A fitness influencer has spoken out after being publicly called out by bodybuilder and “CEO of Gym Positivity” Joey Swoll over what he labelled an “inappropriate” workout video filmed in a gym.
Swoll, who has built a following of more than 8.1 million on TikTok by calling out bad behaviour and promoting gym etiquette, reposted a clip of content creator Strong by Felicity that quickly divided opinion online.
The viral video, originally shared by Felicity, showed her lying flat on a gym bench with her legs curving up and over her head toward a barbell, in a position that some viewers described as sexualised.
The witty caption on her post read: “Gym crush finishes his sets and turns around — me working out behind him.” Alongside it, she joked: “Am I being subtle?”
However, Swoll wasn’t amused. In his response, which has since been viewed over 4.4 million times on TikTok, the 42-year-old fitness figure said while he appreciates gym humour and self-expression, there’s “absolutely a line” that shouldn’t be crossed — especially when filming in public spaces.
He urged the influencer to “please stop filming this content at the gym,” adding that such videos could make others uncomfortable and that “young people and minors should not be exposed to this, be around it or, even worse, appear in the background.”
Swoll went as far as saying that if it were his gym, he would ask her to “leave and not come back.”
The backlash quickly spread online, with many users split between defending Swoll’s stance on gym appropriateness and supporting Felicity’s right to post her workouts without being shamed.
“There are teenagers and children that come to gyms with their family and this is totally uncalled for and unnecessary,” one Instagram user commented. But another person wrote: “I disagree. Lots of mobility poses could be seen as sexual when they aren’t. I think it’s fine for minors to see flexible people stretching. We, as the audience, know the context of the video, but if I was there I’d give her the benefit of the doubt and mind my own business.”
And Felicity hit back at the criticism in a series of emotional Instagram videos, saying she refuses to be bullied off social media.
In one of her latest clips, she told followers she’s been the target of trolling and hate comments since the video went viral, but insisted she’s not going private or removing her content.
“It doesn’t really show who I am,” she said. “It kind of shows who everybody else is — all the trolls, the no-faces, the keyboard warriors. I’m proud of who I am. I know myself. Like, all these people don’t know me. You can think whatever you want — that I’m a slut, I’m a he, I’m a c***. I really don’t care. You guys are putting so much effort into bringing a woman down.”
Felicity, who describes herself as a micro-influencer trying to grow her platform, also appeared to reference Swoll directly in her comments. “Even big influencers don’t understand the hate we go through,” she said. “They don’t understand the need to bring down micro-influencers that are just trying to go on their come up and find their own footing and their unique print on the world.”
She added that no amount of negativity would make her stop posting: “Nothing you guys can say can change who I am or make me feel differently about myself. Keep going, keep saying s**t, talking your s**t.”
In another post, Felicity explained the workout that sparked all the outrage. She said the move was actually part of her flexibility training — not an attempt to go viral for the wrong reasons.
“I’m conditioning my leg and glute muscles for mobility and to put my legs behind my head,” she wrote. “It is an advanced yoga pose that I’ve been working on for a long time. I like to get creative with different machines because I didn’t get this flexible by trying to be ‘normal’ in the gym.”
She added that the weights she uses help her stretch deeper, and that she’s faced similar criticism for the same exercise before.
Despite the heavy criticism, many of Felicity’s followers have rallied behind her. One fan wrote, “Don’t worry, the ‘Joey Swoll’ hatred will soon blow over,” while another said, “There you go! Stay strong and true to yourself.”
While the debate over what counts as “appropriate” gym content continues to split the internet, Felicity’s message is clear: she’s not going anywhere – and she has since amassed over 14,000 followers on her own Instagram page.
Featured image credit: Instagram/JoeySwoll (screenshot)
