When a woman decided to post a nasty video after making an observation at the gym, ‘Gymfluencer’ Joey Swoll quickly made her regret it. Not only was she called out, but her membership was terminated. Was it deserved? You decide.
Joey Swoll, a prominent fitness influencer, couldn’t keep quiet when he saw what Allie Singer, another workout influencer known on social media as @the_rippedbarbie, had decided to share online. It was a video that she had recorded at the gym after she observed another gymgoer, and it set Joey Swoll off. That’s when he decided to do something about it, and before Singer knew what hit her, her gym membership was being canceled.
So, what did Allie Singer post that Joey Swoll thought was so bad? While at the gym, Singer decided to record another patron as he worked out. In the video, Singer made negative comments about the man’s choice to work out shirtless, making it clear she didn’t approve. She then posted the clip online, likely never thinking she would be the one to encounter some major criticism as she garnered the disapproval of viewers, including Joey Swoll, who decided to let her have it in a video of his own.
Joey Swoll’s clip begins by showing brief footage from the video Allie Singer posted of a shirtless man who is working out. In the footage, she is heard saying, “If you’re not going to wear a shirt, can you at least have some muscles?” Unsurprisingly, that was enough for Singer’s video to spark controversy once it hit Instagram, with many slamming her for not only recording someone without their consent but also for her critical comments.
Sadly, the initial backlash seemingly left Singer unfazed, as she brushed off her critics as just some “keyboard warriors,” according to Thought Nova. However, things quickly changed when Joey Swoll stepped in with a video of his own, where he pointed out that, although he understood that Allie Singer might prefer to work out where shirts are required, she signed up at a gym that doesn’t require it. Instead, she had joined a gym with a policy that allowed for shirtless training.
“Listen, I get it, you want to train at a gym where everyone keeps their shirt on – fine, but this gym isn’t one of them,” Joey Swoll explained, adding that he contacted the Texas gym where the incident occurred. “I called Absolute Recomp in Texas and their rules say you can train with your shirt off, and you signed up there,” the prominent fitness influencer continued.
That wasn’t the only problem Joey Swoll had with Allie Singer. In addition to rebuking Singer for criticizing a man who wasn’t violating any rules, Swoll condemned Singer for violating the man’s privacy by recording him without his permission and posting the clip to social media. Ironically, Singer’s actions went against the gym’s guidelines, which Swoll was quick to point out as he stressed just how wrong it is for someone to do what Singer had done to a fellow gymgoer.
“[Y]ou need to follow the rules, including the rule that says you don’t film people without their consent to post on social media – and people tried to tell you this!” Swoll declares as he lambasted Singer in his clip. “Yet you arrogantly posted your response when they defended this man, and you didn’t listen,” he continued before dropping a bomb on Singer. “Your membership has been canceled, you need to do better. Mind your own business.”
In addition to informing Allie Singer that her gym access had been revoked due to her conduct, Joey Swoll told her to “do better” before giving her a directive that everyone should follow when at the gym, and that’s to “mind your own business.” Of course, Swoll’s response ignited even more discussion about gym culture among social media users, as many applauded his approach.
“Love this. I hugely prefer gyms that don’t allow shirts off, but I would never shame anyone for doing it at gyms where it’s allowed!” one person noted.
“I signed up for Planet Fitness today and when I tell you THIS IS MY WORST FEAR. I’m hoping Planet Fitness is safer,” another remarked, sharing their apprehensions about going to the gym.
“The gym should be nothing but motivation and helping people grow,” another pointed out.
A gym is a place people go to improve their health and appearance, so it should come as no surprise that not everyone there will look “perfect.” That’s not an invitation to body shame someone. Instead, they should be applauded for taking action to improve any perceived “flaws.” Criticizing someone for not having “enough” muscle while they are literally in the middle of creating more muscle doesn’t make that person look bad. It makes the critic look shallow, rude, and idiotic. However, that’s not the biggest issue.
Allie Singer’s behavior raises a valid concern, and it’s not unique to just the gym. The majority of people today are armed with a camera every time they go out in public, thanks to smartphones. What’s more, a lot of people are chomping at the bit, waiting for their opportunity to catch a photo or video that will go viral on social media. Sadly, that’s often achieved by capturing someone at a low and blasting them online with no respect for their privacy. Most find no issue with this either, as they get their laughs at someone else’s expense. However, how will you feel if it’s you who’s going viral after being caught on camera in an unflattering way?
