#trending: Video of barbell hitting woman on head raises call for greater gym safety awareness

SINGAPORE — A TikTok video of a woman being hit in the head by a falling barbell at a gym has unsettled some social media users, raising calls for greater awareness of gym safety and etiquette following the shocking incident.

TikTok user "sunnylimsl", who frequently shares videos of herself working out at the gym, posted a closed-circuit television (CCTV) clip of the accident that happened to her on Sunday (Aug 7). The post was removed less than 24 hours later.

The 22-second video begins with a trigger warning along with text that reads: “I am posting this not to expose who the guy is. I am posting this so that people know how dangerous it is and learn from this accident.”

In the video, a woman is seen standing between a bench-press station and squat rack while loading weight plates onto the barbell in front of her, when the barbell from the squat rack behind her suddenly tips over and hits her on the side of her face and arm. The end with the weights bounces on the ground and narrowly misses her foot.

Using text on the video, the gym user explains that a man who had just taken over the squat rack was unloading the barbell and removed the last two weight plates on one side simultaneously while the opposite side was still loaded with four plates. This caused the barbell to tilt and fall to the side due to its uneven weight.

The woman appears shaken in the video but manages to smile as the people around her go to check on her.

The perpetrator, whose face is blurred throughout the video, steps forward to retrieve the fallen barbell but does not seem to approach the woman. It is unclear if he apologised to her after that.

The woman points out that “it could’ve (gone) very (badly) if I was standing any nearer or if I didn’t move away faster or use my leg to block the bar. It could’ve been avoided” and ends the video by imploring fellow gym-goers to “be more mindful” and “watch out for each other” so that such accidents can be prevented.

Addressing comments by some concerned viewers, the woman said that she suffered bruising on her arm and slight tenderness on her head where the bar hit her but was otherwise not seriously injured.

The video had been viewed more than 230,000 times in less than a day.

Social media users took to the comments section to express their shock and anger at the incident, with many calling for greater awareness of the do’s and don'ts of gym etiquette. One pointed out that the man had broken a “gym cardinal rule”.

Another user said, “Thankfully, you have quick reflexes and hope you’re recovering quickly! It could’ve gone so much worse! Dude needs training, and learn how to de-plate”, referring to the act of removing weight plates from the barbell.

One other person wrote: “I have seen a lot of improper habits at the gym. I guess some basic rules/etiquette must be made known to gym users.”

Recalling a similarly frighteningly experience, one TikTok user said: “This almost happened to me at (Anytime Fitness Wisteria Mall). This massive powerlifter dude pulled off four plates. Only difference was I was squatting down to tie my shoe.”

A few emphasised the importance of having ample gym employees around “to oversee and assist gym members” in order to avoid such accidents, while some called for the man in the latest video to be given a stern warning or be banned from the gym.

It was not made known where the incident occurred for "sunnylimsl", although the woman had responded in the comments section that it happened at an Anytime Fitness outlet and a user had tagged the gym chain’s Choa Chu Kang Centre branch in the comments section.