Les Mills comes under fire for not allowing member to film workout

A Les Mills gym member has threatened to get rid of her membership after hitting out at the gym for not letting her film her workout.

Mikayla Lennon, of Auckland, took aim at the multi-national gym chain, venting her frustrations on Instagram over what she called double standards.

The incident follows a week after Auckland bodybuilder Ashleigh Pope had her membership revoked.

"It's frustrating ... because I go to all the Les Mills in Auckland and no one has ever told me off for filming," she said.

"Which kind of got me thinking, how is it okay that the staff members at Les Mills can post videos of themselves doing workouts and whatever, but the people that come in and pay the money can't?"

Lennon was filming a workout for her fitness and lifestyle themed Instagram page when a manager asked her to stop.

"For the second time in a week they've really annoyed me," she said on Instagram.

"A lot of people that do fitness use these videos as marketing tools and a way to bring in clients."

Guy Needham, Les Mills' Head of Marketing and Sales, told the Herald the club has a clear policy around filming.

"We're happy to talk directly to any members about issues they have raised, and that we have discussed with them. We respect the privacy of all our members, and that is why we have rules around photography or filming in our clubs," Needham said.

"There are a group of our members who want to video themselves exercising in our spaces, and there are a group of members who want their workouts to be a private experience. We understand both sides, and to be respectful we try to limit videos taken inside our gyms."

Last week Pope, who claimed the New Zealand open figure title in 2017, had her membership revoked at the Takapuna Les Mills for what the gym claimed was a 'health and safety' issue - however, the 25-year-old says she was only working out with friends.

Pope said she has been "bullied" and "harassed" by Les Mills employees, and was seeking legal advice after the "unjustified" cancellation of her membership.

But according to Needham, the evidence was carefully considered and the decision was a "last resort".

"While we can't comment on any individual cases due to privacy, what I can say in general is that, the cancellation of any membership is not taken lightly, all relevant evidence and rules are considered, any issues would have been previously raised and discussed with people concerned, and it is a last resort," Needham said.

"When it comes to Health and Safety especially, we take this extremely seriously. We do not cancel people's memberships without reason or justifiable grounds."