The popularity of social media videos that feature people laughing at gym newbies is worrisome, but not everyone thinks it’s funny.
Enter Joey Swoll. He combats the cruelty of such videos by reposting the worst of them and explaining why such behavior is misguided, unnecessary, and wrong.
The 40-year-old bodybuilder is such a positive force in the gym world that he is often referred to as the “CEO of Gym Positivity.” Swoll has explained, throughout many different social media posts, that he wants to create an environment where anyone can come to the gym without worrying about being laughed at or bullied. One such person even apologized after Swoll’s video went viral (like all of his videos do).
His videos are literally viewed by millions of people. Most of his popularity is from TikTok where 6.5 million people follow him, but he also has 2.5 million followers on Instagram and over 600,000 on Twitter. He generally posts the same videos across all platforms.
Swoll is praised for his positive approach, motivated by him being bullied as a kid, which led him to the gym and ultimately changed his life. Think of him as the Karate Kid of bodybuilding, going against the bullish methods of Cobra Kai.
The worst things about social media are the many people who post videos of others without their permission just to make fun of them. Sadly, such negativity is popular, and this happens more at the gym than anywhere else. Swoll, who pushes for gyms to ban filming (and some have done just that), would rather see people being helpful to each other.
Here’s just a sampling of some of Swoll’s more recent videos.
Making fun of a gym newbie? Swoll asks why not just help instead of posting a video of them struggling?
Think being fit makes you better than someone, especially when you’re making fun of them? Swoll thinks not.
This guy thought it would be cool to make fun of those struggling with weight. Swoll thought otherwise.
It’s insane that people take pictures in the gym locker room of other people when they are naked and think it’s okay.
Some people enjoy putting others down like this guy who thinks someone struggling to lift 185 pounds is funny. Swoll, who is about a thousand times bigger than this guy, reminds him that being bigger or stronger than someone doesn’t make you better than them.
It’s no longer unusual for people to set up their phone for filming while in the gym and then get annoyed at someone who happens to walk by in front of the camera. Like Swoll says, “People are getting sick of this.”
Not everything Swoll posts is meant to show what not to do. In fact, he often posts people’s success stories.
Swoll continues to stay committed to uplifting and encouraging people while discouraging those who do the opposite. We all need a Joey Swoll in our life and, thanks to social media, we have one.