Naked at the YMCA

[223790]

I think this why a lot of guys join the Y. It's a great read, so I encourage you to read it.

For aging men, loneliness can be deadly - Macleans.ca

 

[223790]

+++ AG08 If there is one thing the younger generation NEED to learn from the oldies, apart from social nudity, it is to treasure your friends, Life after your late teens is one take no rewinds, how many guys regret later drifting away from best buddies? I know I do.

Absolutely. I have always treasured my friends, but I can't say it was reciprocated. I know a lot of my former friends have either lost or driven their close friends away including me.

Nude in US YMCAs Clearly it did happen and yes it was good for the participants. Leading by example is something we can all do but sitting at home weeping into your keyboards is a waste of time and tears. Individual YMs and the whole association must have a board of management or user groups, fight the fight from within, if a few got seats on those boards we might bring sanity back to a few pools. It wont be the same, restricteed to over 18s for certain, membership maybe even club status, equal sessions for YWCA, only in those heritage locations with out big windows . . . .

I think my Y does a good job of this. They kept the open shower room even though there was a complete remodel of the locker room a few years ago. The also made the locker room more open by removing a row of lockers that used to run down the centre of the locker room thereby dividing it in half and obstructing conversation and socializing. There is also a lounge area with a giant screen TV in the locker room. I do like that my locker room is 18+. I don't want to deal with screaming messy kids while using the locker room.

Gays were repressed back in the day so today's status is another game changer, its not a cruise joint, a few flyers for the local bathouses kept under the counter should keep a balance. Marketed as new and trendy or retro, but something to aspire to, like waiting till you are old enough for your drivers licence. A few endorsements from sports stars, imagine a boxer who has to get naked for the weigh in saying "no bother I swim like this 3 days a week" or proving it will reduce youth crime. There will be difficulties on the way, just think of them as solution opportunities.

My Y does have a community feel, so cruising is not welcome there. There have been a couple of guys that are there for that purpose. They normally disappear quickly. One in particular received a warning about his behavior. It didn't get better, so I think he was banned. I haven't seen him there in a long time. That's what bath houses are for, and they are not difficult to find using the Internet. One guy I'm friendly with at the Y is openly gay. I have been naked and showered and used the steam room with him more times than I can count. He's good looking with a great body. He's never gotten hard or behaved inappropriately. There is a time and place for everything. With my Y being in an upper middle class neighborhood with lots of families at the facility, that type of behavior would not be well received.

 

[223790]

Women make damned sure they have "girl time" and, no, they do not think it is important for us men to have our time together. They have tried to invade every "Male Only" institution and have succeeded everywhere but the locker room. Some are trying to take that. The "Women Only" institutions remain intact and closely guarded.

Absolutely. They mock guys for wanting to be around other guys. I think they do it out of fear because they have no control over what is happening when they're not around. I have ended a lot of friendships with guys because of their controlling and domineering wives. Some of them had their husbands so whipped that they believed it wasn't normal to have friends at all. I'm fortunate that my wife isn't like that. She understands and encourages me to have guy time.

 

[Justin.time]

bulge griffin on Twitter
View attachment IMG_3483.MOV

 

[fcviewer]

I think my Y does a good job of this. They kept the open shower room even though there was a complete remodel of the locker room a few years ago. The also made the locker room more open by removing a row of lockers that used to run down the centre of the locker room thereby dividing it in half and obstructing conversation and socializing. There is also a lounge area with a giant screen TV in the locker room.

Sounds like a decent locker room. I used to belong to a gym that had a nice locker room -- lounge in the front area with TV, lockers in the middle and wet area with open showers, steam room, sauna and whirlpool in the back. Guys up front were dressed in street clothes or workout clothes or a towel wrapped around them. In the locker area vary degrees of changing and nudity. In the wet area the vast majority of guys were naked.

