Fit Check? Look Behind You

In gyms, someone is always filming. We are all in the frame without meaning to be. Is privacy at odds with fitness goals? Is consent even possible with all those mirrors?

- Karishma Kuenzang

Surely, you know that hashtag #ShowUpForYourself. The one gymmers love, the one they use in every selfie and fitness video. How about we change it to #ShowUpBy Yourself? Because, honestly, we've had enough of ending up in other people's frames when working out.

No one wants to be a photobomber. And no one wants to do it when they're ugly sweating, huffing, puffing and wincing through another set of reps. People just want to work out in peace. But somehow, a camera is always in the way, and it's often a live stream.

It's not the kind of etiquette tip that's typically on the posters. Gym bros (and that includes women) are instructed to wipe down sweaty surfaces after use. They know they're not supposed to leave the dumbbells lying around. They buy separate sneakers for working out.