Exercise restraint

[nordic son]

While on a trip I read an article in the Des Moines Register and Tribune by Billy Cox taken from Florida Today entitled "Exercise restraint" in the Monday, January 2 edition. It is mainly an article about "etiquette" in gyms. Now much of the information is taken from female Florida gym owners, so the content isn't local to Iowa. But here are some curious quotes from these gym "etiquette" mavens.
"Don't glare at naked people (in the changing room) no matter how ugly, deformed or unnaturally fit their bodies are. And whatever you do, don't strut around naked yourself. There are places specifically designed for that kind of behavior."

Now I agree that glaring is unseemly and somewhat rude, but the idea that one can't walk to and from the shower nude is rather foolish. These instructions appear contradictory if one is going to the gym for self improvement to always be " decent" to cover themselves from any view of a passer-by. And I have never witnessed a "strut" in the changing room! A simple walk is the usual gait most persons use when moving from the shower to their locker and vice versa. I think everyone has their own comfort zone about their body and whether or not in a club locker room they chose to walk nude or with a towel is certainly their choice, but to reprimand anyone for walking nude seems rather severe. Also, what if you were to shower in an open shower room that is common to many older clubs in the U.S. Would you have to hover facing the wall and never turn around moving sideways along the wall to retrive your towel? Now in many clubs, showers are arranged so that they have a curtain or a configuration that allows privacy while showering. I have experienced all these descriptions of showers from a national chain and am now comfortable in any situation. At one time I wouldn't have been, but have made the choice to realize my body doesn't share all of who I am and is just a body.

Another quote: "If women can't go topless in gyms, neither can guys who want to showcase their rippled abs. Save it for the beach. If you like ending your workouts in liberating nakedness amid boiling steam, move to Europe. Most health clubs, even those that segregate steam rooms by gender, don't cotton to nudes."

Now I have been in two health clubs that had gender segregated steam rooms, and nudes were in both places! Why would anyone reprimand someone for enjoying the experience by insisting they be clothed! Both were just outside the shower room and people repeatedly alternated from the shower to the steam room. These self proclaimed "etiquette experts" want to inhibit simple nudity in places where it could seem logical to be nude even to the general population. It raised my ire just a bit that they were being so picky about something that should be a non-issue with most individuals. I suppose standing in front of my locker nude wouldn't be allowed in these Florida clubs while I apply anti-perspirant. It strikes me as an oxymoron that the issue of nudity in the locker room was so important that it was mentioned twice in this feature article. I determine these mavens are the ones with the hangups over seeing the human body unclothed in situations where it should occur logically.

By going to the gym in whatever state of fitness we are, I think most of us are trying to improve our bodies to in some way "look" better. Whether any of us reach beauty or definition isn't important--trying is. By the way, why is it so many locker rooms have so many mirrors? Oops, I bet mirrors aren't allowed in those Florida clubs. Forgive me, I am not picking on Florida, just those "mavens" who managed to get quoted in the press.

[nordic son]

While on a trip I read an article in the Des Moines Register and Tribune by Billy Cox taken from Florida Today entitled "Exercise restraint" in the Monday, January 2 edition. It is mainly an article about "etiquette" in gyms. Now much of the information is taken from female Florida gym owners, so the content isn't local to Iowa. But here are some curious quotes from these gym "etiquette" mavens.
"Don't glare at naked people (in the changing room) no matter how ugly, deformed or unnaturally fit their bodies are. And whatever you do, don't strut around naked yourself. There are places specifically designed for that kind of behavior."

Now I agree that glaring is unseemly and somewhat rude, but the idea that one can't walk to and from the shower nude is rather foolish. These instructions appear contradictory if one is going to the gym for self improvement to always be " decent" to cover themselves from any view of a passer-by. And I have never witnessed a "strut" in the changing room! A simple walk is the usual gait most persons use when moving from the shower to their locker and vice versa. I think everyone has their own comfort zone about their body and whether or not in a club locker room they chose to walk nude or with a towel is certainly their choice, but to reprimand anyone for walking nude seems rather severe. Also, what if you were to shower in an open shower room that is common to many older clubs in the U.S. Would you have to hover facing the wall and never turn around moving sideways along the wall to retrive your towel? Now in many clubs, showers are arranged so that they have a curtain or a configuration that allows privacy while showering. I have experienced all these descriptions of showers from a national chain and am now comfortable in any situation. At one time I wouldn't have been, but have made the choice to realize my body doesn't share all of who I am and is just a body.

Another quote: "If women can't go topless in gyms, neither can guys who want to showcase their rippled abs. Save it for the beach. If you like ending your workouts in liberating nakedness amid boiling steam, move to Europe. Most health clubs, even those that segregate steam rooms by gender, don't cotton to nudes."

Now I have been in two health clubs that had gender segregated steam rooms, and nudes were in both places! Why would anyone reprimand someone for enjoying the experience by insisting they be clothed! Both were just outside the shower room and people repeatedly alternated from the shower to the steam room. These self proclaimed "etiquette experts" want to inhibit simple nudity in places where it could seem logical to be nude even to the general population. It raised my ire just a bit that they were being so picky about something that should be a non-issue with most individuals. I suppose standing in front of my locker nude wouldn't be allowed in these Florida clubs while I apply anti-perspirant. It strikes me as an oxymoron that the issue of nudity in the locker room was so important that it was mentioned twice in this feature article. I determine these mavens are the ones with the hangups over seeing the human body unclothed in situations where it should occur logically.

By going to the gym in whatever state of fitness we are, I think most of us are trying to improve our bodies to in some way "look" better. Whether any of us reach beauty or definition isn't important--trying is. By the way, why is it so many locker rooms have so many mirrors? Oops, I bet mirrors aren't allowed in those Florida clubs. Forgive me, I am not picking on Florida, just those "mavens" who managed to get quoted in the press.

