You’ve probably seen the videos. A massive guy with a backwards hat and a voice that sounds like he gargles gravel sitting in his car, holding his phone, and looking genuinely disappointed. He’s usually watching a clip of someone being a jerk in a gym—maybe someone filming a "creep" who was actually just looking at a clock, or a fitness influencer mocking a beginner.
He always signs off the same way: "You need to do better. Mind your own business."
That’s Joey Swoll. But if you’re asking what did Joey Swoll do to become the most polarizing figure in fitness, the answer is a lot more complicated than just "he yells at gym bullies." In 2025 and 2026, his name has been tied to everything from a revolutionary "Gym Positivity" movement to massive social media cancellations and a messy history with supplement scams.
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The Man Behind the Muscle: Joey Sergo
Before he was Joey Swoll, he was Joey Sergo. Born in Chicago in 1986, Joey wasn’t always the tank you see today. He was actually a skinny kid, a long-distance runner who eventually found the gym as a way to deal with some pretty intense bullying.
Honestly, his "origin story" is something a lot of lifters can relate to. He used the weights to build the confidence he didn’t have. He eventually moved to Los Angeles, got absolutely shredded, and started chasing the bodybuilding dream. But he never quite hit the pro stage like a Mr. Olympia. Instead, he found his lane on the internet.
The Shredz Era and the Shady Side
We have to talk about the Shredz era. If you were on Instagram in 2014, you remember Shredz. It was a supplement company that basically invented the "fitness influencer" blueprint. Joey was a principal partner.
It didn't end well.
The company got blasted for selling "cookie-cutter" workout plans—basically charging people hundreds of dollars for a PDF that everyone else got too. There were also massive allegations of photoshopping their athletes' photos to sell supplements. Joey was right in the middle of that. Critics from that era remember him as being pretty aggressive toward anyone who called the company out. It’s a part of his past that he’s tried to distance himself from, but the internet has a long memory.
The Rise of the CEO of Gym Positivity
Around 2022, Joey’s content took a hard turn. He started the #GymPositivity movement. He basically became a self-appointed sheriff of gym etiquette.
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The formula was simple:
- He’d find a video of someone (often a female influencer) filming a "creepy" guy or a "weirdo" at the gym.
- He would provide context—showing that the guy was actually just minding his own business or trying to use a machine.
- He’d call out the person filming for being "toxic" and chasing likes at the expense of others.
The internet loved it. For a while, he was a hero. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger reached out to thank him for making gyms less intimidating for beginners.
But as he got bigger, the "Swoll Army" got more aggressive. People he called out started getting flooded with death threats and doxxed. This led to a huge debate: Is Joey actually helping, or is he just creating a new kind of bullying?
What Really Happened with the Hulk Hogan Controversy?
If you're asking about the recent drama, it all came to a head in late 2025. Following the death of wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, Joey posted a tribute video of himself dressed as Hogan, working out.
The backlash was instant and brutal.
Fans pointed out Hogan’s past scandals involving racist remarks. Joey, trying to defend himself in a livestream, made things worse by using the outdated and offensive term "colored people" while talking about Black individuals. He apologized, saying he didn't have a "malicious bone in his body" and was just "human and still learning," but the damage was done.
The guy who built an empire on "holding people accountable" was suddenly the one being held accountable. He ended up deleting his tribute and, for a while, claimed he was quitting social media altogether. He said, "No matter how much good you do, people just wait for a reason to hate you."
The Transgender Locker Room Incident
Earlier in 2025, Joey also sparked a firestorm by siding with rapper Tish Hyman in a controversy involving a transgender woman in a gym bathroom. He took a stance that many in the LGBTQ+ community and their allies found discriminatory. This signaled a shift in his audience. He went from being a "gym bro for everyone" to someone who was increasingly viewed as a figurehead for "anti-woke" gym culture.
A Summary of Joey Swoll’s Impact
To understand what Joey Swoll did, you have to look at the three distinct phases of his career:
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- The Business Phase: Co-founded Shredz, sold supplements and plans, and faced accusations of being a "grifter."
- The Positivity Phase: Blew up on TikTok by defending "average" gym-goers against influencers and promoting etiquette.
- The Accountability Phase: Faced his own cancellations over racial language, political stances, and the "mob" behavior of his followers.
Why People Still Follow Him
Despite the controversies, Joey still has millions of followers. Why? Because the problem he’s talking about is real.
Gym culture has become weirdly performative. People are tired of being filmed while they’re just trying to sweat. Beginners are intimidated by the idea of being mocked on TikTok for using a machine wrong. Joey gives a voice to the person who just wants to lift in peace.
Actionable Insights: How to Navigate Gym Culture
If you’ve been following the Joey Swoll saga, there are a few things you can actually apply to your own life so you don't end up on the wrong side of a viral video:
- Stop Filming Others: Just don't do it. If you're filming your set for form, make sure no one else is the focus. If someone is "in your way," use your words and talk to them like a human.
- Ask to Work In: If someone is on a machine you need, ask "How many sets do you have left?" or "Can I work in with you?" Most people are nice if you're polite.
- Don't Be a "Sheriff": You don't need to be Joey Swoll. If you see something truly wrong, talk to the gym staff. Don't start a social media war.
- Check Your Ego: The gym is a shared public space. You don't own the squat rack, and no one is "stalking" you just because they're walking in your general direction.
Joey Swoll is a reminder that the "good guy" and the "villain" are often the same person depending on which day you check your feed. Whether he’s a hero for gym etiquette or a performative influencer is still up for debate, but he's certainly changed how we think about the "public" part of a public gym.
Check your gym's specific policy on filming before you set up your tripod next time. Many commercial gyms in 2026 are starting to ban cameras entirely, largely due to the "culture wars" Joey helped bring to light.