Are communal or gang showers dissapearing?

[223790]

I was excited more than nervous, I wanted the chance to see how brave I was compared to the other guys. Or maybe more like see how nervous they were because I was already sure I wasn't going to be nervous.
The unknowns did cross my mind a few times...…..like how did I compare on the developmental scale to all the others ( I knew how I stacked up against my closest buds), how would my dick react...…..would it shrink, would it plump up, would it get hard...…..none of that was a problem as long as the same thing happened to others.

I bet we spent an hour discussing how long to let ourselves go from beating off and our first shower with other guys...…….nobody wants to beat off too soon before you get naked with the guys the first time and end up shriveled, but time it wrong and go to long and you might be fighting some wood seriously.

I was disappointed that not all guys ever got over it enough to shower even once with the rest of us.

It is a big deal, a big deal that everyone guy should face and conquer on their way to being a man.

My first time experience was a little different from yours. I was nervous that I would get hard as are most guys, but for me masturbating before only exacerbated the problem. I never felt it was a big deal after I first used one. I remember how idiotic and uncomfortable I felt showering in my swimsuit in the open shower, said "fuck it", whipped it off and never looked back. If anything, I looked back on my fears at the time and realized that it wasn't a big deal in the slightest because everyone minded their own business and nothing sexual or lewd went on as most gay porn and urban myths would have us believe. In fact it was the exact opposite. If anything, any sexual advances would have been met with a sound thrashing. I have come to enjoy the camaraderie of it all and without a doubt having the opportunity to check out guys I found attractive completely nude in a discrete and appropriate manner. Some of these guys were good friends of mine at the time. I have commented extensively about this in other threads, so I won't repeat myself here. I honestly believe that it drew us closer as friends. All of this being said, I didn't start using open showers until after high school even though they were the norm in middle and high school when I was in school. I didn't feel confident then to use one. The first time ever was at a private health club after I graduated from high school. After that, I used them when I was a student at my university athletic centre because that's all that was available. That for me was my turning point where I became a fan of open showers as reflected by my avatar. The main reason I use my local Y today is because they are the only gym in the city with open showers. Even my old university has gotten rid of them which still pisses me off to this day. What's most annoying is that the Bradley shower poles were more popular than the stalls they put in around the perimeter before going all stalls (it was all Bradley shower poles and no stalls when I was a student there). The irony that the very place that forced me to get over my nudity issues for good is now promoting body shame and hyper modesty among young men isn't lost on me. I have even told the powers that be at my alma mater that this is why I will no longer use the facility.

 

[223790]

IN general, they're disappearing. All newer gyms have stalls.

Except my Y. They remodeled a few years ago and kept the open shower concept except for adding 1 stall and 1 special needs shower. I remember they sent out a survey to members before the reno about what we wanted in the new locker room. I made it abundantly clear that if they took out the open shower and put in stalls, I would terminate my membership immediately. I guess they got the same feedback from a lot of guys because they kept it an open shower. The stall that is there is very rarely used. I think that guys who join the gym are cool with it or even looking for it, or they would go elsewhere as the Y is the last gym in the city that still has an open shower. Guys use the steam room and hot tub naked as well.

 

[223790]

Feel free to join my groups if you haven't done so yet guys:

Supporters of the men's communal/gang show | LPSG

Men who need to be naked with other men | LPSG

 

[223790]

I was disappointed that not all guys ever got over it enough to shower even once with the rest of us.

It is a big deal, a big deal that everyone guy should face and conquer on their way to being a man.

To clarify, what I meant was that using an open shower isn't a big deal. Getting over yourself by conquering your fears, so you act like a man is a huge deal. To me there is nothing more pathetic than a guy in or past his 20s that's still afraid to get naked, showers in his shorts and towel dances. It's so unmanly to do this.

 

[Biddchris]

A gym that I used to go to installed stalls in the shower area a couple years ago - it had had open shows since opening (over 20 years ago). Stopped going there as a result of this - in my opinion, a gym (of all places!) should be the once place we can celebrate the human body - buff, fat, thin, chubby, short, tall!!! Putting in stalls (for the minority that need to be modest) just perpetuates a sense of shame and homophobia. if a stall or two is needed - fine. But why take away the entire communal show area? Stupid. Again - just my opinion.

 

[bighosenow]

Individual stalls with curtains or doors make housekeeping more difficult for gym employees...Mildew on shower curtains builds up quickly,,corners in stalls where allege grows. Some gyms do a pretty good job but many don't. I'd rather be in a brightly lit open room where u can see how clean everything is.... And of course check out the other members.

 

[ThickBearMeat]

I've just started at a gym and loads of work colleagues go there as well....they have 5 shower heads in a communal bit. Part of me finds it horny and the other part is still a little awkward about seeing people from work (or them seeing me).

Any tips on how to get over this?

What’s awkward about it? Do some of them have a vagina?

 

[223790]

I've just started at a gym and loads of work colleagues go there as well....they have 5 shower heads in a communal bit. Part of me finds it horny and the other part is still a little awkward about seeing people from work (or them seeing me).

Any tips on how to get over this?

Wouldn't bother me at all. I showered with a guy I worked with, and we became closer because of it. I also ended up in the open shower with my veterinarian and insurance agent. I saw them in their full glory and they saw me in mine. What's the big deal? At the end of the day, we're all guys with the same equipment.

