Recently I joined a gym with a pool featuring a steam room and sauna room in the locker room. To my surprise, the showers were all individual stalls with a curtain. In the main locker area I noticed when many members were dressing, they kept wrapped in a towel. Only a few people were naked in the locker room. Then I observed most of the nude members were approximately over 40 years of age. When I entered the locker room from the pool, I took of my wet bathing suite and took a shower. I exited the shower nude and walked over to my locker to hang up my bathing suite. I then walked over to the steam room with towel in hand and entered the steam room naked. When I entered, there were two other members in there. One wearing shorts and the other wrapped in a towel. I relaxed there for a while feeling a comfortable but wondering why so many people were so covered up. I then exited the steam room after a while and walked across the hall still naked into a hot sauna room. I placed my towel on the bench to sit on and stretched out in the corner and enjoyed the heat. After several minutes alone, one person entered wrapped in a towel and hesitantly greeted me as if he was shocked that I was sitting there naked. A few minutes later another person entered the sauna room much to my shock fully clothed carrying a basketball and sat down. Again, I was the only naked person in the sauna but didn't care. In the main locker room there a few other nude people but they were in the minority. Has locker room nudity changed over the years?
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- NA
Feb 2, 2016[quote]Wow, wish I'd seen this one sooner, as I've certainly got opinions on the matter. I work out at Planet Fitness 4x per week in the mornings before work. The locker area is one big open room and the showers are 4 separate stalls with curtains. Opposite them are 3 changing stalls for shy people to change clothes. The minute I hit the locker area after my workout, I'm stripped fully nude, and only then do I open my locker and grab my towel and shaving kit, carrying both in my hand as I casually walk completely nude to the shower. After my shower I don't towel off since the floor is always very wet. I just use my hands to squeegee off excess water before walking to the blow dryer to dry off my shower supplies. Only after I'm back in the locker area do I toweloff, so I'm standing there completely nude for extended periods as some (fortunately not all) of the other guys do their towel dance to get dressed without being seen. I wonder if my casually nude presence makes them feel silly doing that? Because I usually spend a good ten minutes nude, putting on deodorant, lotion, etc, before finally starting to put my clothes on. I am so glad that here in Ohio, even though there are a lot of silly shy guys, at least no one ever gives me a dirty look or makes me feel uncomfortable for spending time nude in the locker room.[/quote] I don't know if you staying naked makes them feel silly but I do believe that staying naked might make other guys more relaxed about being naked themselves and it might inspire a few to actually do it. I behave the same way you do in my Planet Fitness locker room and I have seen a few guys way more relaxed with nudity now.ReactReply - MEMemberFeb 3, 2016[quote]My thoughts exactly!!![/quote]I'm glad I'm not the only one to think this.
That story had nothing to do with being a nudist and everything to do with being an exhibitionist - ultimately, confirming what textiles think about nudists.ReactReply - MEMemberFeb 3, 2016[quote]I don't know if you staying naked makes them feel silly but I do believe that staying naked might make other guys more relaxed about being naked themselves and it might inspire a few to actually do it. I behave the same way you do in my Planet Fitness locker room and I have seen a few guys way more relaxed with nudity now.[/quote]This is a much better example of trying to "beat the nudist drum"
Feeling comfortable yourself encourages comfort in others.ReactReply - JAjamnatOriginal PosterFeb 8, 2016
Thanks for the words of encouragement. It just feels silly and uncomfortable to be covered up and clothed in a steam room and sauna. More often than not, I am the only naked person or one of few in the sauna and steam room or naked in general in the locker room. I am not parading around being exhibitionist, just being naked going to the shower and to the sauna and steam room. Sometimes I really feel wierd being naked and comfortable among so many clothed people in an environment where nudity should be the norm.
ReactReply - JAjamnatOriginal PosterMar 16, 2016When I was in elementary school, the locker room had a large gang shower. Since everyone was required to play team sports and change back into your school clothes afterwards, everyone had to take a shower and we were all regularly naked together in the locker room and sometimes being kids would soap up one of the aisles besides the gang shower and play naked slip and slide. In High school the mens locker room also had a large gang shower room so everyone was also used to being naked amongst one another. I also encountered the same type of shower and locker room arrangement in college. Because of this, I have always known locker room nudity to be a common place.
