# Mike Katz Jr. Follows Bodybuilder Father into Gym Business



## Curt James (Mar 15, 2012)

*Mike Katz Jr. Follows Bodybuilder Father into Gym Business*

The Katz's five Planet Fitness health clubs ??? including East Haven location ??? make them one of the biggest fitness gym operators in Connecticut.
By Fred Musante 
February 14, 2012

Mike Katz Jr. grew up in the gym business and has been working in it for most of his life. 

The five Planet Fitness health club franchises he owns with his father and their business partner ??? with locations in North Haven, Branford, Guilford, Hamden and East Haven ??? make them the biggest gym operators in the New Haven region.

Katz said he enjoys working with his customers and trainers so much, it doesn???t even feel like a job.

"I don???t come to work," he said. "It???s not a job. It???s me. It???s who I am."






Mike Katz Jr. 

He and his father are both North Branford residents. Mike Katz Sr. is a former NFL player for the NY Jets and bodybuilding champion. He famously appeared with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno in the documentary film "Pumping Iron" in 1977.





*L-R:* Dave Draper, Mike Katz, Arnold

Katz said his father and training partner, Jerry Mastrangelo, opened their first gym, a World Gym franchise in Hamden, in 1979 because they were dissatisfied with the shape of the gym they used in New Haven.

"The original reason was just to have a good, clean place to work out in," Mike Katz Jr. said.

Many of their friends who worked out with them at the other gym followed them to the new facility, helping to make it a success.

They opened additional gyms in Guilford, North Haven, North Branford and Branford and switched to the Planet Fitness franchise in 2004.

"I grew up in it," said Katz, 41. "My father was Mr. America when I was six months old." He started working at the gyms when he was 16 and currently is the manager of the Branford Planet Fitness.

Many readers are probably familiar with Mike Katz Sr.???s story. He took up weight training as a boy after he was bullied for being Jewish and wearing glasses. He played for the Jets in 1967 and 1968, but missed Super Bowl III after a knee injury ended his professional football career.





Mike Katz Sr., 1970 IFBB Mr. America, 1972 IFBB Mr. World

Although his father was a famous bodybuilder, Mike Katz Jr. said their Planet Fitness gyms stress fitness training for ordinary people who want to get in shape.

"This is the anti-bodybuilding gym," he said.

That reflects the evolution of the fitness gym industry, he said. Their gyms are a place to get away from stress.

"Sometimes it???s social," he said. "This is an alternative to bars. You ask 10 people, they???ll probably give you 10 different reasons."

From *Mike Katz Jr. Follows Bodybuilder Father into Gym Business - East Haven, CT Patch*


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## Curt James (Mar 15, 2012)

*Mike Katz Sr.'s Contest Record*

1964

Teen Mr America - AAU, 4th
Teen Mr America - AAU, Most Muscular, 5th

1965

Mr New England - AAU, 4th

1969

Mr America - IFBB, Tall, 2nd

1970

Mr America - IFBB, Tall, 1st
Mr America - IFBB, Overall Winner 
Mr East Coast - AAU, Tall, 1st
Mr East Coast - AAU, Overall Winner 

1971

Universe - IFBB, Tall, 3rd

1972

Mr International - IFBB, Tall, 2nd
Universe - IFBB, Tall, 1st
Mr World - IFBB, Overall Winner 
Mr World - IFBB, Tall, 1st

1973

Universe - IFBB, Tall, 3rd

1974

Mr International - IFBB, Tall, 2nd

1975

Universe - IFBB, Tall, 4th

1976

Olympia - IFBB, HeavyWeight, 2nd

1980

Natural Mr America - NBA, Professional, 4th
Universe - Pro - IFBB, Did not place
World Pro Championships - IFBB, Did not place

1981

Olympia - IFBB, 15th


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## Curt James (Mar 15, 2012)

YouTube Video


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## Curt James (Mar 15, 2012)

*L-R:* Mike Katz Jr., Mike Katz Sr., Jerry Mastrangelo



> Katz said his father and training partner, Jerry Mastrangelo, opened their first gym, a World Gym franchise in Hamden, in 1979 because they were dissatisfied with the shape of the gym they used in New Haven.
> 
> "The original reason was just to have a good, clean place to work out in," Mike Katz Jr. said.
> 
> ...


