Gyms crack down on people who film workouts over privacy concerns

• Fitness influencers often film their workouts at the gym and post the content for their followers.
• But fitness centers are responding, with some banning the use of filming equipment.
• The decision fuels the already contentious debate over gym etiquette.

Gyms are pushing back against fitness influencers filming themselves exercising, with some banning the use of recording equipment over concerns about privacy and overcrowding, The Observer reported.

The outlet spoke to representatives from several major gym chains in the UK, who said filming equipment could pose a danger and they were concerned about bullying and people being filmed without consent .

Erin Blakely, a fitness instructor who has worked with several major gym companies, told The Observer that “the distraction factor is high” when people are taping on the gym floor.

“There is a tendency to focus more on getting the ideal images than on training, which defeats the whole purpose of being in a fitness studio,” she said. declared.

Some UK gyms are now putting policies in place to address the issue, including a London-based gym banning the use of tripods on weekends, Virgin Active imposing a rule where people can request the removal of videos and images , and Fitness First saying anyone in the footage must first give consent, according to The Observer.

A spokesperson for PureGym, which has more than 500 gyms across Europe, also told the outlet that its “gym rules clearly state that people should not take photos or videos in gyms.” premises without authorization. We also ask people not to post comments or videos. images on the internet, including on social media platforms, that may identify another person.

The debate over gym etiquette is a global issue, with discussions about filming other people’s workouts being a particularly hot topic.

In the United States, a man was banned from a Crunch fitness room in 2021 after a TikToker said she observed him filming a woman doing lunges without his knowledge.

A fitness influencer also apologized earlier this year after posting a video of a man at her gym who she said looked at her “like a piece of meat.” the New York Post reported.

Incidents like these have been brought to public attention by the TikToker Joey Swollwhich has made it its mission to denounce bad behavior in the gym.

Swoll shares videos in which women feel threatened or unsafe because of the behavior of men around them – like being stared at or having their workouts interrupted for being asked out – but he also calls people out when he thinks that the condemnation of other athletes is unjustified.

Gym fans told The Observer they understand the need for new rules for people’s privacy and safety, but many influencers rely on filming their workouts for their content.

James Dixon, a personal trainer, told the outlet he thought people taking over the gym with filming equipment was “not cool”, but having specific areas for filming could be a fair solution.

“It allows people to avoid the cameras if they want to and balance things out,” he said.