[MJ_KC]

If I was a member at one of these clubs, I would cancel my membership and let them know why. These people are nuts.

[ncnudlady]

Fruit bats yes sound like fruit bats.

I have never seen any 'struting' either and have seen most everyone at my gym nude, at least the females, in the lockers or the sauna.

These experts on decorum need a lesson in decorum.

[nudeM]

I agree in that people should cancel their memberships due to stupid rules. Everyplace that I have been, there have been males who were nude before, during and after showers. Being a males only locker room, there wasn't any problems. There were even those who were conversating, both parties nude. No big deal. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/smoking.gif

[DenitaLC]

Funny you should post this...it's become a pet peeve of mine with the way a large percentage of woman conduct themselves in my local gym's locker room. Everyone is entitled to their privacy and own comfort level but it just seems silly when a grown woman feels the need to take up space in a curtained shower, just to change out of site of others. That or hide behind their towel and try to dress underneath it. I could care less what they look like, I'm not even going to glance but the extreme measures taken to remain hidden from "others" is so overboard that it does tend to draw ones attention. (Hey, it is a single sex locker room after all, get over it!) My gym requires you wear a swim suit into the sauna too....what a PITA. I think a towel would suffice.

I've never let my daughter act this way in such surroundings. I simply have told her, change your clothes and be done with it. No big deal!
She was one of the few girls that would change into her shorts and shirt in the open locker room for volleyball...the others would all line up to use a bathroom stall. Modesty has its place but talk about overboard!

Thanks for letting me vent! :-)
Dee

[naturalmanwa]

I would be careful joining a club and think it best to tour the club and ask questions before laying money down to join. I think it is ridiculous to have those type of rules about clothing and I will NOT move to Europe! I am an American citizen and taxpayer! Those people who are prudes that require things that make the human body appear "indecent" need to get a life.

[DenitaLC]

Hi neighbor! :-)

[Rabid_Clam]

we all have deformaties about our bodies, just some are more pronounced than others.

Those who glare and stare at those because of these deformaties are in dire need of psychological help. We all are curious, and a certain amount of 'second take' glance would not be inappropriate but even the less of that the better where it makes the recipient feel less uncomfortable.

Is best to treat them as you would any other person. The same goes with the other end of the spectrum, those who are 'magnificant' also need be treated with the same equality as anyone else. After all, we are all the same in the dark/

I have a deformaty of my left leg from being crushed after crashing my plane in an attempt to land during the war. Mostly scars and a limp is all one sees now. I expect people to be curious of my massive scars, accept that but don't expect anyone to make a festival of staring at me or it. It has happened but I ignore it, and possibly the person if it presists! Life goes on!

[Ben_m]

I'll admit to sensing a certain attitude toward this end at my gym also, so I'm not all that surprised that somebody would write it down like that. (okay, so it doesn't really take a rocket scientist to "sense this attitude" as I've been screamed at with comments like "put on a shirt", or "if you continue to be naked in the locker room like that, you're going to get sued").

It's a pretty sad world we live in sometimes (and I'd start writing a book about why that is in this context, so I won't start), and so far the unfounded threats haven't amounted to anything, so I continue to run at the gym shirt-free and am very open and care-free (nudity-wise) in the locker room. When/if something official happens to end that, my membership at the gym will end.

[MJ_KC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ben_m:
"if you continue to be naked in the locker room like that, you're going to get sued" </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Who would be stupid enough to make that comment?

[Ben_m]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by MJ_KC:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ben_m:
"if you continue to be naked in the locker room like that, you're going to get sued" </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Who would be stupid enough to make that comment? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>A young 20-something year old that had presumably been taught all of his life that to be nude in the presence of minors (evidently INCLUDING same sex locker rooms) constitutes "child sex abuse". Like I said, we live in a pretty sad state of affairs in some ways.

[Boreas]

This is an interesting thread. It is also sad.

I live in a fairly small remote town. There is a very nice indoor swimming pool here. I had noticed that women in the change rooms went to great lengths to NOT show any more flesh than is necessary. Some use the bathroom stalls to change. I had thought it had something to do with this town.

Apparently I was wrong. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/sad3.gif

[DenitaLC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Still_Boreas:
This is an interesting thread. It is also sad.

I live in a fairly small remote town. There is a very nice indoor swimming pool here. I had noticed that women in the change rooms went to great lengths to NOT show any more flesh than is necessary. Some use the bathroom stalls to change. I had thought it had something to do with this town.

Apparently I was wrong. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/sad3.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You are right, it is sad. And it continues to reinforce the old steriotype that nudity is something to be embarrassed by and shunned.

Glad that I've taught my kids how silly it is to try and hide behind a towel!

:-)

[Swimguy]

I seem to have had very different experiences in the gym than most of you who have posted. Never have I witnessed anyone having a problem with others who are naked in the locker rooms. The people who frequent the gyms I have attended seem to understand that they will encounter nudity in the locker rooms.

[Ben_m]

Well, to be fair, it varies, greatly, from day to day, and seemingly sometimes even hour to hour. There are days that I find a person or two that's more open than me in the locker room (or gym more generally) - it's rare, but it happens. I only shared "one side of the story" in my previous comments. Most days are somewhere in the middle, with nobody seeming to care much one way or the other. I don't remember any negative comments in the past year, or so, although I do remember joking with one or two about the silly private changing stalls that they took up most of the locker space with. Of course I also remember the rather childish nature of the high school swim teams and such that have come in on occasion and how they too often behave in/around the locker room and/or in/around those changing stalls http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/rolleyes2.gif