Man gets on elliptical next to woman in gym. It backfires when he tries to race her: ‘The way he’s laying on the ground’
Most gym members’ main focus is on completing their workouts on the machine of their choice. So, it can be awkward or downright uncomfortable if a stranger hops onto the machine next to them. Almost no one expects them to turn it into a one-person competition.
Except for this one woman, who filmed the aftermath of a man trying to one-up her on the elliptical at her gym.
Ouch, What Happened At The Gym?
The five-second clip features popular gym influencer Jenna (@jenna.fitness) casually walking on the elliptical at Chuze Fitness. When she pans the camera above her, she unveils a man on the floor, massaging his calf and panting, his giant headphones obscuring his face.
Then, the content creator scrunches her eyebrows and frowns in confusion. A passerby would assume he got tuckered out and had to take a break in the most bizarre or somehow fell off the machine. But none of these is what transpired.
She details how the man wound up on the ground in the text overlay, “Random man asked to do cardio next to me. Tried racing me, then got a cramp 45 seconds in.”
What Causes Leg Cramps During A Workout?
Muscle cramps can occur at any time while exercising. The worst part? They’re excruciating spasms that occur unexpectedly. Just imagine sharpness shooting through the spot on your body and tightening underneath your skin. A combination of dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and starting a new workout is a recipe for a muscle cramp, according to Scripps Health.
Fortunately, there is a way to minimize this by drinking plenty of water and stretching before performing the exercise. And if a spasm hits you, stop the exercise, massage the area, stretch, and slowly resume the workout.
Viewers Laughed At The Gym Man’s Expense
Jenna’s video garnered over 557,000 views since Feb. 17, and her comments section was brutal. Many had zero sympathy for the man, ruthlessly joking and cackling at his humiliation.
“The way he’s laying on the ground is so funny lol,” the top comment with 11.4k stated.
“That’s actually hilarious, idk how you were able to keep a straight face lol,” another echoed.
“Normally I don’t approve of posting strangers at the gym but this is necessary,” a third commented.
“Thats what his hoe a– get,” a fourth agreed.
“[An] imaginary competition he made up and lost. How embarrassing,” a fifth remarked.
Why Do Some Men Turn Everything Into A Competition?
Competitiveness is a driving force in society, deeply rooted in human nature. Friendly rivalry positively encourages growth and self-improvement without putting others down. Although both men and women are capable of crossing the lines between healthy and unhealthy, men are more likely to cross the threshold into hyper-competitiveness thanks to an evolutionary drive and biology, per INSEAD Knowledge.
This is the desire to win at all costs in order to validate their self-worth. Essentially, it stems from insecurity.
Not only that, but especially in men, Psychology Today notes it’s a need to satisfy their dominance. These men are obsessed with winning the game and crave to be the best at everything they do. This constant cycle of trying to nurture their fragile ego is detrimental. So, what Jenna experienced at the gym was the man attempting to assert his dominance.
@jenna.fitness ok? wearing @Paragon Fitwear dc JENNAFIT #gymtok #gym ♬ original sound – RASHIN
The Mary Sue reached out to Jenna via email and TikTok comment.
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