As smartphones have hit critical mass, video-based social media apps have soared in popularity, and everyone seems to have become a side-hustling blogger, gyms have become filming locations for many users. Is it all narcissism and no true purpose? Let’s discuss why people film at the gym, and what you can do if it makes you uncomfortable…
They like looking at themselves
We’ll get the obvious assumption out of the way. Yes, some people enjoy appreciating themselves. And actually, why not?! They’re not harming anyone by doing so. They’re allowed to enjoy the fruits of their labours. Progress in the gym doesn’t come easily, it involves consistency and discipline. And I think that people are within their rights to take a moment to pat themselves on the back for their achievements.
Checking their form
This is one that I hope that people will find more “acceptable” once fully explained. We are in a digital age, meaning that access to technology is no longer the preserve of only elite athletes, and I’m so happy about that. Many of us now have a camera in our pockets, and can therefore use it to our full advantage. Phones are such high quality that we can take a burst of photos, or high definition video and benefit from it, scrolling through frame by frame to analyse issues.
Lots of people now also don’t train face to face with their coach, and instead check in remotely. As a personal trainer, a key part of our job is to check a client’s form, so if we can’t be in the room with them, video is a brilliant alternative. And even if we do train face to face with a client, there are things that we can spot via a video replay that we don’t catch as it’s happening live.
In addition to the above, some people train solo, but know what they’re looking for… providing they can look at it. The majority of lifts don’t enable us to safely check our form as we go. So, again, recording it and watching it back is a fantastic option.
Filming educational content
Another common reason to film in a gym is if you are a coach looking to share content either directly with your clients, or the wider world. Most of us don’t have the kind of setup at home that facilitates this, so we use our office instead! I know lots of coaches aim to be respectful – choosing to film at quiet times, or without other people in the background… but we’re also only human, and there are a finite number of hours in the day and reps in our bodies (in order to demo properly), so sometimes we have to sacrifice a clear background for getting the job done.
There is, after all, a big difference between someone benignly walking through the background of your shot, and the camera being actively trained upon them without their consent…
They’re a creep
I can’t shy away from this one, it unfortunately does happen. Just as in any public place, there are people who film at the gym because they are weird. It’s absolutely unacceptable. If you see anyone filming in a way that’s inappropriate or uncomfortable, you must report it to a member of gym staff. As intimidating as this feels, it’s how our community looks after each other. We have to stand up to this behaviour, politely and firmly, it’s the only way to get it to stop.
I would always encourage you to report this via gym staff – let them know who has been filming, what they’re wearing, and where they were when you noticed; this helps gym staff identify the behaviour via CCTV and make a robust case when challenging the person themselves.
How to solve a problem you have with someone filming
It might not just be that you find behaviour creepy. It could be that someone filming is getting in the way of other gym users, or hogging equipment. Which is also unacceptable behaviour – we all have to share the space, and everyone who is present is entitled to use it.
Again, you could approach gym staff with this one, but it’s a safer issue to raise directly with the person yourself. In the same way that you might politely ask – at a good moment – how many more sets someone is planning to use a piece of kit for, ask them whether they’ve considered other people when doing their filming. If the behaviour persists or the person escalates, involve gym staff, but hopefully this can be resolved via a friendly interaction.
Filming at the gym has plenty of positives, and I don’t think I’ll ever advocate for banning it as some people do. But it does have to abide by the number one rule of life: don’t be a dick.