Now when I go to the gymn, I am usually one of the few casually nude people in the locker room and in the sauna and steam room. I have found that if I go to the gymn in the morning when there are older people there, nudity in the locker room seems to be more commonplace. As the day goes on and the younger crowd comes in, the shift in nudity changes with only die hards like myself casually nude and comfortable. I guess thing have really changed over the years.ReactReply - NUMar 23, 2016In Germany a couple of years ago; visited the sauna/steam rooms at my hotel in Frankfurt. I go to the locker room, put on the robe from my room, proceed to the sauna. There's a sign next to the door, in English & German..."Ladies night Monday 5-6pm, Gents night Tuesday 5-6pm"I'm trying to figure this out, as it was a Thursday.....I turn to hang up my robe and there's a black bikini on the hooks. I hang the robe, grab a towel, and walk into the sauna nude. To my surprise it's very big, 15x15ft and there are a dozen people in there, men, women, couples...all nude, sitting on towels.
Germany does it right.ReactReply - GE
Mar 23, 2016[quote]In Germany a couple of years ago; visited the sauna/steam rooms at my hotel in Frankfurt. I go to the locker room, put on the robe from my room, proceed to the sauna. There's a sign next to the door, in English & German..."Ladies night Monday 5-6pm, Gents night Tuesday 5-6pm"I'm trying to figure this out, as it was a Thursday.....I turn to hang up my robe and there's a black bikini on the hooks. I hang the robe, grab a towel, and walk into the sauna nude. To my surprise it's very big, 15x15ft and there are a dozen people in there, men, women, couples...all nude, sitting on towels.
Germany does it right.[/quote]Everything else I find disgusting. Just imagine once before: with the sweaty clothes in the pool? That's impossible.ReactReply - PA
Apr 11, 2016[quote]Excellent topic!
I was precisely thinking of this while watching in amusement some guys at my rather small gym (it's actually a functional training studio) really struggling to put their underwear while wrapped in their towels so that nobody can get even a glimpse of their penises or their asses. Seems like these guys don't even see themselves on the mirror when showering privately... It's ridiculous to me and I don't care if they think I'm a show-off because I walk around naked and only dress as the very last step before leaving.
When I was young, going naked in the locker room was very uncommon and only the bravest in school did it, with the rest were watching in amazement. I used to belong to the latter group and it took me many many years to regard nudity as something normal, so I'm not going back to A1 now!
In Mexico it's not as bad as you guys comment is happening now in the States. Yet, one of my best friend's wife was mentioning that a beautiful girl we all know could be a slut because she was walking naked all over in the locker room showing-off...
For some time I even thought that things were evolving to having a common locker room for gents and ladies, but it's quite much the opposite...[/quote]Contrary to my above post, seems like things are changing now. Following the US in many good and bad things seems like a Mexican national habit, and nudity in locker room appears to be changing for bad in following what many of the US TN members have commented here. This weekend a couple friend invited us to spend her birthday in Acapulco. We went to this fancy spa at the Mayan on Saturday (not co-ed), and he had warned me that they were starting to forbid nudity on grounds of "indecency." I said I didn't care, so we went to the jacuzi naked, until one of the guys said: "No that I'm prude but last week I was asked by staff to wear shorts on the premises, so be ready, guys." We said OK, let's not have trouble and wore our speedoes. We returned on Sunday and I tried the same routine -my buddy passed this time -, and now I was actually asked to wear my shorts by a staff guy, even if it was only the two of us there. Since I was the invited guy I chose not to give my bud a bad time, and in my speedo I went. I only commented sarcastically if it was also compulsory to wear my speedo in the showers; he only mumbled: "no it is not," obviously avoiding a silly confrontation. Jeez, how I hate this prude wave!ReactReply - CA
Apr 15, 2016I learn something new every day. I am 81 years old. Until now, I always thought that same gender locker room nudity is normal. Now people have become concerned about lust with either gender. The homosexual practices have gone too far.
ReactReply - CAApr 15, 2016
When showering, the intimate parts of the body don't get cleaned if you must wear shorts at all times.
ReactReply - MEMemberApr 15, 2016[quote]I learn something new every day. I am 81 years old. Until now, I always thought that same gender locker room nudity is normal. Now people have become concerned about lust with either gender. The homosexual practices have gone too far.[/quote]I don't think it's anything to do with homosexual practices and has everything to do with political correctness and the "American disease" of litigation protection preventing virtually everythingReactReply
- MEMemberApr 15, 2016[quote]When showering, the intimate parts of the body don't get cleaned if you must wear shorts at all times.[/quote]Exactly, but feel for those that aren't allowed to shower at all. Like I said, it's just wrongReactReply
- FL
Apr 15, 2016Stupidity knows no bounds. Athletics at school and no showers? Not only is that unacceptable, it is also unsanitary. Will shaking the hand of another person be next on the taboo list? How about saying hello to a passing stranger as a form of recognition? As a society do we really want to insulate ourselves from others as opposed to opening ourselves up to the differences between people and learning to appreciate those differences? Finally, what does this type of action mean for our freedom to exercise nudism? As Yoda might say: "The dark side of the Force it is".ReactReply - MEMemberApr 15, 2016Wrong, bizarre and seriously unhealthy. I would not like to be the mums washing these boys and girls clothes. The teachers also have to teach these boys in a classroom. The stench must be appalling!!!! I recall my days in the school locker room when we came off the field. The smell of body sweat and the sports clothes was overpowering, thank god for the shower. Otherwise it must be unbearable for those who go home by bus or other public transport and have to put up with smelly boys who are AFRAID to shower, or there are NONE to use. Emphasis added.ReactReply
- JAjamnatOriginal PosterJun 20, 2016
I feel sorry for those teachers with a room full of smelly pubescent students. Where is the Lysol spray or air effects?
