Naked at the YMCA

[xenon-naturist]

.... All the locker rooms, workout rooms, whatever....you could usually see a few guys naked. It was no big deal and everyone did it. Some years later I was living in Indianapolis and worked out at the Indy Athletic Club. Again all men only and it seemed that everyone there went naked. I witnessed guys in the weight room naked, swimming and even a few playing basketball. The showers were great big gang showers........

KEEP SEX out of these places and reserve it for the bedroom. Men who prey on others at the gym have contributed this problem.

Lucky guy - but are you sure guys really played basketball naked? Maybe for fun but I can't imagine there was ever time when a guy would decide to play a sport naked (or for that matter do wieghts) just because he felt like being naked, particularly if he was around people who were not naked

 

[hairyman101]

I never had the opportunity to visit a YMCA. There were no such sites in the area where I was born and raised. My first experience at a Y was the night before my physical to join the U. S. Navy. I was there to sleep and did not even think about using the pool. I was taken to the physical site the next morning and sworn in the U.S. Navy the next afternoon and put on a Plane for Boot Camp in San Diego.

I was in boot camp in san diego also. back in the 80's.

 

[LockerRoomPA]

Chung Dam Spa in the Cheltenham section of Philadelphia is the only place in my area I know of where men are just naked.

 

[cocktailweenie]

Do you think that, in those bygone days of nude swimming at the Y and/or other clubs, there was a preponderance of pervs hanging around? More of the Jerry Sandusky's picking up young boys etc? I mean, was it worse then than today but just swept under the carpet and THIS is the real reason you don't see all male facilities anymore? I'm not supporting this or encouraging it in anyway, just curious. I was molested by an uncle when I was younger as my parents would leave me in his care from time to time. They (my parents) didn't give this a clue. I wonder if this happened at the Y - parents would drop off their sons for a swim and not even think that older guys would be there hovering over them doing lord knows what. Today, however, with all the media attention to the Catholic Church, Boy Scouts, organizations like Jerry Sandusky's Second Mile, parents are more aware of the potential harm and thus teach their sons to dress/undress only at home, never hang out with adult men, etc!

You may not believe this but it's true because I have experienced it firsthand: having a bunch of guys naked in a Y pool was completely non-sexual! Because everyone was naked! Simple as that. No one can do anything sexual because everything is out in the open. Every age group was represented from teens to old dudes. The worst thing to happen was shrinkage, plus guys hurting their balls when they dove into the water incorrectly.

 

[B_Nick8]

A couple of pics I came across:

 

[Dave NoCal]

Great pics Nick.

 

[BigDikkedGuy]

I wanna swim naked

 

[dcsurvivor92]

When I was married, my son and I (he was about 6 or 7) would swim naked in our pool in the back yard. (we lived somewhat in a wooded area). It was neither weird, or creepy. Very natural. We would talk about how great it felt without a suit. And being guys, it was a lot easier to piss outdoors. There are way too many hang ups today, surrounding nudity.

I saw a guy the other day at a beach bar (weather was a humid 93) and he had a polo shirt on with a t-shirt underneath. Seriously? The only reason I could see someone doing that in that kind of weather, is that they were prone to sweating profusely. I agree with the person who said today we are shown, through television, what we are supposed to look like. It's just wrong. This is America because we come in all kinds of shapes, colors, and lifestyles...we should be proud of that fact.

 

[sdbg]

There wasn't a Y in the area where I grew up, so never got to swim nude as a kid. I moved west in the '70s and discovered Black's Beach. I love 7 miles south of Black's and spent many sunny summer days there. I love being naked on the beach and in the ocean. It feels great to be in the water without any clothing. Unlike the pools at the Y being male only, Black's visitors come in every variety. Males, females, young, old, fat, and fit. Being naked in public in an accepted place is very freeing. IMO, the families who go to Black's are helping their kids to grow up without hangups about their bodies. I'm happy that this opportunity is available to me any time I want it and is only 7 miles away.

 

[D_Andy_Whorewall]

97 degrees yesterday...jumped in the pool about 10:30pm...no suit, felt Great ! My adult sons came out to jump in just as I was getting out....wouldn't have made a difference to me if I was still in the pool or not...no suit after dark !!

 

[cyrushkcurtis]

A few guys have been around long enough to remember swimming naked at the YMCA -but who did you go swimming with ? Your friends, teachers, brothers, fathers, grandfathers? If you lived in a small place you must have seen the people out and about.....was it strange seeing them all naked.....or just what you were used to?

In my case, my swimming naked at the Y was when a friend and I took swimming lessons as prepubescent boys.

 

[iwbm10]

In the town I grew up you could go swimming and gym naked at its Y. all ages all there no second thoughts

 

[nakedone]

Swimming naked at the Y was one of the great experiences of yester-year that has now been taken from us in most every area. I do not believe it led to any kind of perversions or assaults on under-age guys. It was just a wonderful learning experience for the young guys to understand that men are "built" differently, and that they can expect to grow up with their own individual appearances.

Bring it back!!

