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?
Replies
- NA
Jan 10, 2016[quote]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? [/quote]yes and sadly for the worst/you and a few others were the BEST/ddont stopReactReply - NAJan 10, 2016[quote]Your experience seems to be typical of men's locker rooms in the US. Nudity seems to be a big taboo topic with American men. It used to be women who were afraid of being seen nude. Now it's men.
When I used to go to a large, chain gym, there was a sign on the door of the men's sauna (inside the men's locker room) that all users must wear something in the sauna. Nudity was strictly forbidden. At another large gym, I would often see 20-something guys wrapped tightly in a towel while they changed clothes. I would see guys fully clothed, including shoes in the sauna. I once saw a guy shower in his underwear and then put his jeans on over his wet briefs. That must have felt terribly uncomfortable. I guess to him, it was better than letting other men see him nude.
A few years ago, I visited a Korean spa in the Chicago suburbs. The wet areas at Korean spas are always gender segregated and nude mandatory. A younger man was sitting in the hot pool wearing a bathing suit. Every other guy there was following the posted rules and was nude. After just a few minutes, a staff member told the clothed guy that nudity was mandatory in the wet area. The user protested by saying he had showered. The staff member persisted. Rather than comply with the rules, the man packed up and left after only 10 minutes. He had just paid about $30 to get in and stayed only 10 minutes all because he was afraid of being seen nude by other men. It was so strange.
It's hard to believe that American men used to swim nude at the YMCA. Now, they don't even get nude in the men's locker room! My, how times have changed for the worse!
[/quote]yes they have changed for the worseReactReply - NA
Jan 10, 2016[quote]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? [/quote] Weird. In the UK, it's mandatory in mainstream Spas to wear something. However, there are Spas that do cater for the traditional approach, you just have to find them. As for covering up in the locker room, we just get changed, not a towel dance, not a guys hanging out naked together thing either. It's not a big deal in my gym. The shower is communal though and although I'm in when it's not busy, I haven't noticed anyone wearing shorts to shower.ReactReply - GL
Jan 10, 2016I always thought that the principal reason for having separate locker/changing room and other facilities such as saunas and steam rooms for men and women and separate days or times of use in places with only one set of facilities is to allow people to use them in whatever clothing or no clothing they prefer. When I grew up in Scandinavia it was always like that. And it was the opposite of today - the very few who were wearing something in the sauna or showers were the ones who were stared down - not the naked ones which is the case today ... Without any intention of broadening this topic - co-ed naked saunas were also available in some places ... no big deal ...
ReactReply - MEMemberJan 11, 2016
I haven't been to a gym or public baths for some years now, but I noticed the nudity I was accustomed to was becoming scarce the last times I went to the swimming baths. I think things gradually changed in the late '80s among young men, who appeared to be influenced by American T.V. Gone were the "Speedos" of my generation, replaced by long, voluminous "swim-shorts" as worn on U.S.T.V. and films. Back in the '60s we had to shower after work (dirty job) and everybody stripped naked. It was the same at the public baths, and school swimming lessons. It is totally different in Europe and Scandinavia, where commonsense prevails; no hang-ups about the human body. That's why I holiday in Spain.
ReactReply - MEMemberJan 12, 2016
It worries me the double standards of our society. Its OK to be virtually nude and flaunt your body on TV , adds on the road site Bill Boards, vet simple nudity in the gym locker room and at the beach is not tolerated by the same society. Wearing clothes and shoes in the sauna sounds totally bizarre. Sex sells, but naturism/nudity is illegal! I am perplexed.
ReactReply - GLJan 12, 2016Yes I too think you are right in your assessment ... But what can we do about it? ... I am not real comfortable having my freedom options (former YMCA standard as we have discussed here) curtailed by someone else's insecurities ... if we always adjust to the lowest common denominator - we will all regress and regret ...ReactReply
- PA
Jan 13, 2016Excellent 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...ReactReply - AU
Jan 13, 2016
I was in junior high in the mid 60's and high school in the late 60's. We showered and changed in the men's locker room open at the public pool, showered with all the other boys after gym in junior high and high school and had open showers at the YMCA. In school you showered and the teacher with his assistant tossed you a half towel and you dealt with it. At school, the "Y," and the public pool you just accepted those were the policies and there were no discussions about feelings and self esteem. As far as I know no one was permanently damaged.