 

[LGA]

What’s awkward about it? Do some of them have a vagina?

Just not used to seeing work colleagues naked and not long been at that office or gym, so wasn't sure of the etiquette either.

Would probably be less awkward with vaginas - but thanks for your input ;-)

 

[LGA]

Wouldn't bother me at all. I showered with a guy I worked with, and we became closer because of it. I also ended up in the open shower with my veterinarian and insurance agent. I saw them in their full glory and they saw me in mine. What's the big deal? At the end of the day, we're all guys with the same equipment.

Good point, I posted this after going to the gym twice and now I've been a few more times I'm make more relaxed about it as everyone else is as well!

 

[ThickBearMeat]

If you're over 35 or 40 years old, you remember when locker rooms at school, college or at the gym, included communal showers, also known as gang showers. Basically, it was a big spacious room with a lot of shower heads, no division or curtains, where everyone used to shower together. In the U.S., even if they still exist today, it has become a rarity with the proliferation of individual stalls and more private shower arrangements.

However, based on my experience, in other countries like Germany, Italy, Japan or Argentina, communal showers are still pretty common.

What's your experience? Do you still see them where you live? Have you use them? If you are from out of U.S., let us know if there are communal showers in your country or if they are disappearing as well.

I went to rugby camps in the UK and still go and play with friends I’ve met through the years. They have open showers everywhere over there and are not shy about nudity.

This is how it is over there and it’s a shame this level of comfort is so rare in the states...

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[ThickBearMeat]

Just not used to seeing work colleagues naked and not long been at that office or gym, so wasn't sure of the etiquette either.

Would probably be less awkward with vaginas - but thanks for your input ;-)

Any time! And I wasn’t being snarky, I just like to hear why people are so shy & nervous about nudity. I’ve never had an issue with it.

 

[Just4skin]

I just love open showers watching guys washing there Willys. When I'm washing mine at the same time

 

[onrock92]

I'm 26, was a three-sport athlete in high school, went to college, workout enough and have basically never used one. The high school showers were a gang-style, shower-heads-on-the-wall type place, but my college dorms were all stalls (might've been gang showers at one point) and they had recently built a new fitness center that didn't have a ton of showers, but what it did have were stall showers.

So, I do think they're going away. Which is a shame because I think they're actually kind of important. They teach a guy how to be comfortable with other men, they level the playing field a bit, they make us realize we're not all that different. They can give a guy some confidence and make him more of a man.

I want to get out there and try some. Here's to hoping they still exist long enough for me to do so.

 

[223790]

I'm 26, was a three-sport athlete in high school, went to college, workout enough and have basically never used one. The high school showers were a gang-style, shower-heads-on-the-wall type place, but my college dorms were all stalls (might've been gang showers at one point) and they had recently built a new fitness center that didn't have a ton of showers, but what it did have were stall showers.

So, I do think they're going away. Which is a shame because I think they're actually kind of important. They teach a guy how to be comfortable with other men, they level the playing field a bit, they make us realize we're not all that different. They can give a guy some confidence and make him more of a man.

I want to get out there and try some. Here's to hoping they still exist long enough for me to do so.

I agree. This is why I actively support gyms that still have them by taking out a membership, and refuse to join gyms that don't have them. At the end of the day, money talks. The gym industry is massively competitive, so gyms must respond to clients demands if they want to stay in business. If everyone financially supported gyms that have gang showers by taking out a membership, they would become common again. This would force other gyms that don't have gang showers to follow suit. Here's hoping!

 

[LGA]

Any time! And I wasn’t being snarky, I just like to hear why people are so shy & nervous about nudity. I’ve never had an issue with it.

Fair enough - when you're just not used to doing something and have never done it before it's just the fear of the unknown.

All good now though, getting a pro at it ;-)

 

[lebrave]

communal showers are still pretty common in France as in old sport facilities. When they build a new gym, they invest more money to make stalls and fancier bathrooms. I think shortage of money was the reason they built gang showers in the first place

 

[ThickBearMeat]

Fair enough - when you're just not used to doing something and have never done it before it's just the fear of the unknown.

All good now though, getting a pro at it ;-)

Good for you! The more comfortable you are, the more at ease everyone around you becomes. Did you or do you play sports?

 

[LGA]

Good for you! The more comfortable you are, the more at ease everyone around you becomes. Did you or do you play sports?

Totally agree! Nope, never have and never really had to shower during PE at school - so that's probably half the issue to start with. Also when I went to the gym years ago, I would always shower at home.

What about you, and if you don't mind me asking, where are you from?

 

[ThickBearMeat]

Totally agree! Nope, never have and never really had to shower during PE at school - so that's probably half the issue to start with. Also when I went to the gym years ago, I would always shower at home.

What about you, and if you don't mind me asking, where are you from?

Yeah, and I grew up with nudity being an every day, no big deal. I had 3 brothers and we shared a big dorm kinda room with its own bathroom. My dad always showered and got us all up and ready in our bathroom. I’d be brushing my teeth while my dad or one of my brothers was taking a raging piss next to me, someone in the shower and another toweling off. It was all matter of fact. My dad was also a boxer in the military and worked out all his life. He always took me and my brothers to the gym to swim and lift weights when we got older. The locker room never fazed me.