Woman goes to Planet Fitness. Then she calls out a man for getting on the treadmill next to her: ‘He knows what he’s doing’

Imagine: you're at the gym, minding your own business and working out on a machine. Beside you is a row of those same machines up for grabs. As you're absorbed in your workout, somebody interrupts it by deciding to use the one right next to you.

Almost every gym-goer has experienced this at some point. Not only does it break gym etiquette, but it can be awkward and sometimes annoying. That's why one woman didn't hesitate to put a fellow male Planet Fitness member on blast.

What happened at Planet Fitness?

TikToker Somi (@somi_duh) sets the scene by asking in the text overlay: “Why are men like this?” As she pedals on an upright stationary bike, she reveals an unoccupied upright bike next to her along with four recumbent bikes. When the camera pans to her machine's screen, it shows she's been on it for 19 minutes and 25 seconds. Then, the content creator sneaks a glimpse of the man in question beginning his workout on the same neighboring bike. The worst part? One was available on the other side of him.

“And then he got up less than 5 minutes after I left,” she shared in the caption.

How did viewers react?

Somi's video amassed over 603,000 views, which ignited a debate in the comments section about the man's intentions. Those who sided with her believed this was deliberate and felt secondhand discomfort.

“They don't do that at urinals. So they for sure know better,” one viewer noted.

“I would literally move & make it so obvious he is a weirdo for that,” a second commented.

“As a guy, I would be mad if someone did that. Like dude, there's 10 other open bikes,” a third remarked.

However, others who defended the man gave him the benefit of the doubt.

“Just let him workout, I don't see him doing anything wrong,” one commenter said.

“Prob in front of the tv he wants to watch,” another stated.

Is there a reason for this?

Online, many people have vented about people grabbing nearby machines, which seemingly breaks gym custom. One such r/ask subreddit posed the obvious question: “Why do people at the gym pick the treadmill right beside me when there are dozens of others open?”

Subsequently, many proposed that some gym-goers have a “favorite machine.” A few commenters said that some “machines worked better or were more comfortable,” or that a tv in front of a particular machine might have “something good.” On the other hand, commenters argued that some people want social interaction. They said that “people don't like to be alone” and “are naturally social creatures.”

Indeed, humans are naturally social animals who are wired to seek connections with others. Throughout history, humans have relied on each other for survival in groups to “hunt, gather food, build shelters, and protect each other from dangers,” according to Psychology Today. Even in the digital age, people rely on loved ones and peers for overall well-being because of this deep-seated need. However, studies have shown that humans need a certain degree of personal space between themselves and others; the outlet notes as much in a separate article. Because everyone is different, the distance varies.

@somi_duh And then he got up less than 5 minutes after I left #creep #gymtok #fyp ♬ Saxophones getting louder – Sped Up – AntonioVivald

Buzz News reached out to Somi via TikTok comment and direct message.