I don't know what has happened over the years, but suddenly parents demand private showers, say that their kids should be exempt from gym or showering and bring lawsuits when their babies don't get their way. I can just imagine what the Army would have said in WWII if my father had said he wanted a private shower while stationed in the Philippines. He's lucky he had a door on the latrine. Kids seem to have major self esteem issues and no one wants to step up and say those are the rules. Accept it and move on.ReactReply - MEMemberJan 14, 2016
False modesty and rampant fear of someone doing the wrong thing. Sure it happened, but it will still happen again despite the covering up! When will common sense return?
ReactReply - SI
Jan 14, 2016When I had a membership to a local private club, some would stay wrapped in towels and some wouldn't. And there were some that would shave at the sinks naked and some wouldn't. Now at the Y I belong to hardly anybody walks around naked. Most shower in the personal shower stalls and wrap up in a towel and there are even private dressing stalls by the lockers if you choose to use them. So I feel like if i was to walk from the shower to the lockers undressed it would seem out of place. And since I don't want to offend anyone or make them uncomfortable then I cover up.
ReactReply - JAjamnatOriginal PosterJan 21, 2016
As a follow up to my observations, I have also noticed and been in the steam sauna with fully clothed people listening to their devices. I can't imagine going into a very hot and wet steam sauna fully clothed from head to toe. It truly mistifies me. It is such a natural environment to be naked. I am usually the only nude person in the sauna or certainly in the minority as people come in covered by a towel, shorts, or completely clothed. Occassionaly there are nude people in there with me. Although I am completely comfortable being nude in the locker room and in the sauna, it feels ackward being completely naked amongst others who are clothed. Several times I have been the only naked person in the sauna and noticed the clothed looking at me and some conversing with me not sure where to place their eyes. Maybe they are envious of my comfort level and wish they could do so as well. Despite of it all, I will remain naked and comfortable.
ReactReply - TR
Jan 22, 2016I used to belong to a gym where the locker rooms were gender separate. In the men's locker there were showers were open to each other with about 8 shower heads in the room. The sauna and hot tub were near by and everyone went about naked and no one cared. I enjoyed being able to shower and visit with friends there. I was once sitting in the sauna when my orthopedist surgeon came in and we had a nice chat. But now I belong to a different gym where the showers are in separate stalls and you have to wear a swim suit or shorts to use the hot tub. There are signs everywhere reminding it's members to cover up and I haven't even gone looking for the sauna.
Yes, things have changed. But the natural tendency is toward change. Eventually I'm confident that society will change back toward nudity again. Though at my age I probably won't be around to see it.
DaveReactReply - SE
Jan 22, 2016I remember back in jr. high and high school we all changed into gym clothes and showered, no big deal. Oh and yes the showers were one big open shower stall. In high school we had swimming and you could swim nude a few did. This was in 1976. Sad what has happened.ReactReply - FL
Jan 22, 2016A bit different here in Switzerland. As more Wellness hotels and Fitness Centers are being built more nude people you see. Wellness is being so popular that public Fitness parks are over croweded with naked people, sometimes too many. And locker rooms are nude anyway here, no big deal.
ReactReply - JAjamnatOriginal PosterJan 22, 2016
YEA Switzerland!!!! The US should adopt the Swiss attitude towards nudity. Unfortunately mere nudity still seems to be viewed as sexual which it is not.
ReactReply - MEMemberJan 27, 2016Lurkers and predators. What a weird social system is being created? One or two rare events and we are all tarred with the same brush!It is so sad to read of some of the above. Maybe I'm lucky, but I have only had good nude experiences.ReactReply
- NU
Jan 28, 2016Also thank the bloody Republicans
I hope my nude beach doesn't head this directionNever tried Korean spa. Is it worth it?
