool for progressive overload.
How the Planet Fitness Assisted Pull Up Machine Actually Works
Standard weight machines work by adding resistance. You pull a pin, select 50 pounds, and you’re moving 50 pounds. This machine is the exact opposite. It’s a counterbalance system.
When you select 100 pounds on the stack, you aren't lifting that weight. The machine is lifting it for you. If you weigh 180 pounds and set the machine to 100, your muscles are only responsible for moving the remaining 80 pounds. It’s basic math, but it trips people up because the heavier the weight you choose, the easier the exercise becomes.
The Kneeling vs. Standing Debate
Most Planet Fitness locations use Life Fitness or Matrix equipment. These usually feature a fold-away knee pad. You’ll see some "gym bros" standing on the bars to do dips, but for pull-ups, the knee pad is your best friend. Why? Because it stabilizes your core and prevents you from using your legs to kick for momentum.
Kneeling keeps your spine in a more neutral position. It forces the latissimus dorsi—those big muscles on the side of your back—to do the heavy lifting. If you try to stand on the footpegs while doing pull-ups, you're more likely to swing. Swinging is the enemy of gains.
Stop Making These Rookie Mistakes
I see it every single day. Someone sets the weight stack to nearly their entire body weight, flies up to the top, and then lets the machine slam back down. That’s not a workout; that’s just riding a noisy chair.
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The most common error is the "short rep." People stop halfway up because the chin-over-bar part is the hardest. If you don't get your chest close to the handles, you're missing out on the contraction of the lower traps and rhomboids. You're basically just doing a heavy bicep curl.
Then there's the "death grip."
If you squeeze the handles like you're trying to choke them, your forearms will burn out before your back even gets warm. Try a "thumbless" grip. Keep your thumbs on the same side as your fingers. This turns your hands into hooks and shifts the tension away from your grip and into your lats. It feels weird at first, but it's a game-changer.
Designing Your Progression Strategy
You don't want to be on the Planet Fitness assisted pull up machine forever. The goal is to eventually do "naked" pull-ups with just your body weight. To get there, you need a plan that isn't just "showing up."
- The Rule of 10: Find a weight where you can do 10 clean reps. If you can do 12, the weight is too heavy (meaning the assistance is too high). Decrease the assistance by one plate next time.
- Slow Down the Negative: The "eccentric" phase—that's the way down—is where the muscle fiber actually tears and grows. Take three full seconds to lower yourself. Don't let the machine pull you up; control the descent.
- Vary Your Grips: Most machines at Planet Fitness have three handle positions. Wide grip targets the outer lats for that "V-taper." Neutral grip (palms facing each other) is easiest on the shoulders. Close grip (palms facing you, like a chin-up) hammers the biceps.
Don't just stick to one. Rotate them every workout.
What About the Weight Stack Limits?
Most of these machines max out around 200 to 300 pounds. If you’re a heavier person just starting out, you might find that even the maximum assistance feels difficult. That’s okay. Focus on "isometrics." Pull yourself as high as you can and just hold it. Hold it until your muscles shake. Static holds build the neurological pathways between your brain and your back muscles.
Why This Machine Beats Resistance Bands
A lot of "hardcore" fitness influencers tell you to use long rubber resistance bands for pull-up help. Honestly? They’re wrong for beginners.
Resistance bands follow a linear growth curve—they are tightest at the bottom and slack at the top. This means they give you a massive boost at the start of the rep but almost zero help at the top where you need it most. The Planet Fitness assisted pull up machine provides constant tension. The 50 pounds of help you get at the bottom is the same 50 pounds you get at the top. This builds strength through the entire range of motion, not just the "easy" part.
Shoulder Health and Safety
If you feel a pinching sensation in the front of your shoulder, stop. This usually happens when you let your shoulders "shrug" up toward your ears at the bottom of the movement. Keep your shoulder blades tucked into your back pockets. Think about pulling your elbows down to your ribs, rather than pulling your body up to the bar.
Beyond the Pull-Up: Using the Machine for Dips
Don't forget that this is a dual-purpose beast. Flip the handles inward, and it becomes an assisted dip station. Dips are the "squat of the upper body," hitting the triceps and chest.
Most people avoid dips because they’re incredibly taxing on the shoulder joints. Using the assistance allows you to practice the form without blowing out your rotator cuff. Keep your chest slightly leaned forward to target the pecs, or stay upright to torch your triceps.
Your Actionable Path to One Real Pull-Up
If you want to transition from the machine to the pull-up bar, follow this specific 4-week protocol:
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- Week 1: Use enough assistance to perform 4 sets of 8 reps with a 2-second hold at the top.
- Week 2: Reduce assistance by 10-15 pounds. Aim for 4 sets of 5 reps, focusing on a 4-second slow descent.
- Week 3: Keep the same weight as Week 2, but try to "pulse" at the bottom of each rep. This builds explosive power.
- Week 4: Test yourself. Go to the regular pull-up bar. Try to do one negative (jump up, hold, and lower yourself slowly).
Once you can do 5 slow negatives on the regular bar, you’re usually strong enough to perform one full, unassisted pull-up.
The machine is a bridge. Use it to build the foundation, but don't get too comfortable on the padding. Treat every assisted rep with the same intensity you'd give a world-record attempt. The weight stack doesn't care about your ego, and neither should you. Just move the pin down one notch every two weeks. Consistency is the only secret that actually works in a gym full of purple machines.