Almost identical, we had to drop shorts at beginning of PE to prove we had a jock on. Then no option but to shower naked and the teacher showered with us and made sure we stayed in the showers for at least 5 minutes. This happened until guys were showing larger than the teacher. He then stopped stripping off and stood outside in his shorts to check we stayed in the required time.
Overcoming gym shower fear
- Thread starter AdamFin
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twoton
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The culture differences in locker rooms is remarkable. Two gyms five mikes apart both with steam rooms in men's locker rooms with open showers. Dudes in one, old and young use steam room in swim suits or underwear??. Never nude. Literally I am the only naked man in there.
In the other locker room only one man ever did I see wear trunks in the steam room, young or old. Everybody 20s to 90s is naked.
Neither place has a rule against going naked, and in both places guys shower naked openly.
The never nude steam room gym is more working class and more White, and the all nude steam gym is more affluent and diverse, Is that it? Can't figure what makes this difference.
I will say the guys at never nude steam gym never seem bothered by me sitting on my towel starkers and they are plenty talkative with each other and me. The nude dudes are not silent but much quieter.
In the other locker room only one man ever did I see wear trunks in the steam room, young or old. Everybody 20s to 90s is naked.
Neither place has a rule against going naked, and in both places guys shower naked openly.
The never nude steam room gym is more working class and more White, and the all nude steam gym is more affluent and diverse, Is that it? Can't figure what makes this difference.
I will say the guys at never nude steam gym never seem bothered by me sitting on my towel starkers and they are plenty talkative with each other and me. The nude dudes are not silent but much quieter.
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Things must be really different in Britain. . . . .
Sounds like there are a lot of gym teachers who are perverts; but with their occupations they can do it in the open
Dave NoCal
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It seems to me that in the 60s it was an article of faith that jock straps helped prevent injuries. So, if they were taught that in school and, maybe the school district lawyers were saying "you gotta do jock checks," it seems really unfair to label them as "perverts."
In the 60s and 70s there was not the sexual over tones that are so much in the forefront now in the locker room . As Dave said jocks were to prevent injuries so were required for P.E. the checks were not always everyday. Men were men and had the same equipment in different sizes and shapes. We were not looking for a "pervert" around every corner, as the teacher/coach was known to the parents and trusted. The school district lawyers were not defending this type of suit as they were not being filed or were they needed for the most part. Locker rooms were male or female and were for changing into sport clothes, in the case of the public swimming pool it was of mixed ages it was no big deal. The looks at the other guys tackle was only very quick if at all. No one was outwardly looking to hook up for sex. My only hope is that we can move back toward this more open attitude soon as it will only help our young men in the long run.
I think, it has more to do with when you were raised as to where. I'm in the US Midwest, and our exp are almost identical. the coach or teacher stood and made sure you took a shower. some guys would go in, sprinkle a few drops of water on themselves and try to leave the shower area but you had to get a towel from the teacher and if he determined you weren't wet enough, back you went. after the first week, he knew who was who. some guys were almost crying. I learned to get tough quick and to mind my own business, keep my mouth shut.Things must be really different in Britain. . . . .
in my early 20's, showering at the Y after workout and basketball, the young guys peeking around the corner and their comments were pretty amusing. there was always some around in-charge, keeping an eye on things and I would hear, "you guys go find something to do." and they'd scurry off.
January will bring a whole crop of new gym goers. That means locker room choices. If you resolve to get over your fear of being naked in front of other men as well as losing that ten pounds, you will be more likely to accomplish your body goals. Your body needs you to be honest and accept it as it is now (shedding irrational shame), and when you do, it will be more responsive to your efforts to improve it.
So lift those weights. Cardio till it hurts. Drench your shirt in sweat. Take it all off. Take a cleansing shower and relax tired muscles with guys on the same journey as you. Do it again tomorrow.
So lift those weights. Cardio till it hurts. Drench your shirt in sweat. Take it all off. Take a cleansing shower and relax tired muscles with guys on the same journey as you. Do it again tomorrow.
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Not exactly my point. Doing the exercise is what provides the physical benefits. The psychology that gets you to do it and keep doing it and being satisfied with the results is aided by a positive sense of yourself.
Few deny exercise efficacy has a huge mental component. My specific theory is far more challengable.
Few deny exercise efficacy has a huge mental component. My specific theory is far more challengable.
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Someone writes "It might be different in Britain." I think my experience would be typical - and quite healthy.
