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gym etiquette

Old 03-05-14, 11:16 PM
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Add me to the list of those who view nudity as normal in a locker room. If sitting on a wet bench is an issue to you, use your towel. But, don't neccessarily expect others to adopt your method.

If you really want to talk about 'interesting' locker room behavior. I live in a neighbourhood with a significant chinese immigrant population. I've yet to adjust to their habit of, one man standing on the bench while anothe man "methodically" dries the first. The first time I witnessed this I presumed the two were 'partners'. But, I've since seen it frequently enough and between fathers and sons and believe it to simply be a cultural difference.

If this isn't the case, please, please, don't destroy my illussion.
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Old 03-05-14, 11:33 PM
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Originally Posted by bigfred
Add me to the list of those who view nudity as normal in a locker room. If sitting on a wet bench is an issue to you, use your towel. But, don't neccessarily expect others to adopt your method.

If you really want to talk about 'interesting' locker room behavior. I live in a neighbourhood with a significant chinese immigrant population. I've yet to adjust to their habit of, one man standing on the bench while anothe man "methodically" dries the first. The first time I witnessed this I presumed the two were 'partners'. But, I've since seen it frequently enough and between fathers and sons and believe it to simply be a cultural difference.

If this isn't the case, please, please, don't destroy my illussion.
Differences in Chinese etiquette, the toddler toilet training edition:



Yes those are crotchless pants and the "toilet" is a public sidewalk.

By the way, I have no issue with naked in the locker room. It's naked in the pool that's hard to me to fathom.

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Old 03-06-14, 01:09 AM
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Some of you people need to go to Japan and visit an onsen ... or maybe not. You'd probably be too shocked.
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Old 03-06-14, 06:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Machka
Some of you people need to go to Japan and visit an onsen ... or maybe not. You'd probably be too shocked.
Lol, there is a large Korean population in LA. One of my former interns (very American but of Korean descent) was telling me about the Korean bathhouses in LA. She still went every week with her family for a good scrub down by the bath house ladies (which apparently is a thorough but not exactly pleasant experience) and she invited me to come along and give it a try. I think these Korean baths are like the Japanese baths. Lol, I did not go, thinking a bit literally something like "no thanks, I can just shower in 10 minutes at home". But maybe I should have, just for the experience. No one has invited me to a Korean bath house since, now I realize it was a missed opportunity.

Still that's very different from swimming laps naked.

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Old 03-06-14, 07:09 AM
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The onsens are a little bit different from that ... at least the one that we went to. There is the shower/bathing area, and then a series of warm-to-hot pools in which you can sit or swim a little bit, although they are fairly small. You move from one pool to the next, with perhaps a bit of a "dip" in a cool water area in between.

The only thing you have with you is a small washcloth, which you use to sort of cover yourself when you go from one pool to the next, and which you fold and place on your head when you're in the pool. No bathing suits of any sort.
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Old 03-06-14, 07:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Machka
The onsens are a little bit different from that ... at least the one that we went to. There is the shower/bathing area, and then a series of warm-to-hot pools in which you can sit or swim a little bit, although they are fairly small. You move from one pool to the next, with perhaps a bit of a "dip" in a cool water area in between.

The only thing you have with you is a small washcloth, which you use to sort of cover yourself when you go from one pool to the next, and which you fold and place on your head when you're in the pool. No bathing suits of any sort.
Apparently in these Korean bath houses, if I recall correctly from what she told me, you go in, disrobe, shower on your own, then visit a series of baths of different temps and saunas, showering again in between each place you visit. You are given a towel and a locker to keep it in, I'm not sure if the towel travels around with you but it's certainly not for wearing. At some point in the process you go get your scrub down, which is a very abrasive process, then they oil you up. A massage is optional for more $ but not for anyone with tender sensibilities. I got the impression that this was an all-afternoon family activity, although the naked places are segregated by sex. Bathing suits are strictly forbidden.

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Old 03-06-14, 07:45 AM
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
anyone want to share what they think are the basics in gym locker/dressing/shower etiquette?
My gym is too disgusting to take a shower in but as long as there's not excessive meatgazing, I don't care if others walk around naked. I don't socialize with naked guys though so if you want to chat about the weather, cover up.
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Old 03-06-14, 07:52 AM
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I personally subscribe to the use a towel when walking and sitting. Really I don't care either way. However my biggest pet peeve is people who don't shower prior to the pool. Perfume and cologne doesn't taste good. Running into it oozing across the surface when you go to breathe drives me crazy!
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Old 03-06-14, 08:29 AM
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re: washcloth on head

