Working out can be a very beneficial way to improve your health, both physical and mental. And going to a gym isn't an exception to that. It has both a fitness environment and equipment that you likely don't have at home. On the other hand, sometimes said environment isn't so good. In fact, in some cases, it can even be demotivating to work out at all. And usually, it's all due to some people that feel like they're better than others. And today's story is exactly about that -- a woman getting belittled by a guy at a gym due to her preferred workout method.
More info: TikTok
The woman came on TikTok to tell a story that shocked her about how a guy at the gym basically called her weak
Image credits: leese_w
"I just finished at the gym, and this morning, I had a guy be such a [jerk] to me"
"I haven't experienced that at the gym before. I was using one of the machines, and he kept asking me would I be long. And I said, 'Nope, I've got two more sets of 10 to do, and then I'm all done.'"
Image credits: leese_w
"And he just said he doesn't appreciate being inconvenienced by people who aren't even lifting serious weights"
"And I was like, 'Excuse me?' I wanted to say something back to him. But actually, another guy standing near us must have heard because he came up and said, 'Don't you ever speak to someone in the gym like that again.' And I was actually really shocked that people would say that, but yeah, anyway."
Image credits: leese_w
Watch the video here
Image credits: William Choquette (not the actual photo)
The video was posted by TikTok user @leese_w. In her bio, she writes: “Just me being me.” That totally represents her content. It is, in fact, just her being her, spreading her opinions, thoughts, and experiences.
And the video we’re talking about today is one of these experiences that she shared. In it, she describes a situation where she was working out at a gym and lifting weights when a guy came to her and asked how long she would be. And when her answer didn’t please him, he accused her of not “lifting serious weights.” Another man told this guy off, but the comment still shocked the woman, as she didn’t think that people actually said these kinds of things.
Well, they do. Men taunting women at the gym is quite a common occurrence. Usually, it comes in the form of judging. It can just be looking with a judging stare, or it can be imitating the workout process and laughing or expressing negative thoughts. Just like the woman from the video's case, with a man claiming that her workout isn’t serious enough.
These negative experiences can discourage people from going to the gym or working out. And, well, that can majorly affect not only their physical health but their mental health, too. A positive gym environment, where a gym-goer feels part of a community and not judged, can have a huge positive impact on their enjoyment of working out. For example, it can push people to improve themselves, letting them reach, and maybe even surpass, their goals.
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)
Still, sometimes, no matter how much you want to feel positive at the gym, you just feel intimidated, whether because of certain people or the overall environment. But, just as in many other cases in life, there are some tips that can help you deal with it, including:
- Remembering that you have a right to be at the gym just as much as anyone else;
- Communicating your want to use certain equipment or not wanting to hear uninvited fitness advice clearly and confidently;
- Asking for management's help with communicating that intimidation isn’t acceptable.
Of course, these tips might not solve every single problem you might encounter at the gym, but they can be a good starting point. Basically, try not to let your or anyone else’s experience at a gym get ruined by some entitled people -- after all, as long as each person is having some sort of workout routine that benefits their health, it’s a good workout routine.
People in the comments under @leese_w's video expressed similar sentiments. They assured the shocked woman that the guy saying all these things just proved how insecure he was. Confident people don’t belittle others for no reason.
At the same time, quite a few people shared that these insecure people are the reason why they have “gym anxiety,” which is the kind of thing we have just talked about -- other people ruining the workout experience for someone they don’t even know. At least we know that there are some people who are willing to stand up to these bullies, just like the second man from the story. Someone has to put them in their place, right?
People online assured the woman that the bully just showed how insecure he is and thanked the second man, who was willing to put the bully in his place