The locker room was very social and cruising was rare and extremely subtle when it happened. I only played around once while a member there. It was early one morning in the steam room. I was in my 20's. The guy was really good looking, mid 40's, nice athletic body, S&P hair and a big cock. I'd seen him many times working out and in the showers when I worked out in the mornings. He was really nice to look at, especially naked. He was a really friendly guy, seemed to know a lot of the other members, saying hello and chatting people up, even in the showers. It never crossed my mind that he would jack off with other guys. One morning after working out, I walked into the steam room and he was in there, naked, sitting on his towel, cock and balls in full view. I sat opposite him but not directly across from him. I sat naked on my towel. He said, "Good morning" and I returned with, "Good morning. How are you?" He said, "Good" and smiled. That was about the extent of it. A few minutes later I looked over at him and he looked at me and his eyes went down my body. I checked him out too. He then started pulling on his cock. I thought, "Here we go. Fuck. This is hot!" I couldn't believe it. We were soon hard and stroking our dicks. I have a good size cock but this guy was huge, at times using both hands to stroke. It was a hot scene, no pun intended... his handsome face, sweaty athletic body, his hand working his big hard cock, balls bouncing around, the heat, the steam circulating. We sat there jacking off, watching each other. I shot my load first. He then shot his load while looking at me. He smiled. He sat there for a few minutes while his cock got soft, his cum rolling down his stomach. After a while he stood up and used his towel to wipe the cum off his stomach and thick dick that was hanging a good 6+ inches. He said, "It's always good to start the day by shooting a load with another guy" and stepped out and into the showers. He was a married guy; I'd seen him with his wife. I saw him many times after that and he always said hello to me. I never saw him in the steam room again nor did I pick up on him checking out another guy. I was always curious who else he'd played around with.

That was the only time I played around at that gym. I never saw anyone else play around. And the few times I saw guys who I thought were subtly cruising or checking out other guys it was probably because my innate and trained gaydar picked up on it. Other wise it was a normal and very social locker room with a lot of naked guys.

 

[steveh9]

I swam nude at the Y. Learned to swim there, later became, at age 16 when i could work, I was an assistant swim instructor for the adults class, all males, ages 16 and up, all naked, all the time. There was a wide range of ages. It was great being naked with them and assisting them when necessary, like holding them up to float on their back for instance. I then got on the school swim team which practiced there at nights and we were all naked also

 

[Brew_Man]

I think I had a “be the change you want to see” occurrence the other day, but it involved an older gentleman.

I finished up my shower and was at our suit dryer, mind you I’m naked the whole time, and notice this guy, I’d say about 50ish, get in the hot tub with his “swim suit” (I use quotes because they were more like boxer briefs, as a matter of fact, he was swimming laps when I was, and he wore said cotton boxer brief attire).

I go to my locker and pit my dried suit in my bag then walk to the hot tub to hop right in only to see that he has now taken off his suit, thrown it off to the side, and is naked. I’m like okay, we talk a little bit then he ends up getting out of the hot tub to go shower without covering up.

I thought it was odd as he seemed initially shy about being naked, but I think once he saw me walking around naked, maybe he thought it was okay for him to do that?

Just an observation I made. ‍

Also, I do wish he showered before using the hot tub. I hate when guys don’t shower before using the hot tub.

 

[steveh9]

I think I had a “be the change you want to see” occurrence the other day, but it involved an older gentleman.

I finished up my shower and was at our suit dryer, mind you I’m naked the whole time, and notice this guy, I’d say about 50ish, get in the hot tub with his “swim suit” (I use quotes because they were more like boxer briefs, as a matter of fact, he was swimming laps when I was, and he wore said cotton boxer brief attire).

I go to my locker and pit my dried suit in my bag then walk to the hot tub to hop right in only to see that he has now taken off his suit, thrown it off to the side, and is naked. I’m like okay, we talk a little bit then he ends up getting out of the hot tub to go shower without covering up.

I thought it was odd as he seemed initially shy about being naked, but I think once he saw me walking around naked, maybe he thought it was okay for him to do that?

Just an observation I made. ‍

Also, I do wish he showered before using the hot tub. I hate when guys don’t shower before using the hot tub.

Yeah, I've also had guys take off their swimsuit when i got in the hot tub naked with them.. Great to see them naked

 

[IntactMale]

I think I had a “be the change you want to see” occurrence the other day, but it involved an older gentleman.

I finished up my shower and was at our suit dryer, mind you I’m naked the whole time, and notice this guy, I’d say about 50ish, get in the hot tub with his “swim suit” (I use quotes because they were more like boxer briefs, as a matter of fact, he was swimming laps when I was, and he wore said cotton boxer brief attire).

I go to my locker and pit my dried suit in my bag then walk to the hot tub to hop right in only to see that he has now taken off his suit, thrown it off to the side, and is naked. I’m like okay, we talk a little bit then he ends up getting out of the hot tub to go shower without covering up.