ReactReply - SEJan 30, 2016I actually enjoyed the openness in the lockeroom back when I was in school. 70's Everyone changed no big deal often times I would come out of the shower and dry my hair before I would go get my towel from the guy that handed them out. There was a row of hand drier placed up high so you could dry your hair. This way i did not have to wait to dry my hair, most would use them after they had dressed.ReactReply
- JAjamnatOriginal PosterFeb 1, 2016
It is nice to see your observations. I concur with your observation on the comfort level of same sex nudity seems to be generational. It really mystifies me that the younger generations are not more comfortable with the access they have to nudity. I guess similar to the the younger generations communicate through technology might explain their comfort level with actual in person public nudity. Since I am so comfortable being nude as a long time nudists and was a raised in an era of group open showers and common locker room nudity, I am very comfortable walking around the locker room naked especially entering the steam room, sauna, and showers. I just think it is so bizarre seeing people change under a towel or entering the sauna and steam room with clothes on. Hopefully things will change.
ReactReply - MEMemberFeb 1, 2016[quote]A separate follow-up to my post above: This was a pretty remarkable occurrence that just happened this meeting. As I headed into the locker room at Planet Fitness, there was a sign notifying that there was a, "Female Working In Men's Locker Room." Whhaattt??, I thought. I proceeded in but didn't see any female in the locker area (only one other guy getting ready to work out) and I walked into the shower area, and... There she was, big as life, one of the female staffers had a cart full of cleaning supplies and was scrubbing the tiles in Shower #3. She had her back turned and earbuds in so she didn't see me as I turned to leave. Since I'm admittedly a bit of an exhibitionist my devious brain was already at work figuring out how I should play this unique situation to full advantage. Had there not been another guy, and more now coming in, I probably would've just bagged today's workout and gone right ahead and stripped nude and headed for the showers right away. However, that would've seemed a bit obvious to the others in the area, so I headed out to the gym floor. I quickly decided that today's workout would be very brief, so that maybe I could get a shower in while she was still in there working. I did only a couple quick sets on two machines before packing it in and headed back to the lockers. I had been noticing whether the sign was gone or not and yrs it was still there. I walked in and as per my custom immediately stripped nude and then opened my locker to get my towel and walked toward the showers, carrying it in my hand. As I entered the shower area I saw she was still in #3 and had her back turned, so she hadn't seen me. I thought about going to #4 and asking her if that one was OK to use, but vetoed the idea as possibly seeming too forward. I went to Shower #2 right beside where she was still scrubbing and turned on the water. She never turned around while I was getting the water on, etc. so I fit in and finished shaving and washing as quickly as possible, inhopes she wouldn't finish too soon. When I turned off my water I could still hear her scrubbing. Still dripping wet, I stepped out into the mat right next to her work area and reached for my towel. This dislodged the curtain she had hung on the hook and I caught it just as she looked up and saw me standing there nude. I apologized for the curtain and she said no problem and turned quickly back to her work. After that I went out to the locker area and figured I may as well continue my normal routine add if nothing were different. I set my stuff down on the counter by the mirror and started drying myself off. I was wondering if she would be making her exit anytime soon and would come walking through the locker area while I was still standing there nude, and so I was keeping an eye on the mirror. It was only a minute our do later that she did come walking out, but she walked straight toward me carrying a couple bottles in her hand. As she walked toward me she asked if either of these were mine? I said one was and reached out to take it from her, still nude from head to toe. Just as quickly she returned to the showers, trying to be as nonchalant as possible. As I proceeded with my morning ritual I still kept an eye on the mirror, and just before I had fine everything before finally getting dressed, I saw her once again emerge from the shower area and this time walked through the locker area and out to the gym. Her eyes were down when I spotted her, but I'm not so sure she didn't catch a quick glance at my bare backside just as she rounded the corner (?) After that, I got dressed. Just as I was about toput my coat on, one of the male staff came in and said, "I just wanted to let everyone knowthat Danielle is coming back in." I wondered to myself what they would have done, had I been nude at that time, if I had said, "It's OK by me."