President Barack Obama Caught on Camera Working Out in Private Polish Gym; Russians Call It Wimpy and Lazy
A secretly filmed video of President Barack Obama engaging in a leisurely workout at a gym in Poland has gone viral and it has triggered a lot of criticism, including comments from some Russians who think the president looks wimpy and lazy.
"He must be joking around? My 2 and-a-half-year-old granddaughter can lift more weights. As a matter of fact, I being disabled can lift more. Let's face it, this man has aged quite a bit since taking office. Playing the role of the American puppet sure takes its toll," wrote Joe Arpa in the comments section of a report on the video on Russia's RT propaganda channel.
Twitter also lit up with criticism of how weak Obama's workout looked.
So Barack Obama put up a workout video of himself training in Poland. 15 pound dumbbells Mr. President? Do you even lift bro?
— Jonathan Larson (@JPLarson1) June 5, 2014
I just realized the Obama workout video is not a joke. A grown man grimacing doing flies with 8lb weights ! http://t.co/Mt5zKx0Q66
— Emily Miller (@EmilyMiller) June 5, 2014
Does anyone know which women's workout on Pinterest Obama is doing here???
The nearly 1 and-a-half minute video posted to YouTube was filmed at a Marriott in Warsaw, Poland, where Obama arrived on Tuesday as part of a three-day European trip, according to The Washington Post.
In the video, Obama is dressed in black and is shown in various stages of his workout doing lunges, lifting free weights and a moment on the elliptical machine while other guests work out around him. At one point, the leader of the free world appears to yawn widely before starting shoulder presses.
Images from Obama's workout first surfaced on the Facebook page of Warsaw PR manager Jean Ekwa and Polish tabloid site Fakty.
Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan told The Washington Post that photos and video are real and were taken during Obama's usually off-the-record workout.
He said the other gym-goers were not asked to leave during Obama's workout, neither were they barred from taking photos. All guests, however, were screened before they were allowed to enter the hotel.