The Loss Of...

[chrsound9]

Alright guys,

I don’t know about you but I sometimes just want to head out and go for a swim or for a swim at the gym and hit the showers, but I’m not talking about the showers of a newly remodeled or new gym I’m talking about the open/gang type of communal showers!

It seems like so many men are afraid to be ‘laughed at’ to rock a speedo and too intimidated to be a man and take showers in the locker room with open showers!

Has anyone showered in one lately and/or come across them while traveling or at home?

I can’t seem to find any outside of a bathhouse type place here in the Washington DC area!


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[scott1636]

The World Gym and the JCC near me both have communal showers. I've used both too many times to count. And yeah, some guys shower in underwear or swimwear of any type. The same guys who try to get changed under a towel.

[...:::sam:::...]

Local pool has half the waist high shower doors missing, the gym has a communal shower wall and some beaches in Aus have showers on poles on the footpath. I'm not sure using an open shower is a sign of manliness though, probably more a sign of the culture, confidence and a realisation that others are probably more concerned with what they are doing. When I was at school the gym and house showers were all shower walls also.

[SpeedoSimone]

Here in Germany most showers will be open rooms with 4-5 shower heads on each side of the wall. Sometimes you will find one "private shower" which is basically the last shower head of the room, next to a corner with a separator wall for some privacy. I have the feeling that 80% of the people in get fully naked while the rest shower with their swimsuit on. Being naked is also not a reason to stop socializing. Friends who go do sports together, later shower together naked while continuing with their casual conversation. And if the conversation is about football, everyone else in the shower room will join in.

Most people don't mind showering nude in public showers here in Germany, as nudity is considered normal. The mentality is "everyone has a penis or a vagina, you don't have to be embarrassed about it". I really love this uncomplicated way of life.

[JustaSpeedoguy]

Two of the pools I go to in NZ have open showers with shower heads on each side of the walls. Another one has divider walls but no doors on it so you can basically still see anything when you walk past or are in the opposite shower cubicle. I'd say about 50% of the guys go naked. Sometimes I leave my speedos on but more and more I slip them off.

[scott1636]

Could be

[Mazda3mps]

The pools I go to have open showers. But recently they “refurbished” it by adding walls. Sad to see to be honest. I generally shower naked at the pool.


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[speedobillyuk]

Variety of showers at the sports centre I use. I use the open / communal showers in the main pool. changing rooms. I've no problem being naked - how else are you supposed to take a proper shower? Many guys just have a quick rinse after the pool, keeping their shorts on. Some get naked - seems to be mostly the more mature guys. On occassions I've walked in when there were several guys showering, all in their swimwear. When I strip off I sometimes notice other guys following my example - maybe they just don't want to be the only one in there naked.

[SpeedoSimone]

When I strip off I sometimes notice other guys following my example - maybe they just don't want to be the only one in there naked.

Same here! I guess nobody wants to be the first to drop their pants!

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[Scottiebum]

When I strip off I sometimes notice other guys following my example - maybe they just don't want to be the only one in there naked.

Same here! I guess nobody wants to be the first to drop their pants!

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I better not do that at the public pools in this area- they are mixed showers!

[Mazda3mps]

When I strip off I sometimes notice other guys following my example - maybe they just don't want to be the only one in there naked.

Same here! I guess nobody wants to be the first to drop their pants!

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If this forum had our own pool. We will all be skinny dipping hahah

[Thom]

Alright guys,...

Has anyone showered in one lately and/or come across them while traveling or at home?

I can’t seem to find any outside of a bathhouse type place here in the Washington DC area!


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The Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center where I used to swim occasionally (it's an hour from where I work now) has a shower room with multiple shower heads. Since these were common when I was in school (just after the American Civil War) I'm used to showering buck naked. A lot of guys seem to just rinse off wearing their suit.

I have a membership at a national chain fitness center. They have individual showers.

[redheaded_aquaman]

Here in Germany most showers will be open rooms with 4-5 shower heads on each side of the wall. Sometimes you will find one "private shower" which is basically the last shower head of the room, next to a corner with a separator wall for some privacy. I have the feeling that 80% of the people in get fully naked while the rest shower with their swimsuit on. Being naked is also not a reason to stop socializing. Friends who go do sports together, later shower together naked while continuing with their casual conversation. And if the conversation is about football, everyone else in the shower room will join in.