ReactReply - RA
Jun 20, 2016I'm 62 years old. When I was in middle and high school we were always naked for showers and to change clothes. Recently I joined a gym and found that this is no more. Showers are separated and have curtains. I see no one naked at all, even changing clothes. My first time I sat by my locker after playing basketball to change clothes. I also walked to the showers naked. I was in open view of everyone. A guy about my age simply avoided looking at me, not like it was a big deal, but a guy about 20 saw me and nearly ran out of the room. I wondered then if etiquette had changed. Now I know from most of these posts that it has. I am flabbergasted that nudity is now frowned upon. Goid grief. In Ancient Greece the men we naked even for the sports!
ReactReply - BL
Jun 20, 2016[quote]
[/quote]No, they haven't change for what a men locker room concerns.ReactReply - KE
Jun 20, 2016I was shocked that boy's locker room at my son's HS had a shower but it was used for storage. Not possible to take a shower.
Just a few years ago, I was at a private HS during Christmas break, borrowing some of their gym equipment. I stopped in the locker room to piss. There were dirty gym clothes everywhere. And the smell was overwhelming. It was already a few days into the holiday, so surely it had been days since any of the kids had been there. I didn't see the shower but it was pretty obvious the boys were not using it, or even washing their gym clothes.
ReactReply - GA
Jun 20, 2016[quote]Our children are the victims of agenda pushed by teaching. Our teachers have ou students undivided attention and promote their own personal views. Not sure who is to blame and more. Teachers fording it or ourselves for stepping in more with our teachers or their strong unions.[/quote]As a teacher, I can assure you that the vast majority of us wish our students would shower after PE. We are the ones who have to put up with their stench after gym class. I am not sure where you got the idea that we are pushing an anti-nudity(?) agenda on anyone, but it's incorrect. Changes have occurred in gym routines mainly because of litigious parents and the shifting of societal views on nudity. It has nothing to do with teachers or their "strong unions." I have taught for 27 years and the only discussions I have heard on gym showering is that we wish kids were required to shower after PE.ReactReply - MEMemberJun 23, 2016Great post Abhchelms. I think it is amazing how people have gotten. I used to belong to a YMCA. Then men's lockerroom had open showers and a steam room. The younger guys would always cover up. When that Y built an addition they added new lockers. each shower had its own little changing room attached to it and that was made a selling point for new members. Luckily they still kept the old lockerroom.ReactReply
- MEMemberJun 23, 2016
Yeah. It's not the 70s anymore. I had the same experiences that many of you have shared. Locker room nudity was the norm, in high school and even the gyms I belonged to over the years until the late 90s. Then it started changing. No more open showers and guys started the towel dance. And today, guys fully dressed in a sauna and even in the shower! Absolutely bizarre behavior.
ReactReply - JAjamnatOriginal PosterJun 27, 2016[quote]Where I am locker room nudity and saunas etc are not an issue. The saunas and steam rooms are mixed. I was there yesterday and there quite a few nude women and men enjoying and relaxing nude. Its the best way to relax.
[/quote]I am jealous. The other day I was laying in the sauna naked for about 15 minutes relaxing and enjoying the heat. The door opened and a person wearing boxers entered and was visabley startled seeing a naked body in the suana. I welcomed him in and said there was plenty of space and the heat feels great. He was able to relax a bit and made some small talk but could tell he felt ackward as he didn't really look at me when he spoke but took nervous peeks towards me. I thought it was a bit funny.ReactReply - DE
Jun 30, 2016I'm with you there. I'm a member of Gold's Gym with a sauna and a hot tub and although I don't use either in the locker room I do strip down completely nude when changing clothes and taking a shower and walk around the locker room nude and really don't care. I do think that there are people that are ashamed of their own bodies and that may be contributing to people taking showers fully clothed.
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