Hey everyone, I have a couple questions for all the men that go to a ymca to workout. I have an interest in joining a local ymca In my city that I heard has great facilities and is pretty cheap as well. But I've heard that almost everyone that goes to the ymca to workout is an older guy (40+). I'm 19 and I'm wondering if I'm going to be the only younger guy using the gym/locker room? I'm not sure I want to go if I'm going to stick out like a sore thumb because of my age. Also, what are ymca locker rooms like? I plan to workout in the mornings before class so ill need to get cleaned up before I go. Are the showers separate stalls, or like a wide open room that everyone shares? Shower stalls don't seem like a big deal, but the thought of showering in an open room with a bunch of guys, especially older guys, could be a little nerve wracking. I guess id just have to suck it up and give it a try. Are their any essentials I should bring to shower at the gym other than the obvious towel and change of clothes? Thanks for the help.
questions about ymca?
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freakquincy
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I use to go the The YMCA back in my 20's. They had one big shower, plus one shower stall for the shy guys. The communal shower was never a problem, once in a while you'd have someone staring just a bit too long and you'd have to turn around. There were alot of older guys there at the time I went there too but in general they were all very nice. The sauna use to be fun too, was cool to hangout with these older men and hear their stories.
Really depends on the Y.
The one closest to me is brand new and is MUCH nicer than LA Fitness or any of the chain gyms. Separate stalls, separate lockerroom for the kids.
The one downtown has been there since before WWII, and has a gang shower room with steam/sauna/jacuzzi where the custom is to go nude.
The crowd mix really varies by time of day; I live in a military town and there's a lot of young beef before and after work hours. Mid-day, the crowd trends (understandably) older.
The one closest to me is brand new and is MUCH nicer than LA Fitness or any of the chain gyms. Separate stalls, separate lockerroom for the kids.
The one downtown has been there since before WWII, and has a gang shower room with steam/sauna/jacuzzi where the custom is to go nude.
The crowd mix really varies by time of day; I live in a military town and there's a lot of young beef before and after work hours. Mid-day, the crowd trends (understandably) older.
absolutjock
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I had a buddy in college who refused to workout at the university rec center b/c he was a little less developed than a lot of other dudes. Just thin without a lot of definition... But it made him appehensive to workout around jocks who he assumed would look down on him, I guess? I always told him he was crazy... Which he was... But that was his thing, so he went to the YMCA down the street.
I went with him two or three times to help him come up with a system and my observation confirms what you've heard. The mass majority of partrons seemed to be 50+ but my buddy loved it. They were all super nice and chatty. My buddy felt far more comfortable showering there because he immediately jumped from a 5 to a 8 in the company of old men.
I went with him two or three times to help him come up with a system and my observation confirms what you've heard. The mass majority of partrons seemed to be 50+ but my buddy loved it. They were all super nice and chatty. My buddy felt far more comfortable showering there because he immediately jumped from a 5 to a 8 in the company of old men.
It really depends 1) on the Y itself and 2) when you go. I go to the Y regularly and I've seen all ages in the men's locker room (it's for 18+). If I'm off work during the week and go during the day it tends to be older guys (except over lunch) but even then there are usually college age guys or guys who work odd hours. In the morning before work and in the evening after work it's more the 20s to 50s crowd.
My regular Y has 4 shower stalls with curtains and 2 or 3 open showers. A lot of guys use the stalls but don't close the curtain and most guys tend to dry themselves in the drying area. There are a few towel dancers but most guys aren't.
I hadn't showered in public since college (back in the 90s) but I quickly got over any qualms. After a hard workout I don't really care who sees me naked nor do I really care who I might see naked. I'm far more interested in not being gross and sweaty anymore.
My regular Y has 4 shower stalls with curtains and 2 or 3 open showers. A lot of guys use the stalls but don't close the curtain and most guys tend to dry themselves in the drying area. There are a few towel dancers but most guys aren't.
I hadn't showered in public since college (back in the 90s) but I quickly got over any qualms. After a hard workout I don't really care who sees me naked nor do I really care who I might see naked. I'm far more interested in not being gross and sweaty anymore.
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Trevor
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I go to the Y and it is a mix and the age of the guys really depends on what time you go. During the day most guys in there are past retirement age (for obvious reasons). Late afternoons and evenings it is full of teens, as well as kids and guys in their 20s-50s.
Showering with older guys never really bothered me because when I took swimming lessons at the Y when I was a kid I used to shower with men of all ages in the locker room.