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## Anabolic5150 (Mar 15, 2012)

Thanks for posting this Curt.


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## Curt James (Mar 15, 2012)

^^^^ Glad to post it.

I saw Katz guest pose back in the late 70's. There was a contest called the Mr. Lancaster in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Had the show poster (advertising Katz as the guest poser) hanging in my bedroom as a teenager. 

People hate on PF, but it meets the needs of its members so wtf.

Katz Sr. stated on one of the many bodybuilding radio shows out there now -- believe it was No Bull Radio when Dave Palumbo was there or more likely Heavy Muscle Radio over on Rx Muscle -- that he is making money hand over fist as a Planet Fitness owner versus nothing by comparison as a World Gym operator.

I have a Gold's membership near home and a PF membership near work. The Gold's is running me $20 per month and the gym -- under new ownership -- is charging a fellow teacher only _$10_ per month.

Planet Fitness runs me just $99 for the entire year.


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## Anabolic5150 (Mar 15, 2012)

Never been to a PF. My Golds just closed, have a membership at a family fitness place that has awesome daycare (how the important things change).

Pay $59 a month for the wife and I, daycare is $5 per hour but the girls are wonderful.

Need to find someplace with Hammer strength stuff close by.


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## Curt James (Mar 15, 2012)

Anabolic5150 said:


> Never been to a PF. *My Golds just closed*, have a membership at a family fitness place that has awesome daycare (how the important things change).
> 
> Pay $59 a month for the wife and I, daycare is $5 per hour but the girls are wonderful.
> 
> Need to find someplace with Hammer strength stuff close by.



Ours was just purchased by new owners. They are doing a lot to improve the gym. Glad it hasn't gone under yet, but there's another gym nearby that offers 24/7 key entry plus there's also a YMCA that has a great free weight set up and cardio area. Would hate to see Gold's go but there are options in Carlisle, PA!


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## Anabolic5150 (Mar 15, 2012)

Curt James said:


> Ours was just purchased by new owners. They are doing a lot to improve the gym. Glad it hasn't gone under yet, but there's another gym nearby that offers 24/7 key entry plus there's also a YMCA that has a great free weight set up and cardio area. Would hate to see Gold's go but there are options in Carlisle, PA!



Golds quit paying their lease, took a year but finally the owner locked the doors. No one knew, we were all blindsided. Closest Golds in 25 miles away, not doing that.

Have a 24 Hour Fitness about 5 miles away, has Hammer stuff which I only need once a week or so. But I have to deal with the 18-20 year old males in wife beaters that only train biceps in the power rack. Not sure if I have the patience.


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## returnofthdragon (Mar 15, 2012)

Anabolic5150 said:


> Golds quit paying their lease, took a year but finally the owner locked the doors. No one knew, we were all blindsided. Closest Golds in 25 miles away, not doing that.
> 
> Have a 24 Hour Fitness about 5 miles away, has Hammer stuff which I only need once a week or so. But I have to deal with the 18-20 year old males in wife beaters that only train biceps in the power rack. Not sure if I have the patience.



That's the crap I put up with at the YMCA except it's 14 -18 yr old kids that leave the place a mess.  But.... I get drop off nursery and a nice pool for the kids in the summer. I'm getting old.....


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## Anabolic5150 (Mar 15, 2012)

returnofthdragon said:


> That's the crap I put up with at the YMCA except it's 14 -18 yr old kids that leave the place a mess.  But.... I get drop off nursery and a nice pool for the kids in the summer. I'm getting old.....



I hate looking for plates and stuff. My family fitness gym is meticulous, they keep it neat and clean all the time. It has tanning, daycare, 3 pools including a kid only pool and a pool for infants and parents only. 

Guess I am spoiled, and old. LOL


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