“I Can’t Hear My Music!” — Woman Yells at Workout Influencer for Running Too Loud on Treadmill

A woman recording her treadmill sprinting workout inadvertently captured an exchange between herself and a fellow gymgoer who wasn't happy with the amount of noise she was making while running.

Zahra (@zahrafit.cpt) uploaded the footage on TikTok, where it went viral and accumulated over 9.1 million views on the popular social media application. She asked others how they would've handled the situation. Judging by the replies, there were a lot of folks who wouldn't have acted in as subdued a manner as Zahra did in her video.

"How would you have reacted?" Zahra writes in a text overlay of her video, which begins with her jumping on a treadmill and booking it like she stole a pack of Pokémon cards when the cashier's back was turned.

In the mirror, someone with a ornery disposition can be seen approaching her area. They're loudly grumbling about something. She tells Zahra that she's being "too loud" with her running. So loud, in fact, that she "can't even hear [her] music."

After letting her grievances be known, the woman then begins to walk away from Zahra's workout area. Zahra then holds herself up above the treadmill, allowing her feet to dangle over the conveyor belt. She then disembarks from the workout apparatus and begins to walk toward the camera before the clip ultimately ends.

The TikToker, who appears to run a fitness influencer-themed account, commented more on the situation in the caption for her video. First, she writes: "When you’re just trying to get a solid sprint in but someone’s not thrilled with your playlist choice…"

Zahra went on to state that this interaction was a reminder of how folks can be walled off from other human beings, even those that we share spaces with at the same time, even if we're engaging in similar activities to them, too.

"It’s funny, but it also reminds me how often we’re all in our own worlds, with limited awareness of what’s going on around us. And I get it — the media, the fast-paced life — it’s easy to feel disconnected."

Furthermore, she didn't use her video or its caption as an opportunity to malign or criticize the woman who wasn't a fan of how loud her running workout was. Instead, she expressed that she was somewhat regretful that a person felt their "vibe" was threatened due to her actions.

"I definitely didn’t mean to mess up anyone’s vibe! We’re all there to improve ourselves, and who knows what someone else is going through," she penned, opting to try and be more understanding of the irate gymgoer's gripes.

According to Zahra, she is happier embracing an approach of being non-reactionary in situations such as these. "So, my approach? Don’t react. Let it roll off. The best we can do is laugh it off and keep going (even if I laugh nervously sometimes 😅)."

At the end of her caption, she asked other users on the application what they thought of the woman's decision to approach Zahra in the middle of her workout. She went on to state she was interested in hearing the ways other folks would've handled the situation if they were approached by another gym goer while they were in the middle of their workout.

One commenter acknowledged just how loud these particular treadmills can get, but that they're ultimately happy to hear them sounding off as it means someone is exercising rather vigorously. "Those treadmills are loud as hell when going fast but it’s always so nice to hear them tbh it’s nice knowing someone is putting in work."

Another seemingly joked that they wish they would be accosted by a stranger in this manner, Presumably so they could react accordingly and let the other person have it. "Man, why doesn't this happen to me?"

Others didn't seem to be as gracious as Zahra was, and that they couldn't believe the nerve of the women to be upset that there was a person working out and making noise while doing so. "How DARE you make noise in a SHARED space?!" they penned.

Another person's reply indicated that they wouldn't have been as kind as Zahra was in the situation. "Sometimes I think I’m a nice person and then I see an actual nice person and how they react … and then I realize I’m def not a nice person."