A woman who joined a new gym has described feeling repeatedly ignored by other members, including a personal trainer, before being criticised for raising the issue. Mel Reeve said she enrolled in a group fitness class at a Sydney studio hoping to meet new people and become part of a community, but instead experienced isolation from the outset.
“I was genuinely trying to connect and open up to people but every day people ignored me and acted like I didn’t exist,” she said. She claimed that even when she made an effort to introduce herself, the response was cold. According to Reeve, she would approach other women in class to say hello, only for them to walk away mid-conversation or avoid engaging altogether.
The situation escalated when she tried to express her feelings, telling another member she felt there was “no sense of community” in the space. That is when, she said, things turned. “A trainer and a girl completely demonised me when I said there’s no sense of community,” she said. Reeve claimed a personal trainer dismissed her concerns and challenged her perspective. “He tried to tell me that it’s my opinion and my experience is not valid,” she said.
She said the exchange began when she attempted to have a “meaningful conversation about community and connection” with another female gymgoer, but was instead shut down and made to feel unwelcome. “For some reason she was hell bent on letting me know I have no power or authority because I’m new – that’s proper disgusting culture,” she said. “We go to group fitness to be a part of a community not to be ostracised and judged and told we’re not welcome because we’re speaking up about feeling uncomfortable.”
Her experience has divided people online, with some backing her version of events and others suggesting the situation may have been misunderstood. Several commenters defended Reeve, including a former gym owner who said she had previously been a member at their studio. “As a former gym owner and someone who’s had Mel as a member before, I can honestly say she’s always been nothing but a positive force,” they wrote. “Great energy, always connecting with people, and genuinely made the space better just by being in it. Our members loved her, the coaches loved her.”
Others agreed that group fitness should feel inclusive. “That’s what group fitness is meant to be about at the end of the day, community, supporting each other, lifting each other up and creating an environment where people feel like they belong,” one person said. But not everyone saw it that way. Some suggested the clash may have come down to different personalities and expectations, with some gym-goers preferring to train quietly without social interaction. “You are an extremely extroverted person … the people around you are not and like to train in silence,” one commenter wrote. Another added: “Some people already have great friendship groups and just because you’re attending the same studio doesn’t mean you’re automatically going to fit in.”
Others argued the criticism of the gym itself was unfair, saying members attend for their own reasons. “Walk away instead of slamming a small business and its members who are there for their own reasons, which may not include socialising,” one person said. The role of the trainer has also become a key point of contention, with some saying staff should help foster a welcoming environment, particularly for new members, while others believe it is not their responsibility to manage social dynamics.
The situation highlights tension in modern fitness culture, where group classes are often marketed as communities, but the reality can vary widely depending on the people and the environment. While for some, it is a place to connect and socialise, for others it is simply somewhere to train. When those expectations do not align, it can quickly shift from motivating to uncomfortable, especially for newcomers trying to find their footing.
It also taps into a wider conversation about social culture in Australia, which has been criticised as being difficult to break into, particularly for expats or even people moving between cities. While Australians are often seen as friendly on the surface, many say forming deeper connections can take time, with established social circles and routines making it harder for new people to feel included. In spaces like gyms, where community is often part of the sell, that gap between expectation and reality can feel even sharper. For those walking in alone, the difference between a welcoming environment and a closed-off one can shape whether they stay or walk away altogether.
The Daily Mail has contacted the gym for comment.
