This may not be the most innovative thought, but sometimes it's true that if it's not broken, you don't need to fix it.
That wasn't how the 24-hour gym company PureGym, which bought Blink Fitness in 2024, looked at it, however. They already had a security system in place for their customers to enter and exit the facilities during the off-hours when their staff members were not in the building, through which the customers would use a fob key system to scan in and out of the building.
Deciding to upgrade their system, PureGym implemented an app, in which a customer had to log in when they approached the building. They had to scan a barcode that appeared on their app, which would open a revolving-door-like pod. Once they stepped inside, that pod door would close, and they'd have to scan again to open the door on the other side of the pod, letting them into the facility. When it was time to leave, they had to do the same procedure.
The company justified this process as a way to maximize security and safety for their customers and prevent any non-gym members from entering when the staff were not available.
But for TikToker Gabby Kalomiris, the negatives far outweighed the positives.
At 10pm one evening after her workout, Kalomiris attempted to exit the gym when she got stuck in the pod. She managed to scan the code to enter the pod, but when she attempted to scan again to exit, the system did not respond.
She was trapped in the pod for approximately three minutes before a male gym member just happened to walk by. She was able to get his attention, and he was kind enough to scan the code in his membership app to open the pod so that she could exit.
She warned:
"Count your days, PureGym!"
You can watch the video here:
Fellow TikTokers agreed that this was pure nightmare fuel, the idea of getting stuck in a pod putting shivers down their spines.
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@gabbykalomiris/TikTok
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@gabbykalomiris/TikTok
Others shared similar experiences to Kalomiris, stating that they either canceled their memberships or were seeking out a new gym after their location implemented the pod entry system.
@gabbykalomiris/TikTok
@gabbykalomiris/TikTok
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@gabbykalomiris/TikTok
It is undoubtedly stress-inducing to imagine going to the gym late at night to be able to exercise without a ton of people around you, only to get trapped in a pod and have no one there to help you get back out.
It was horrifying enough that Kalomiris, who claims to be claustrophobic, was in there for three minutes. And if the man hadn't walked by or had refused to help her, her experience could have been so much worse.
Rather than an important security measure, this pod system feels like an accident waiting to happen.
