Woman working out at the gym braced for the worst when older man who'd been watching her approached — his next words took her by surprise
A few kind words can be enough to spark confidence and action in someone. At a local gym, a young woman was focused on her sled pull exercises when an older man noticed her effort and complimented her. Her response to his praise and the encouragement she offered next gave him the confidence he needed to try something new for himself. This inspiring moment was captured in a video shared on Friday, February 20, 2026, under the handle @georgie.rose.1. The clip quickly gained attention for the way it highlighted the power of encouragement.
In the video, the young woman was seen performing sled pulls as part of a Hyrox workout. After she responded to the older man, she encouraged him to try the activity himself despite his doubts. The on-screen text shared the incident in detail: “You are always capable of more than you think.” As she continued, the camera zoomed in to show an older man watching her. The text added, “And I didn’t know this man was watching.” She finished her set, and the man walked over to compliment her, saying, “That’s strong.” She smiled and replied, “Aww, thank you.”
He explained he normally only did sled pushes and imitated rows, though not the activity she was doing. She invited him to have a turn. He immediately scoffed and laughed, saying, “No, I can’t.” Undeterred, she encouraged him, “Come on, what if I take down the weights?” The man hesitated but turned to consider it. She continued to motivate him, prompting him to try it out. He worried about getting in the way, but she made it clear that it was her pleasure to assist. After setting up the sled, he said, “This reminds me of when I was in school.”
She then stood next to him to demonstrate the proper position and grip. As he began pulling the sled, she praised him. The man continued, gradually pulling the sled all the way toward him. He immediately felt a sense of accomplishment, saying, “Ohh, thank you.” The young woman cheered him on, and the man expressed, “That is brilliant.” She added, “You smashed that.” He admitted with a smile, “Well, it was better than I actually thought.” The brief session gave him the confidence to believe in himself and his abilities, showing the impact of kind words and hands-on guidance.
A few minutes later, as the woman returned to her own exercises, she noticed the older man nearby performing the sled pulls on his own. The on-screen text read, “He had the confidence to carry on by himself,” showcasing how a little support can completely change one's self-confidence. Numerous internet users also took to the comments to praise the interaction. @nicoleeejoy wrote, "The confidence you just gave him, bless your heart!" @karathebabynurse exclaimed, "I love older people in the gym, they’re so inspiring." @themommyroves commented, "This touched my heart."
For more gym-related content and fitness tips, follow @georgie.rose.1 on Instagram.
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