In grammar school aged 11+ to 18+ we had PE twice a week and compulsory shower afterwards, naked. It was taken to granted. Jockstrap quite unknown by the way. Teacher set the shower and went away and left us; came back if he thought there was much towel flicking or horse play. As a result because I was a later developer, I was teased a lot - not good. But by the time we were 16-18 we were all grown (!) and it was quite a healthy experience. True, some covered up with towel or underclothes as soon as they were dry, but not all.
After school I didn't have showers again - not being a gym/sport type.
I hear now that in secondary schools boys have showers after PE in underware. Seems silly. Wet underware has to be taken off sometime in the changing room. Besides, it doesn't stop boys comparing somehow, I'm sure
In grammar school aged 11+ to 18+ we had PE twice a week and compulsory shower afterwards, naked. It was taken to granted. Jockstrap quite unknown by the way. Teacher set the shower and went away and left us; came back if he thought there was much towel flicking or horse play. As a result because I was a later developer, I was teased a lot - not good. But by the time we were 16-18 we were all grown (!) and it was quite a healthy experience. True, some covered up with towel or underclothes as soon as they were dry, but not all.
After school I didn't have showers again - not being a gym/sport type.
I hear now that in secondary schools boys have showers after PE in underware. Seems silly. Wet underware has to be taken off sometime in the changing room. Besides, it doesn't stop boys comparing somehow, I'm sure
One of the most healthy things that a young man can do is get comfortable being naked with other guys as soon as humanly possible. i understand it's an adjustment until you get use to it but after that it is a wonderful feeling being naked with a bunch of other males. We all have cocks of different sizes and shapes and we were made male and female. We all know what the other sex has and how they look. We all know that males and females kiss, make love , fuck or whatever you choose to call it. that's how we get kids and babies. Getting naked in the locker room is nothing in the skim of life and what is important but a young man will never be mentally healthy until he is comfortable changing clothes and showering naked in the shower. Please do you kids a favor and teach them to do this at a very early age and they will think nothing of it at all. I taught mine at a very young age and its never been an issue and now they are raising there own children. It's the right healthy thing to do. We are all alike. Just different shapes and sizes and all colors. We are all human beings!
It is a mental health thing. It is also a denial of vulnerability thing. As a man, I have a high confidence in my ability to get stuff done. Confidence in who I am. That view of the world and your place in it does not fit with an attitude of OMG how do I keep my cock from being seen,..
Of course I firmly believe the locker room is not a sexual place. And despite a few guys who keep posting about their exploits, I look back at my many, many thousands of communal showers (across the country and at dozens of places over three decades) as well as a thousand plus steam room or sauna visits (in locker rooms) and hundreds of naked locker room hot tub soaks -- and I have seen NOTHING like they report. One obvious erection in all that time have I seen. And I believe it was just "one if those things". Overwhelmingly locker roooms are utilitarian places where guys are just relaxed about life and their male identity, whether gay or straight. The rise of gay saunas, bath houses and clubs means people who want a sexual experience have "reliable" places to go in every metro area. The sex-desiring set don't need to troll gym locker rooms. I am not saying nothing ever happens in gym locker rooms. I am sure it does exist -- but I deny that is remotely common. It is the same few people who in these threads say things like men will be men, etc. -- and they are broadcasting their fantasies, not reality. Men in locker rooms are limp-dicked, happy to run hot water over tired muscles, glad to send sweat down the drain, And not scared of their dick being seen. Gym showers are not gay porn scenes.
Of course I firmly believe the locker room is not a sexual place. And despite a few guys who keep posting about their exploits, I look back at my many, many thousands of communal showers (across the country and at dozens of places over three decades) as well as a thousand plus steam room or sauna visits (in locker rooms) and hundreds of naked locker room hot tub soaks -- and I have seen NOTHING like they report. One obvious erection in all that time have I seen. And I believe it was just "one if those things". Overwhelmingly locker roooms are utilitarian places where guys are just relaxed about life and their male identity, whether gay or straight. The rise of gay saunas, bath houses and clubs means people who want a sexual experience have "reliable" places to go in every metro area. The sex-desiring set don't need to troll gym locker rooms. I am not saying nothing ever happens in gym locker rooms. I am sure it does exist -- but I deny that is remotely common. It is the same few people who in these threads say things like men will be men, etc. -- and they are broadcasting their fantasies, not reality. Men in locker rooms are limp-dicked, happy to run hot water over tired muscles, glad to send sweat down the drain, And not scared of their dick being seen. Gym showers are not gay porn scenes.