that's really interesting. at one of my last gyms, there was a very large pool, rarely used for laps, lots of soaking, and a very large hot whirlpool with real powerfull water jets. that was great and I used that a lot after my workouts. eventually I would start swimming single laps. but what struck me was that there were a couple of older Asian women who would wear a washcloth on their head. I could never discern the purpose of it. maybe they did it out of habit from back home ...?
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Old 03-06-14, 08:57 AM
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Originally Posted by RPK79
You could always try to compliment their genitals in an attempt to get them to cover them up around you. This might backfire though...
do the opposite just point at their genitals and start laughing
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Old 03-06-14, 09:24 AM
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Or just carry on about your day like an adult. That's always an option.
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Old 03-06-14, 09:30 AM
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Originally Posted by caloso
Or just carry on about your day like an adult. That's always an option.
No it isn't!
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Old 03-06-14, 10:32 AM
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Originally Posted by caloso
Or just carry on about your day like an adult. That's always an option.
well that's what I do of course, but I miss when the gym was unpopular and not so crowded. they're still installing new equipment and one of the guys I see a lot already said they took away his favorite machine. hope they keep mine ...
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Old 03-06-14, 10:35 AM
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
well that's what I do of course, but I miss when the gym was unpopular and not so crowded. they're still installing new equipment and one of the guys I see a lot already said they took away his favorite machine. hope they keep mine ...
You would have missed it more when they closed the doors.
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Old 03-06-14, 12:49 PM
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haha yeah good point
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Old 03-06-14, 04:02 PM
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I enjoyed hamams in Turkey. They are public baths. In the west, we do not know the meaning of luxury. It takes most of the afternoon, what with tea and all. A 10 minute shower? Surely that is only for the poor who must rush off to their forced labor?

They rent you 2 towels, one to hide the lower body, one to dry off with. They do the entire washing process wearing the lower towel. It is great fun to sit in a large warm beautiful dome with suffused natural lighting and wash yourself in the company of 30 or so other men. It's a social experience even if you can't speak the language.

Being a patriarchal culture, at least when I was there women only got the hamam one day a week.
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Old 03-06-14, 04:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Carbonfiberboy
I enjoyed hamams in Turkey. They are public baths. In the west, we do not know the meaning of luxury. It takes most of the afternoon, what with tea and all. A 10 minute shower? Surely that is only for the poor who must rush off to their forced labor?

They rent you 2 towels, one to hide the lower body, one to dry off with. They do the entire washing process wearing the lower towel. It is great fun to sit in a large warm beautiful dome with suffused natural lighting and wash yourself in the company of 30 or so other men. It's a social experience even if you can't speak the language.

Being a patriarchal culture, at least when I was there women only got the hamam one day a week.
Lol, I'm pretty sure I know the meaning of luxury.

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Old 03-06-14, 09:47 PM
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My o my what is the world coming to? Etiquette on nudity in a gym locker room? Never heard of such a thing. Frankly it is a bit weird.

Like others, when I learned to swim it was in a gender separated clothing not permitted environment. Even today except for the handicap showers they are all in open, communal area. Nudity is normal.

On the other hand some of the things mentioned are hygiene. Certainly towels or clothes are appropriate when touching common things.
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Old 03-06-14, 09:56 PM
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On the other hand some folks make think there needs to be a Gym Users License.

I've had someone sit on the other end of the bench while I was using dumbells. People who walk within a foot or two while I'm lifting. People who don't put their stuff away. People who monopolize equipment they aren't using. On and on.
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Old 03-12-14, 04:50 AM
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I guess every gym is different. At mine a good number of people don't bother to cover up on the way to and from the shower. And I might add that there are large (8'x20') hot tubs in both the mens and womens areas, and it is normal for the guys to go in naked. But you also see people on their way back from the swimming pool who get in the hot tub with a swim suit.

But people just sitting around tend to cover up (when I am there really early in the morning (6AM), sometimes I find people sound asleep on benches in the room where the hot tub is, and they are covered up).

A week or so ago, there was a sign on the hot tub that reminded people to shower before entering the hot tub in accordance with health department rules. I shudder to think what it was that prompted them to put that sign up.
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Old 03-12-14, 09:23 AM
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Originally Posted by ericy
A week or so ago, there was a sign on the hot tub that reminded people to shower before entering the hot tub in accordance with health department rules. I shudder to think what it was that prompted them to put that sign up.
My gym also has hot tubs in the men's and women's locker room areas. The locker rooms are restricted to 14 years and older, so there shouldn't be any little kids in the hot tubs. A couple of months ago the women's hot tub was closed because there was poop in it. It was found late at night so it was very unlikely that someone had snuck a small child in to use the hot tub.
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Old 03-12-14, 09:41 AM
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At my gym I tell them I'm transgendered, and I insist upon using the women's lockers and showers, especially when there are a lot of pretty coeds working out.

Those backwoods gapped tooth hillbillies just aren't enlightened and tolerant enough yet. I think I'll sue them.
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Old 03-13-14, 05:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Dudelsack
At my gym I tell them I'm transgendered, and I insist upon using the women's lockers and showers, especially when there are a lot of pretty coeds working out.

Those backwoods gapped tooth hillbillies just aren't enlightened and tolerant enough yet. I think I'll sue them.
Hopefully it'll make you feel better to know that you're not the only one out there:

Transgender athlete sues CrossFit for banning her from competing as female
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Old 03-13-14, 07:16 AM
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interesting story and problem. biological man wants to compete with biological women. why are sports separated by gender? maybe they should be separated by performance level like there are different levels in bike racing (CAT 1, CAT 2, etc). who cares about gender if you can place within a certain performance level ...
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