I thought it was odd as he seemed initially shy about being naked, but I think once he saw me walking around naked, maybe he thought it was okay for him to do that?

Just an observation I made. ‍

Also, I do wish he showered before using the hot tub. I hate when guys don’t shower before using the hot tub.

I recently had the opposite experience at my YMCA. It was my first time using the steam room there and so I wasn't sure what people at this gym normally wear in the sauna. I've always been used to wearing a towel or nothing so when I walked into the area where the steam room and sauna are and saw some towels hanging up I figured it was normal to go in nude. So I went into the steam room naked and sat down. After a few minutes another guy came in wearing a towel. A few minutes later an a few other guys game in, all wearing shorts or bathing suits. It was pretty obvious that I was the one out of place so I got up, walked out, and found my towel.

 

[steveh9]

I recently had the opposite experience at my YMCA. It was my first time using the steam room there and so I wasn't sure what people at this gym normally wear in the sauna. I've always been used to wearing a towel or nothing so when I walked into the area where the steam room and sauna are and saw some towels hanging up I figured it was normal to go in nude. So I went into the steam room naked and sat down. After a few minutes another guy came in wearing a towel. A few minutes later an a few other guys game in, all wearing shorts or bathing suits. It was pretty obvious that I was the one out of place so I got up, walked out, and found my towel.

Happens to me too, I just stay naked

 

[aldawg]

In 1956 I was in the Army stationed at Fort Benning adjacent to Columbus, Georgia. The Ymca in Columbus ( Obviously a Southern City ) I used to go to this Ymca because Swimming Nude was required at all times. Interestingly enough, the Army Base had several Pools but Bathing Suits were required. I swam at the Y most weekends preferring to swim Nude. My First time there I was told by the Ticket Attendant that All swimming must be done in the Nude , Bathing Suits of any material and she was authorized to make sure the rules were followed. There were about 20 guys-most in their Twenties some swimming -some relaxing on the side. The Attendant a middle age rather nice looking. woman took her authorization seriously to insure Total Nudity. she patrolled the pool to make sure everybody followed the rules and were Nude.. She greeted Regulars and while checking checking the swimmers out certainly appeared to enjoy her duties. She toured the Pool almost every hour .. I swam there on weekends for a year and enjoyed the modern attitudes teaching classes Sometimes there were Female Swim Instructors who treated the Nude Men with Respect. I truly believe the YMCA erred in stopping ALL Nude swimming.

I am a member at this Y now, although it has a new building and the pool in no longer in the basement. It's amazing how times have changed....now they even frown on going nude in the sauna and steam room...wish the nude swimming still existed!

 

[steveh9]

I am a member at this Y now, although it has a new building and the pool in no longer in the basement. It's amazing how times have changed....now they even frown on going nude in the sauna and steam room...wish the nude swimming still existed!

ME too, I loved swimming naked with other naked guys - but at least we're all naked together in the steam and sauna rooms.

 

[Bobby Briggs]

I am not a rich man. However, if I was, my Dream is to create my own gay gym/bathhouse. My gym would be for male adults aged 18 and older only (trans men would be welcome as well). It would be designed based on the old style architecture of a late 60s YMCA with all those fabulous maze like crevices and secret spots, and since I would want it to be both a legitimate gym as well as a welcoming gay bathhouse, I would provide two separate locker rooms, one would be for the dudes who really just wanna shower after their workout and leave, while the other would be for the boys looking to play around and have some fun. I’d have open showers and saunas and steams,
Mirrors everywhere, open trough urinals with, of course, mirrors in front of them. I would also have tons of free condoms all over the locker room and I’d decorate the gym with all sorts of classic gay magazines like old Playgirls or Blue Boy Magazines. If anyone has many many many thousands of dollars that they would be willing to hand over to me, I could start my gym right away!

 

[Shyguyjames]

Anyone in NEPA use the Dunmore YMCA? I’ve never seen any action there...

 

[cedarizzo]

The YMCA I belonged to was in a really old building that had been a mansion/hospital/nursing home before it was turned into the Y. The 18 and over men's locker room was small, weirdly laid out with the lockers in different rooms and the wet area (showers, steam room, sauna and whirlpool) in a central spot and the workout room on the other side of the wet area.

