We go to the gym to get stronger and take care of ourselves, but let’s be real: in the middle of a workout, most of us are anything but camera-ready. Between the sweat, the heavy breathing, and that final desperate rep, it’s not exactly our most flattering moment. (Although if you’re somehow still looking flawless mid-burpee, congrats—just maybe keep that to yourself.)
So it’s no surprise that in such a vulnerable space, plenty of people would rather not be filmed at all. That’s why this Redditor spoke up after realizing he kept ending up in the background of another gym-goer’s videos. He politely asked her to keep him out of the shot, but she didn’t take it well—and before long, drama ensued.
Read the full story below.
The man noticed he kept appearing in the background of another gym-goer’s videos, so he asked her to keep him out of the shot
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
She didn’t take it well, and before long, drama ensued
Image credits: Kobe Kian Clata / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: pressfoto / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: CaffeinatedGoblin24
Image credits: standret / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The fear of being filmed is keeping many people out of gyms
Phones and cameras are everywhere now. At restaurants, concerts, walking down the street—and yes, at the gym. It’s become almost expected that we might end up in someone’s content sooner or later.
But does that mean we should just accept it? Especially in places like the gym, where people are mid-workout and completely off guard? Clearly, this Redditor didn’t think so. And as it turns out, he’s not alone.
A survey by Velotric found that 23% of people avoid exercising in public specifically for fear of being recorded or photographed and posted on social media. Nearly half of respondents think cameras and smartphones should be banned at gyms entirely.
In another survey by Levity, 37% said fitness content on TikTok or Instagram has made them feel too discouraged to even go to the gym. Perhaps most concerning: one in ten people admit to secretly recording fellow gym-goers.
So for a significant portion of people, worrying about being posted online is actively changing how they work out. And based on these numbers, those concerns aren’t unfounded.
What this creates is an environment where working out becomes unnecessarily stressful. Beginners who already feel self-conscious now have another layer of anxiety. People recovering from injuries don’t want their struggles broadcast. Even regular gym-goers just want to get through their routine without ending up on a stranger’s social media story.
Tom Bourlet, head of marketing at the events company Fizzbox, has experienced the frustrating side of this trend firsthand. He told The Independent that he’s been confronted in gyms by people who’ve told him he walked into their “filming set.”
“It’s bizarre for someone to expect an entire weights area to be private for their filming and to then snap at people who are completely unaware they’re filming on their phone in the corner. It's incredibly inconsiderate,” he said. At the same time, Bourlet doesn’t want phones banned completely—just wielded with more consideration.
It wasn’t always like this, though, even when smartphones were already commonplace. The shift really came with influencer culture.
“Filming really took off around 2015–’17, when fitness influencers started pushing themselves and their personal brands hard on platforms like Instagram and YouTube,” James McMillian, the director of innovation at Tone House, a luxury strength training facility in New York City, told Vox.
Then the pandemic hit in 2020, and strangely enough, it made filming even more common. While people were stuck at home, creators started filming more workouts—whether at home, outdoors, or in private gyms. When lockdown ended and gyms reopened, those social media habits didn’t disappear.
“Everyone became a content creator and the gym became their stage,” McMillian said.
Image credits: Ketut Subiyanto / Pexels (not the actual photo)
At minimum, those who want to film should follow some basic gym etiquette rules
Which brings us to today, where filming has become a regular occurrence at the gym. So what do we do about it? If filming isn’t going to be banned entirely, there are at least some etiquette rules worth keeping in mind that can help make things more pleasant for those around you.
As Vox explains, essentially, no one cares if you film at the gym as long as you aren’t annoying about it. The main rule is to film in a way that doesn’t make you a nuisance.
“Set up in a quiet area of the gym where there aren’t loads of people in shot. If someone close by is likely to be filmed, then it’s polite to ask them before pressing record,” Nick Finney, a personal trainer who has worked with Robbie Williams and Jennifer Lopez, told The Guardian.
And remember: it’s not other people’s responsibility to stay out of your shot. If someone needs to get to a piece of equipment and you’re in the way, that’s your problem, not theirs, adds Aimee Victoria Long, co-founder of OMNI Wellness and head trainer, also speaking to The Guardian.
All of this is to say: be respectful and mindful of the people sharing that space with you, who are working just as hard to become better versions of themselves. Really, what’s the point of making it an uncomfortable experience for others? Their annoyance is only going to make your workout just as uncomfortable. Let’s make the gym a welcoming place for everyone.
Many readers felt the author was well within his rights to not want to be in someone else’s videos
Some, however, thought he should’ve just brushed it off
Others said both of them handled the situation poorly and shared blame
