January 14, 2026 at 6:15 pm

Gym-Goer Noticed A Persistent Regular Trying To Make A Connection, But When He Ignored The Advances To Focus On His Routine, Things Got Awkward Between Them

by Benjamin Cottrell

guy doing squats at the gym

Unsplash/Reddit

Some people treat the gym like a social club, while others see it as a place to zone in and get things done.

So when one gym-goer realized a fellow member kept trying to make eye contact and strike up an unwanted connection, the situation got awkward fast.

Now he’s wondering if avoiding him just to focus on his workout makes him the bad guy.

Read on for the full story.

AITAH? Guy at the gym

I’ve been going to this gym for a couple months now. There’s this guy who’s here nearly every day I’m here.

This guy seems to really want to be his friend.

He’s always making eye contact and even once waved. Me, being oblivious 90% of the time, didn’t realize until after the moment passed.

I’ve maybe exchanged words with him once. He seems to know a lot of people here and is always chatting with other people at the gym.

So when he didn’t show much interest in the gym member’s advances, things got awkward.

Now he seems to be uncomfortable that I’m not looking to chat. Whenever I catch him looking, I just kinda look the other way, maybe even going to the extent of pretending he’s not there LOL.

He wants to just keep things simple at the gym and not deal with all this.

He seems like a nice guy and all, but when I’m at the gym I’m not looking to chat. I’m here to work out and go home.

I also have a hard time focusing, so I’m trying to just get in my groove.

AITAH?

Stranger danger!

What did Reddit have to say?

This gym-goer is right to avoid this guy since he isn’t there specifically to make friends.

Screenshot 2025 11 19 at 9.22.54 PM Gym Goer Noticed A Persistent Regular Trying To Make A Connection, But When He Ignored The Advances To Focus On His Routine, Things Got Awkward Between Them

It would be best to just move on from this without dwelling too much.

Screenshot 2025 11 19 at 9.23.34 PM Gym Goer Noticed A Persistent Regular Trying To Make A Connection, But When He Ignored The Advances To Focus On His Routine, Things Got Awkward Between Them

Many people who visit a gym are there for one reason and one reason only.

Screenshot 2025 11 19 at 9.24.24 PM Gym Goer Noticed A Persistent Regular Trying To Make A Connection, But When He Ignored The Advances To Focus On His Routine, Things Got Awkward Between Them

There’s nothing wrong with just keeping things simple.

Screenshot 2025 11 19 at 9.25.13 PM Gym Goer Noticed A Persistent Regular Trying To Make A Connection, But When He Ignored The Advances To Focus On His Routine, Things Got Awkward Between Them

He came to work out, not expand his social circle.

Sooner or later, this other gym member will just have to understand that.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.