The only place that clothes were required was the workout area. And even then, I saw a couple of older guys would go in there completely naked to get a drink form the water fountain. But those guys walked around everywhere in the locker room completely naked. A few guys would wear their underwear/swimsuits in the locker room, but that was really rare. The swimming pool was connected to the all ages men's locker room and it was difficult to get to the over 18 locker room from the pool, if you didn't know the code to unlock the door between the locker rooms, you would have to walk all the way around the lobby. A majority of the men would wear their towels, but would be naked for the shower or whirlpool areas but wear their towel into the steam room and sauna. And a few of us, me included, would walk around naked everywhere but the workout area. I never took my towel into the steam room and I would take it into the sauna with me but fold it up and use it as a seat.

I stopped going to the Y when the management team announced that they were working really hard on getting a new building. The building was going to be on the edge of town, but really far away from where I was living at the time. In order to save money, they stopped taking care of the steam room, it was constantly breaking down. And then the whirlpool broke down and they said they refused to have it fixed. The cleaning in the over 18 locker room became very sporadic and it started to smell really bad in the locker room. That is when I dropped my membership. It took them a few months before they started construction on the new building. After it opened, the closed down the old Y. A few years later, they demolished the building. I heard that the wet areas at the new Y were all co-ed. You could no longer be naked.

 

[LockerRoomPA]

Anyone in NEPA use the Dunmore YMCA? I’ve never seen any action there...

I am not from there but I have visited a few times and found action in steam room and sauna. Had a few encounters and some guys were showing off their goods too.

 

[ActionBuddy]

The YMCA I belonged to was in a really old building that had been a mansion/hospital/nursing home before it was turned into the Y. The 18 and over men's locker room was small, weirdly laid out with the lockers in different rooms and the wet area (showers, steam room, sauna and whirlpool) in a central spot and the workout room on the other side of the wet area.

The only place that clothes were required was the workout area. And even then, I saw a couple of older guys would go in there completely naked to get a drink form the water fountain. But those guys walked around everywhere in the locker room completely naked. A few guys would wear their underwear/swimsuits in the locker room, but that was really rare. The swimming pool was connected to the all ages men's locker room and it was difficult to get to the over 18 locker room from the pool, if you didn't know the code to unlock the door between the locker rooms, you would have to walk all the way around the lobby. A majority of the men would wear their towels, but would be naked for the shower or whirlpool areas but wear their towel into the steam room and sauna. And a few of us, me included, would walk around naked everywhere but the workout area. I never took my towel into the steam room and I would take it into the sauna with me but fold it up and use it as a seat.

I stopped going to the Y when the management team announced that they were working really hard on getting a new building. The building was going to be on the edge of town, but really far away from where I was living at the time. In order to save money, they stopped taking care of the steam room, it was constantly breaking down. And then the whirlpool broke down and they said they refused to have it fixed. The cleaning in the over 18 locker room became very sporadic and it started to smell really bad in the locker room. That is when I dropped my membership. It took them a few months before they started construction on the new building. After it opened, the closed down the old Y. A few years later, they demolished the building. I heard that the wet areas at the new Y were all co-ed. You could no longer be naked.

Sadly, so it goes for many of the old, classic YMCA buildings of North America, and elsewhere in the world... Luckily, some of them have been restored and renewed.

Thanks for your detailed report on yours, @cedarizzo.

A/B

 

[cedarizzo]

Sadly, so it goes for many of the old, classic YMCA buildings of North America, and elsewhere in the world... Luckily, some of them have been restored and renewed.

Thanks for your detailed report on yours, @cedarizzo.

A/B

After the old YMCA closed down, a group rented the building and opened a health club for a few months. They tried to get funding to purchase the building, but it never happened. They eventually closed down. The school district got the okay to remodel the high school a few blocks away. All the buildings between the high school and the old YMCA was torn down so they could add on to the high school and build parking lots.

 

[Shyguyjames]

I am not from there but I have visited a few times and found action in steam room and sauna. Had a few encounters and some guys were showing off their goods too.

I’ve never seen anything even close to action there.

 

[ActionBuddy]

After the old YMCA closed down, a group rented the building and opened a health club for a few months. They tried to get funding to purchase the building, but it never happened. They eventually closed down. The school district got the okay to remodel the high school a few blocks away. All the buildings between the high school and the old YMCA was torn down so they could add on to the high school and build parking lots.

It feels sort of weird to "Like" a post that is actually some sad or disappointing news... But, I "Liked" it because you made the effort to describe the history and the current situation with regards to that fondly memorable YMCA building.

A/B