Most people don't mind showering nude in public showers here in Germany, as nudity is considered normal. The mentality is "everyone has a penis or a vagina, you don't have to be embarrassed about it". I really love this uncomplicated way of life.

I wish more people were less uptight about being naked. As the Germans seem to have figured out, we have the same equipment, why be so embarrassed about it. Of course this is probably my German genes coming through on this but it makes perfect sense.

[redheaded_aquaman]

The outdoor showers in the Bathhouses at Barton Springs Pool and Deep Eddy here in Austin are great and rare.

They are basically column showers, like what I remember from swimming on a team in high school. That people get so bent out of shape of being seen naked really is a shame. Instead we have somehow managed to make "nakedness" shameful.

It amazes me the prudish attitudes at the gym with how guys are so afraid to dare be seen naked and do the ridiculous towel dance in getting undressed. I quietly chuckle and realize that they have been brainwashed into feeling insecure about the fact that they are human and have the same equipment as everyone else in the locker room. Some guys are bigger, some smaller . . . why does it matter?

[rozelle]

the local indoor pool here in Columbus has a commuinal shower. not a big fan of it mainly because I come from a country where everyone is very modest and we always have walls and privacy when showering but every time I go to that pool I shower naked in the communal shower. I'm always insecure about it so I always try to shower quick lol. for me it's more of a cultural thing.

[Norfcountryboy]

In England it depends on the age of the pool. My partners gym has communal showers that's a very modern building and is the exception. Most of the newish pools seem to have communal male/female changing facilities [Not as hot as it sounds everyone gets a little cabin] and poolside showers where you obviously cannot do naked. My own gym has private shower cabins they'e great for a bit of sneaky self-abuse but I miss the all male no-secrets-here environment of open showers. Ponds Forge in Sheffield is the only modernish pool I can think of that has communal showers in the male locker room but that must be over 25 years old [Think it was built for the 1992 World Student Games, Speedobillyuk may be able to confirm] and I guess the swimming pool design industry would no longer consider this to be part of the latest generation of pool

[speedobillyuk]

Ponds Forge has undergone a number of refurbs over the last 10 years, but the open communal showers in the main pool changing rooms remain much as before. There are 5 sets of changing rooms altogether in this place (it's massive). Three sets have open communal showers, one set have shower cubicles with no doors or curtains, and another set have proper shower cubicles with doors. So overall, the communal ones win out. Given the heavy use this place gets I can't imagine cubicle doors lasting long... The recent trend towards "changing village", ie single male/female changing area with cubicles and showers where you can't strip off strikes me as poorly thought out (and therefore perfectly suited to the UK) - for hygene reasons everyone should shower properly before swimming, and shower properly afterwards, but it's not possible in a "changing village". Many people don't bother with showers either before or after swimming - which speaks volumes in itself...

[Thom]

Many people don't bother with showers either before or after swimming - which speaks volumes in itself...

I'm one of the few people who does here in the U.S., at least where I swim, even though all the signs posting the pool regs say you're supposed to. As you say, it speaks volumes.

T

[Thom]

the local indoor pool here in Columbus has a commuinal shower. not a big fan of it mainly because I come from a country where everyone is very modest and we always have walls and privacy when showering but every time I go to that pool I shower naked in the communal shower. I'm always insecure about it so I always try to shower quick lol. for me it's more of a cultural thing.

I think the cultural norms are shifting to greater privacy in the U.S. I went to a college where, at the time, the freshman dorms had communal showers. But those buildings were totally renovated into suites a few years ago, and they have individual showers as part of the suite. They're enclosed and tiled, floor to ceiling and have recessed lighting. The entry has a shower curtain that's drawn across. They're like a little room and have a teak bench and hooks for towels and clothing. The showers for men at the university pool are still communal. That was built about thirty years ago. Not sure how the women's locker rooms are configured.

As American homes/condominiums have got bigger, each bedroom tends to have its own bathroom, so people are accustomed to greater privacy. I grew up in a house with two bathrooms, but they were off of a hall and not connected directly to any of the bedrooms. Gee, this sounds like social psychology for architects.

[Speedoaddict]

Here in the uk my gym that I go to occasionally has communal showers on the first and second floor. The ground floor has cubicals and the communal showers you keep you swimwear on because everyone and I mean everyone can see you shower.