A woman is going viral on TikTok after sharing how she nearly got trapped inside one of PureGym’s new entry pods.

Gabby Kalomiris (@gabbykalomiris), a New York–based actress and singer, says she was trying to use the new self-check-in access system— the pods that let members come and go without staff—when things went sideways. She was either heading in or out when the doors closed around her and wouldn’t budge.

“I knew I was going to get stuck in this thing,” Kalomiris says, filming herself inside the pod.

In the text overlay on her video, she adds, “It’s late… the gym is super empty right now. There’s no one to save me. The ‘front desk’ … EMPTY because they decided to replace employees with [expletive] ROBOT DOORS.”

She eventually got out thanks to a fellow member who happened to walk by. Kalomiris says she managed to flag him down and get his attention.

“Sorry for the profanities, but I was SWEATING, and I’m pretty sure the person in this death trap before me farted,” she wrote in the overlay. “This is an [expletive] joke,” she says at one point. But she did make it out, adding, “I hate this gym so much. I just got [expletive] stuck in that thing.”

Kalomiris says the ordeal lasted about two minutes and occurred around 10pm. As of Friday, her video had racked up more than 464,300 views.

@gabbykalomiris

PureGym aka blink fitness COUNT YOUR DAYS. seriously need a new gym this shit is really pissing me off 😤

♬ original sound – gabby kalomiris

When reached via email, Kalomiris told the Daily Dot that despite the ordeal, it has not prevented her from returning, saying, “I have been back a few times since the incident and have witnessed dozens of people struggling and complaining about the doors.”

Kalomiris confirmed that no staff were present at the front desk at the time of the incident. Luckily, “A fellow member thankfully was walking by, and I was able to get his attention and have him scan me out.” She added, “I can’t imagine what would happen if someone got stuck like I did in the middle of the night with no staff around. 

Overall, she said she is looking for other gyms in her area because “it’s truly not worth the anxiety entering and exiting the gym, which is a place people go to in order to relieve their anxiety and stresses, not add to them.”

How do the entry pods work?

Blink Fitness gyms are being rebranded as PureGym, and part of that rollout includes a new way to get inside. The company is installing self-check-in access pods that let members come and go around the clock. 

Here’s how the pods work. You open the PureGym or Blink app, pull up your membership QR code, and scan it at the reader. Then, the first door unlocks, and you step into a small chamber. That door shuts behind you, then the second door opens and lets you into the main gym. 

It’s meant to create a secure, staff-free entry system, especially during overnight and early morning hours when employees aren’t on site. But as Kalomiris’s video shows, some kinks clearly need to get worked out.

The hours still vary by location. Many gyms are already open 24/7, while others are working toward that as the transition continues. You can check the exact schedule for your gym on its PureGym page or in the app. Staff will still be around during the busiest times of day, but the pods give members access even when no one is at the front desk.

PureGym says the new system is part of a broader refresh that also includes upgraded equipment and a new look, all included in the regular membership.

Commenters say the shift has them canceling memberships

People who saw Kalomiris’s clip couldn’t believe the gym was funneling members through pods, and plenty noted what seemed obvious to them: the setup looked unsafe and could easily lead to someone getting hurt.

“It’s a huge fire hazard,” one commenter said.

Others chimed in with their own fears. “That’s so scary,” another added. “I never go into the things Planet Fitness has for this same reason I’d freak out fr.”

More viewers said the new design alone made them nervous. “No, they started building them as mine, and I’m genuinely scared,” a third person wrote.

Someone else imagined the worst-case scenario. 

“Imagine u didn’t have ur phone too,” a fourth commenter said. “This is worse than being stuck in an elevator.”

Others raised broader concerns about who the pods exclude. 

“My question is what about people with disabilities and people that won’t fit into these [doors], the gym is a place for health and wellness,” a fifth viewer said. “Every day I’m triggered when I come to the gym expecting the new change.”

Some people said the pods were enough to push them out the door altogether. “I’m so glad I canceled as soon as it switched to Pure Gym,” one woman wrote.

“I deadass canceled my membership and signed up for Harbor Fitness,” another person said. “It’s $60 more, but I am not dealing with Pure Gym.”

“I quit once Blink became pure gym,” a third viewer echoed.

The Daily Dot has reached out to Pure Gym through email for comment.

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