Definately carry flip flops to wear in the shower/steam-room. If you walk around barefoot you could catch plantar warts. I always wear gym shorts in the steamroom but some guys go nude.
Showering with older guys never really bothered me because when I took swimming lessons at the Y when I was a kid I used to shower with men of all ages in the locker room.
Definately carry flip flops to wear in the shower/steam-room. If you walk around barefoot you could catch plantar warts. I always wear gym shorts in the steamroom but some guys go nude.
Dude, get beyond your fear of showering with other men. There's nothing more affirming in the world.
As for the age mix, as has been said, do a trial run. But please, don't become one of those guys who has open-shower-phobia. It's ridiculous.
As for the age mix, as has been said, do a trial run. But please, don't become one of those guys who has open-shower-phobia. It's ridiculous.
agree with maestro. I work out at YMCA. It is communal showers but if you're just getting showered and stick to your business its fine. Look, we are all men and all have cocks and balls. no big deal. in fact, I find it affirming (as Maestro says) to be nude with no qualms. Have had some great conversations there with nothing weird going on. I hang heavy soft and am muscled up but there are men of all shapes and sizes. embrace it bro. men have showered nude for ages. re what u need, yes to flip flops and buy a good ole Bike jockstrap. Peace (Good luck w the working out...thats what ur there for anyway bro)
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It often varies from location to location as far as YMCAs go. The one I go to has an open communal shower area, and there is a decent range of guys who go there. Some of the other modern YMCAs that I have gone to have switched over to the separate shower stalls. Personally I like using the communal shower area, but it seems the newer gyms are changing from that.
I took the advice and did a trial run visit early in the morning. After my workout I headed to the locker room and surprisingly there was only one senior guy. Out of the 8 or so guys in there most of them seemed to be in their 30s or 40s. I scoped out the showers on the way to my locker and like most people said it was one big room with shower heads on the sides. I had never really used gym showers so I was a bit nervous. Regardless, I stripped at my locker grabbed my towel and went in. There were two guys probably in their 30s also showering and chatting with each other when I got there. I don't know if its normal for guys to talk while showering, but they were friendly and actually asked me a few questions. Talking with them actually really relaxed me and made me realize that it wasent a big deal to shower and that no one really cared that I was the youngest guy in there by far. Overall it was a big confidence builder and was actually a pretty exhilarating experience! Even though I didn't see any guys my own age im probably going to join cuz I really liked the gym and friendly people.
Good man! See? Don't you feel affirmed? and FIRM?
Yes, it's perfectly normal for men to talk in the shower, tho' often the accused dicks... er.. ACOUSTICS make it difficult to understand.
I have been to dozens of Ys, because I travel for work and go to a Y wherever I can unless the nearest is too far. Most still have communal showers. Even the ones with stalls are pretty relaxed compared to other gyms. In the very early morning and between 5 and 7 there is a wide age range. In the mid morning and later afternoon, much older crowd. The best part of Ys are most people there most if the time are normal and friendly.
I'm terrified of people in their sixties and seventies.
Grey hair is the most awful thing. No, wait. It creeps me out when people are fat. The rolls of fat on them collect moisture and I'm pretty sure there's bacteria in there. It would explain the smell.
I think they just want to prey on my athletic young body and kind of do gross things to me.
Or... wait ...
Actually most men in gyms might be there to work out. It doesn't really matter what kind of body they have ...everyone is there to take positive steps about their health ...the image of toned, muscular young men is mainly there to sell us things anyway, and should be treated as a kind of shared fantasy; an ideal which can be made real for some people but doesn't really need to be made real for everyone ...
We should all be prepared to at least have a quick chat with everyone. Everyone has interesting perspectives and memories. The information and the skills of life need to be shared...
:smile:
Grey hair is the most awful thing. No, wait. It creeps me out when people are fat. The rolls of fat on them collect moisture and I'm pretty sure there's bacteria in there. It would explain the smell.
I think they just want to prey on my athletic young body and kind of do gross things to me.
Or... wait ...
Actually most men in gyms might be there to work out. It doesn't really matter what kind of body they have ...everyone is there to take positive steps about their health ...the image of toned, muscular young men is mainly there to sell us things anyway, and should be treated as a kind of shared fantasy; an ideal which can be made real for some people but doesn't really need to be made real for everyone ...
We should all be prepared to at least have a quick chat with everyone. Everyone has interesting perspectives and memories. The information and the skills of life need to be shared...
:smile:
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