A screenshot from the Instagram story of Texas woman Allie (@the_rippedbarbie). In the video, Allie made fun of a fellow gym-goer's body, which subsequently led to her being banned from the gym. Photo / Instagram
A screenshot from the Instagram story of Texas woman Allie (@the_rippedbarbie). In the video, Allie made fun of a fellow gym-goer's body, which subsequently led to her being banned from the gym. Photo / Instagram
A Texas woman has been barred from a gym after a social media influencer caught her making fun of another gym-goer’s body and exposed her online.
Allie, known as @the_rippedbarbie on Instagram, recorded a video in the mirror at the gym Absolute Recomp in Texas. Sheis seen videoing a fellow shirtless gym member as he does crunches on a workout bench.
As she films the man, Allie can be heard murmuring: “If you’re going to work out topless, at least have some muscles.”
Joey Swoll - a high-profile Instagram influencer with over 3.5 million followers - stumbled across the clip and reposted it to his page. Swoll has amassed many of his followers by creating videos that denounce gym etiquette faux pas like making fun of other people or filming others without their consent.
“Listen, I get it. You want to train at a gym where everyone keeps their shirt on, that’s fine,” Swoll said in a video posted to his Instagram page.
Joey Swoll (@joeyswoll) made a video in response to Allie's that called out her bad gym etiquette. The influencer noted that Allie had since had her gym membership revoked. Photo / Instagram
”But this gym isn’t one of them.”
He explained he called the woman’s gym to see whether they had specific policies in place regarding gym attire. The gym said it had no problem with the man choosing to work out shirtless.
Swoll said Allie must have known the gym’s policies when she signed up to be a member, yet still made the decision to pay for a membership. Therefore, she was bound to following the policies in place.
“This includes the rule that says you don’t film people without their consent to post on social media,” he said.
“And people tried to tell you this.”
Allie shared private messages she received from others who expressed their dissatisfaction with her comments in the video on her Instagram story, and clarified that she was specifically calling out the man for being shirtless rather than for working out at the gym.
Joey Swoll (@joeyswoll) made a video in response to Allie's calling out her poor gym etiquette. The influencer noted Allie had since had her gym membership revoked. Photo / Instagram
“[No] male or female should walk around this b**** without clothes on, for a multitude of reasons,” she replied to one disturbed viewer.
She labelled those who confronted her for making the comments in the video “keyboard warriors” and stated that those who found her comments offensive should unfollow her.
Swoll said he chose to step in and give his thoughts after Allie made it clear she wasn’t backing down.
He noted that after discussing the matter with the gym’s owner on the phone, Allie had been banned from the gym for her inappropriate behaviour.
“You need to do better. Mind your own business,” he said.