 

[needtonut]

In the 60's in Jr. HIgh, we had 6 weeks of swimming class in gym. There wasn't a feasible way to take care of swim ware so we swam nude. It's wasn't a secret. Parents knew. Often, the coach had to demonstrate and he swam nude also. Nothing sexual. We were taught lifesaving skills that required us to "partner up" and practice what we were taught. Our coach emphasized the seriousness of the practice and we did as he said. I'm sure that what we learned was put into practice and may have saved a life or two.
Today's society would NEVER condone any school having a swim class of boys being nude. Personally, I can look back on the experience and say that it was helpfull in understanding me and my body. Males are naturally curious about each other, especially during puberty. Fathers don't really talk to their sons about what is happening to their bodies and minds so seeing your classmates in the various stages of puberty helps a young man understand that what's happening to him is not unique. Personally, I was a late bloomer and felt that maybe something was wrong or I would be different. My father didn't tell me anything about what was happening to me so when I saw that there were other boys who were just like me, I was relieved to know that I wasn't a freak. The nudity dispelled myths. The pumped up jocks could no longer hide the fact that they were not as developed as the little nerd that the harassed in the halls. Lots of rumors were disspelled the first day of class. Our coach alway kept a watchfull eye and we knew that he meant business and the last 10 minutes of class were always for "free swim" where everyone could enjoy the water.
I can look back now and understand how swimming class was more than just learning swimming and life saving techniques, for me it was a way to understand myself during a difficult and confusing time in a young man's life. I wonder what today's generation of young men have to help them understand. Internet porn or becoming prey to the Penn State type of situation?

Well said, Austin TX... I don't think kids grow up with a healthy self image about their bodies these days because they don't have these experiences anymore. The days of showering after gym class are gone and it's just ridiculous seeing guys under 20 and even 30 doing the "towel dance" in the locker room. We used to do it on the beach in Los Angeles because we were in public but when someone wraps a towel around themselves to pull off a bathing suit and change into shorts inside a locker room??? Somewhere we've gotten too uptight about nudity.

 

[needtonut]

Lucky guy - but are you sure guys really played basketball naked? Maybe for fun but I can't imagine there was ever time when a guy would decide to play a sport naked (or for that matter do wieghts) just because he felt like being naked, particularly if he was around people who were not naked[/QUOT

Do a Google search about the early Olympic games... most sports were conducted in the nude. Gymnastics, wrestling, track, etc...

 

[223790]

Nude swimming - possibly at the Y:

 

[srtr2]

The CAC has indeed changed its policy (early in 2012, I believe) requiring swimsuits in the previously nude (accepted and expected) lower level. Swinging doors have been installed between the shower area and locker areas and the pool. I suspect that this policy change was made to attract new, young-generation members who were uncomfortable swimming and walking around nude. Though I was admitted to the CAC on a day pass on a couple of occasions when swimsuits weren't required, the management and overall casual attitude has changed, and I have heard that some older members have since dropped out because of the new swimsuit-required policy. Management enforces this new policy strictly. It's a shame bacause the CAC was one of the last "true" men's clubs that I was aware of, -where nude swimming was considered normal, natural & acceptable, -and a century old tradition. It would be interesting to compare the number of members who have dropped out versus the number of new (younger) members who have joined. BTW, the new manager is less than friendly in my opinion, and I won't attempt to go back or join as a member.

 

[MH07]

It's also interesting that it used to be the WOMEN who were hung up on their body shape, whether they were fat, etc. Men mostly didn't care---and the only guys with all the muscles and all the "cuts" were actual body-builders, Charles Atlas (google it) wannabes; everybody else just looked "normal" mostly.

Last time I went to LA Fitness, every kid in there was trying to be "Mr. Muscles". Men have gotten to be as fascinated by having "the perfect shape" as only women used to be.

So, as others have pointed out, if you're LESS THAN perfect, you're going to be less likely (as a young man) to show yourself.

And I think that's sad, and I think something has definitely been lost.

BTW, the downtown Dallas and Houston YMCA's still feature nude steam, sauna, whirlpool, showers (though of course the 20-somethings are all doing the towel dance and showering in their boxers). Houston's Y just closed; Dallas's is still there.

When they were the YMCA only, no women members (the women had, and most preferred, the YWCA), the swimming pools were indeed nude (even the gyms, and yes, I have seen guys in there working out naked and playing basketball naked). The pools used to be mandatory nude, with a mandatory shower beforehand---again, it was felt that was more hygenic. There may be something to that, as studies with gloves in restaurants have shown that food prep workers actually wash their hands more WITHOUT the gloves--so it's actually cleaner for them to use bare, but freshly washed, hands. Perhaps the same is true for the pools---better to be bare and freshly washed.

 

[Meathd8]

The pool at my club here in nyc (not a YMCA) remains nude. It seems odd the first few times, but you normalize it quickly.

I love swimming nude and I visit NYC often. Is your club strictly members only or can you buy a day pass? Would u mind sharing the name of your club?

 

[waistbanz]

All male high school up to a certain year. When we had swim for phys ed, no suits. Our teacher wore a speedo. You'd see some wood every now and then, myself included, but if you weren't getting teased about it, you jumped in the water and swim your butt off to soften up. Not a big deal.