When I was really young I didn't want to be seen naked because I was embarrassed at the large size of my penis. I was a member of the local YMCA where we had to swim naked and I didn't like doing it at all. There was one day a week for women and one for men. I don't think they do that anymore.
When I was in high school I was on the swim team and we had to wear a Speedo and I didn't like how big my penis looked in it. Those days are gone and I love all the "spectators" wherever I encounter them.
I wore a pair of very baggy sweats (with no underwear) to the gym today because it was relatively cold this morning. When I walked through the gym to the locker room dressed like in this picture, half the men that had been working out ended up in the locker room presumably to watch me change. haha.
I took a long long time so they would have plenty of time to hopefully enjoy the view.
So the days of being embarrassed by it's unusual size are gone.
CommandoInTheBuff
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3 because I used to be really skinny (6'3" 115lbs), I wouldn't even go shirtless around my house. Now I'm almost 200lbs and I only wear shirts when I have to go on the road.
There is a built guy, a long time gym regular, who runs and lifts everyday. He's personable and social. After working out he strips to his boxer briefs and uses paper towels from dispensers by the sink to wipe sweat off his body. I have even seen him reach in his underwear and wipe his ass and then wipe off his dick and balls under cover. He then puts on Axe or something like it. Finally he goes to his locker and puts on a fresh long Shirt that always extends past his crotch and while facing the wall he switches out of his sweaty underwear and into fresh in a microsecond.
Recently Axe-Man started coming with a friend who I gather from their conversations is a coworker, and they are commuting together from the gym. Friend too is a friendly fitness freak and very well built. But the friend is not modest at all. He strips naked and takes a normal shower with zero compunction. He weighs himself naked before entering showers. I've seen him piss at urinals naked either to or from the showers. He sits nude in the steam room. He even shaves buck naked at the same bank of sinks Axe is wiping down at. Axe and friend are roughly the same age -- between 25 and 35. Study in contrasts,
Recently Axe-Man started coming with a friend who I gather from their conversations is a coworker, and they are commuting together from the gym. Friend too is a friendly fitness freak and very well built. But the friend is not modest at all. He strips naked and takes a normal shower with zero compunction. He weighs himself naked before entering showers. I've seen him piss at urinals naked either to or from the showers. He sits nude in the steam room. He even shaves buck naked at the same bank of sinks Axe is wiping down at. Axe and friend are roughly the same age -- between 25 and 35. Study in contrasts,
I used to be very modest. I remember the first time I had to use communal showers in a japanese hostel ;-)
A very liberating experience was my first rugby training (as an adult). The guys just took off their clothes and went to the shower area as if they were qtbhome in the privacy of their bathroom. No big deal. It felt so natural and normal that I had absolutely no issues following along
My advice to anyone fearing lockerrom and shower nudity would be to try their friendly neighborhood rugby club.
Bonus : amateur rugby teams have all kind of body types : scrawny guys, built guys, fat guys, tall, short, hairy, smooth, ... it's very inclusive
A very liberating experience was my first rugby training (as an adult). The guys just took off their clothes and went to the shower area as if they were qtbhome in the privacy of their bathroom. No big deal. It felt so natural and normal that I had absolutely no issues following along
My advice to anyone fearing lockerrom and shower nudity would be to try their friendly neighborhood rugby club.
Bonus : amateur rugby teams have all kind of body types : scrawny guys, built guys, fat guys, tall, short, hairy, smooth, ... it's very inclusive
AdamFin, thanks for your posts in this thread. They have been encouraging to me!
OK, here goes my story. I've been a member here for several years, but have never posted on the forums until now. First, let me say that I have never worked out at a gym in my life. I was a chubby kid and have always had body issues. The gym, the thought of getting naked in a locker room, and people who were fit and went to the gym, terrified me. In my late teens and through college I started running and maintained a decent weight, but still I wouldn't set foot in a gym. After a back injury, I pretty much gave up all exercise because of the pain and used that as an excuse for my couch potato lifestyle and my weight gain. Since then, I have been fairly healthy yet 20-30 lbs overweight. I am now 50 and I went to the doc 3 weeks ago for a physical and found that I had high blood pressure and my blood sugar was up significantly. The doc wanted to put me on meds right away, but I resisted and cut a deal with him. He told me I had 4 months to lower my weight (at least 30 lbs) and then we would re-check my bloodwork and proceed from there.
