As of early 2026, the tag #GymTok has over 43 million videos on TikTok. With millions of monthly viewers, the rise in gym activity has led to a budding industry with thousands of creators, as well as a major cultural shift.
At West Albany High School, the booming gym culture thrives in an environment influenced by both online content, as well as the cultural push that is facilitated by sports and other social expectations. Students start their fitness journeys at different levels and times. Each of them has their own story and reason behind joining.
For junior Braylon Heyer, going to the gym started in hopes of improving his performance in football. Heyer has been playing for many years, but the 2025-2026 season was different. This year, he maxed out at his heaviest right before football season, which has affected his game greatly.
“I was always tired after certain drives,” Heyer said, “It’s just not something that I was used to”.
To Heyer, football was everything. His love for the game goes so much further than the physical wear and tear.
“It’s the one thing that I do where I feel like I fit in and I feel like I belong,” Heyer said, “I want[ed] to be better at football”.
At the end of the football season, Heyer started to attend the YMCA gym. And with each small victory, he kept pushing himself forward.
“There’s always a goal that you need to have to keep yourself motivated.”
Every morning, senior Harji Singh gets up at six to start his first work out of the day. Singh tracks his macros and has set days for back, legs, arms, and so much more. Following both a strict diet and workout plan.
He did not start with a routine that detailed overnight. Singh has been attending the gym ever since the summer before his freshman year. Growing up, he would watch professional body building competitions on youtube.
“I was always a bigger kid, and I just feel like the art behind bodybuilding is amazing,” Singh said.
Over the past four years, he has shifted from working out to lose weight, to working out to perform on the stage like his mentors.
“It’s something so beautiful that you can change the human body so drastically.”
