Man at her gym followed her from machine to machine until she finally left — one detail in his goodbye confirmed her worst fear
It is important to listen to your gut feeling while interacting with strangers. A TikTok user named Kailey recently shared a gym experience that started with an unwanted encounter and gradually became more unsettling. Throughout her workout, a man repeatedly appeared near her, moving around the area in a way that made her feel like she was being watched. Sharing under her handle @kaileyxp on April 11, 2026, the woman explained what unfolded and how she eventually decided to leave. It was a comment he made as she was heading out that convinced her that her intuition was right all along.
According to Kailey, the man first approached her in the middle of a set and started a conversation. She ignored him at first, but responded after she finished. He then began talking casually as though they already knew each other. When she told him she did not like being bothered while exercising and asked that she be left alone, he claimed he was trying to improve his conversation skills. She immediately suggested he practice with someone else. He then replied by saying he had seen a “beautiful” person and thought it was a good opportunity. Something about his behavior felt off, and so she avoided speaking with him as much as possible. Despite the deliberate attempt, he waited for her to leave the gym. As she headed out, he remarked, “Bye, Kailey, hope you have a good night." "I never told him my name," the horrified woman noted.
Even after being rejected several times, the man continued trying to engage with her. He asked personal questions about where she was from, where she worked, and what kind of car she drove, but she chose not to answer. Instead of moving on, he remained nearby and kept watching her. She noticed that whenever she switched equipment, he seemed to relocate as well. At one point, he even positioned himself at a broken elliptical just to be in proximity. As the session went on, she became convinced that the creep was intentionally lingering around her. When she questioned why he was using a machine that was out of order, he acted as though he did not know it was broken.
Sometimes, paying attention to uneasy feelings can help people recognize situations that deserve caution. The experience left her feeling shaken and threw light on the importance of staying aware in public spaces. Several internet users later also shared their thoughts. @robertstotts662 suggested, "Notify the staff. I've revoked memberships for less." @justpsychosis wrote, "Normalize screaming, 'Leave me alone.'" @thelmafellma commented, "Part of conversation skills is learning when to leave someone alone." @iliketotalkblog exclaimed, "I would tell the gym immediately. That was way too much!"
For more gym-related content, follow @kaileyxp on TikTok.