? Would she have come on in? Waited til I eventually got dressed? Or, would they have insisted I put some clothes on? Given what else had already transpired, I seriously doubt it would've been the latter. All I can say is, I'm sure glad it worked just the way it did![/quote]I had this happen at a LA Fitness but it was just before it closed so I could not use the showers but had to change. I wasn't to pleased and let the staff at the front desk and next day I called manager. I told them it would have been nice to know about it ahead of time and I would have changed my routine. I stress that it's not cool and I didn't want to be accused of any improper activity by anyone. it's like her word against mine if she had said anything about me been in nude in showers. Besides in the state it's considered an improriate act and can get arrested since it's posted female in locker room. They quickly hired a male attendant as manager called me back next day.ReactReply
- MEMemberFeb 2, 2016[quote]A separate follow-up to my post above: This was a pretty remarkable occurrence that just happened this meeting. As I headed into the locker room at Planet Fitness, there was a sign notifying that there was a, "Female Working In Men's Locker Room." Whhaattt??, I thought. I proceeded in but didn't see any female in the locker area (only one other guy getting ready to work out) and I walked into the shower area, and... There she was, big as life, one of the female staffers had a cart full of cleaning supplies and was scrubbing the tiles in Shower #3. She had her back turned and earbuds in so she didn't see me as I turned to leave. Since I'm admittedly a bit of an exhibitionist my devious brain was already at work figuring out how I should play this unique situation to full advantage. Had there not been another guy, and more now coming in, I probably would've just bagged today's workout and gone right ahead and stripped nude and headed for the showers right away. However, that would've seemed a bit obvious to the others in the area, so I headed out to the gym floor. I quickly decided that today's workout would be very brief, so that maybe I could get a shower in while she was still in there working. I did only a couple quick sets on two machines before packing it in and headed back to the lockers. I had been noticing whether the sign was gone or not and yrs it was still there. I walked in and as per my custom immediately stripped nude and then opened my locker to get my towel and walked toward the showers, carrying it in my hand. As I entered the shower area I saw she was still in #3 and had her back turned, so she hadn't seen me. I thought about going to #4 and asking her if that one was OK to use, but vetoed the idea as possibly seeming too forward. I went to Shower #2 right beside where she was still scrubbing and turned on the water. She never turned around while I was getting the water on, etc. so I fit in and finished shaving and washing as quickly as possible, inhopes she wouldn't finish too soon. When I turned off my water I could still hear her scrubbing. Still dripping wet, I stepped out into the mat right next to her work area and reached for my towel. This dislodged the curtain she had hung on the hook and I caught it just as she looked up and saw me standing there nude. I apologized for the curtain and she said no problem and turned quickly back to her work. After that I went out to the locker area and figured I may as well continue my normal routine add if nothing were different. I set my stuff down on the counter by the mirror and started drying myself off. I was wondering if she would be making her exit anytime soon and would come walking through the locker area while I was still standing there nude, and so I was keeping an eye on the mirror. It was only a minute our do later that she did come walking out, but she walked straight toward me carrying a couple bottles in her hand. As she walked toward me she asked if either of these were mine? I said one was and reached out to take it from her, still nude from head to toe. Just as quickly she returned to the showers, trying to be as nonchalant as possible. As I proceeded with my morning ritual I still kept an eye on the mirror, and just before I had fine everything before finally getting dressed, I saw her once again emerge from the shower area and this time walked through the locker area and out to the gym. Her eyes were down when I spotted her, but I'm not so sure she didn't catch a quick glance at my bare backside just as she rounded the corner (?) After that, I got dressed. Just as I was about toput my coat on, one of the male staff came in and said, "I just wanted to let everyone knowthat Danielle is coming back in." I wondered to myself what they would have done, had I been nude at that time, if I had said, "It's OK by me."? Would she have come on in? Waited til I eventually got dressed? Or, would they have insisted I put some clothes on? Given what else had already transpired, I seriously doubt it would've been the latter. All I can say is, I'm sure glad it worked just the way it did![/quote]All that just to be seen naked by a female ?ReactReply
- OL
Feb 2, 2016And she'd probably seen it all before. She certainly took it in her stride as she handed you the bottle. No big deal (for her)!! It's not uncommon with female attendants working in a male locker room or washroom. It's all part of the job.
See posts #101 and #110 on page 5 and #129 belowReactReply