I sucked up my fear and embarrassment and joined the gym 2 weeks ago. I had read this thread and it helped me to make the decision to to take the plunge. My heart was literally racing when I went in to join and when I went into the locker room to change for the first time. I've never really understood why I have felt this way about being in a gym, except maybe that I wasn't an athletic kid and always felt inferior to those who were. But I took your advice and decided I was going naked in the locker room and I wasn't going to make that another issue to overcome. The showers are individual stalls and after only 2 weeks I don't give it a second thought walking from my locker to the showers naked or for that matter going into the steam room naked after my workout.
The thing that I have noticed at my gym is that many of the guys do look half-boned and they could care less about it. The first time in the steam room one guy, who looked about 30, got a noticeable erection and the conversation didn't lapse and it really wasn't an issue for anyone. Personally, I don't think I could ever get boned up in the steam room even if I wanted to because of the heat, but that's just me. I also found out (pleasantly) that I am not as small in comparison to others as I always assumed I was-probably on the larger end of average.
I am happy to say that I have lost 5 lbs and I am really enjoying the workouts. I have found that others have been helpful on figuring out the weight machines and the cardio machines. My lifelong fears were completely unfounded.
Sorry this post is so long but I wanted to say thanks for your help in unknowingly overcoming this fear and giving me what has become a great life experience for me. If there are any other guys out there experiencing this kind of fear I would encourage you to take a step out of your comfort zone and just do it!
OK, here goes my story. I've been a member here for several years, but have never posted on the forums until now. First, let me say that I have never worked out at a gym in my life. I was a chubby kid and have always had body issues. The gym, the thought of getting naked in a locker room, and people who were fit and went to the gym, terrified me. In my late teens and through college I started running and maintained a decent weight, but still I wouldn't set foot in a gym. After a back injury, I pretty much gave up all exercise because of the pain and used that as an excuse for my couch potato lifestyle and my weight gain. Since then, I have been fairly healthy yet 20-30 lbs overweight. I am now 50 and I went to the doc 3 weeks ago for a physical and found that I had high blood pressure and my blood sugar was up significantly. The doc wanted to put me on meds right away, but I resisted and cut a deal with him. He told me I had 4 months to lower my weight (at least 30 lbs) and then we would re-check my bloodwork and proceed from there.
I sucked up my fear and embarrassment and joined the gym 2 weeks ago. I had read this thread and it helped me to make the decision to to take the plunge. My heart was literally racing when I went in to join and when I went into the locker room to change for the first time. I've never really understood why I have felt this way about being in a gym, except maybe that I wasn't an athletic kid and always felt inferior to those who were. But I took your advice and decided I was going naked in the locker room and I wasn't going to make that another issue to overcome. The showers are individual stalls and after only 2 weeks I don't give it a second thought walking from my locker to the showers naked or for that matter going into the steam room naked after my workout.
The thing that I have noticed at my gym is that many of the guys do look half-boned and they could care less about it. The first time in the steam room one guy, who looked about 30, got a noticeable erection and the conversation didn't lapse and it really wasn't an issue for anyone. Personally, I don't think I could ever get boned up in the steam room even if I wanted to because of the heat, but that's just me. I also found out (pleasantly) that I am not as small in comparison to others as I always assumed I was-probably on the larger end of average.
I am happy to say that I have lost 5 lbs and I am really enjoying the workouts. I have found that others have been helpful on figuring out the weight machines and the cardio machines. My lifelong fears were completely unfounded.
Sorry this post is so long but I wanted to say thanks for your help in unknowingly overcoming this fear and giving me what has become a great life experience for me. If there are any other guys out there experiencing this kind of fear I would encourage you to take a step out of your comfort zone and just do it!
This is a great narrative. It is not a big deal is the lesson learned. Most gyms are accepting places.
Many guys chub a bit in the showers and this tends to equalize flaccid size. Only guys with dicks that drape the balls' contour and have no angle at all are totally limp. Between totally limp and clearly erect there is a range of normal. I myself tend to be purely flaccid ball-draped regardless.
The actualization to identify with the men around you with no fear bodes well for your weight loss and any other goals. But given your 30 lbs loss goal I think you should get the doc to give you six months!!!
Not for nothing I endorse the South Beach and or Paleo diets to get over metabolic syndrome.
I also think swimming or aqua jogging are often great for people with back or joint pain. So may be ellipticals. If
Thanks for sharing.
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