Communal/Gym Changing Rooms: Do they make you feel uncomfortable?

RacoonQueen

Something I've noticed in the gym over the last few years is how uncomfortable some women seem to be in that environment. People will go into the toilet cubicles to get changed which is gross and very annoying. Gym rarely has all four toilets working in the first place never mind having someone blocking them to get changed. :mad: Sometimes find this really funny when someone goes form the changing room to the toilets with clothes in their hand then they come out in a skimpy bikini.

Anyway, why do people feel so uncomfortable in this environment? Is it confidence or just shyness? I just take off my clothes and throw on my togs. I don't stand there starkers or anything but I could stand there drying my hair in my bra with a towel around my waist while someone else hops around on one leg with two towels around them trying to get their pants on and nearly ends up on their snot. That sort of thing and walking through the room with clothes in your hand to go into the loos makes people look up.

Do you feel uncomfortable getting changed at the gym/pool like that?
Does it make you uncomfortable when people just take off their clothes without any hesitation?

Stheno

Generally don't think about it.

I've never noticed people blocking toilets to get changed!

g'em

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Do you feel uncomfortable getting changed at the gym/pool like that?
Does it make you uncomfortable when people just take off their clothes without any hesitation?

I was in a rather posh spa last week (guest passes ftw!) and I found myself covering up slightly, but it was more to save other people from the terrifying sight of my stretch marks and wobbly bits

I suppose I used to have a problem with communal areas, but then I realised that (a) no body is perfect (b) everyone is equally as worried about their wobbly bums as I am and (c) no-one actually looks at anyone else anyway.

I dunno how comfortable I'd be showering naked in a shower area with no partitions, but stripping off and re-clothing is no biggie.

The Big Red Button

Oh it used to seriously annoy me when people in the gym I went to used the loos to get changed!! And, cause they were just out of the shower, it meant the loos would be soaking wet after too. :mad: And I don't see the point of showering, if you're gonna dry off and get dressed after in a small toilet cubicle ... I'd feel like I needed another shower after!

I never had a problem with changing in womens changing rooms. Like I wouldn't stroll around naked for ages or anything, I'd dry off and get dressed straight away after getting out of the shower, but I wouldn't rush myself at the same time, and I never felt self-conscious ... No one looks at each other (as far as I noticed), and the way I'd feel is, so what if they did, anyways? I didn't know anyone in the gym I went to, so I really wasn't bothered.

Stench Blossoms

Communal showers I can't deal with. I'm always paranoid that all eyes are on me.

I'd get dressed in the changing room no bother. Like someone else said I don't stand there starkers, I just get dried, dressed and outta there.

tiny_penguin

I used to be more self conscious when I was younger and funnily enough had a much better body than I do now.

Now while Im not really happy with the way my body is, if im in a changing room i dont really care. Nobody is looking at you and you are much quicker changing if you arent struggling with towels and stuff to try and hide your bits. I wont stand around naked but it just seems silly to bother going to a toilet cubicle to change or to struggle to keep yourself 100% covered.

Nah I'm not particuarly comfortable changing around people. I wouldn't change in the toilet cubicle though, I think that would be more of a workout that being in the gym in the first place. But I would be quite conscious of being naked in front of other people. I have serious body issues (which, to be fair, are settling as I get older), I have stretch marks and cellulite and I have very bad scarring on my boob. I just am not comfortable in my own naked skin and so I will cover up as much as possible when I get changed.

Das Kitty

I read this first as co-ed. I have no idea!

I do think it's pointless to be trying to cover your wobbly and non wobbly bits when getting changed in a communal dressing room. No one is bothered what you look like from my experience.

When I was in Iceland at the Blue Lagoon, there's a rule where you must shower completely naked and use the soap they provide on all areas before entering. It makes sense seeing as the water is at body temperature and how many people use it that they would take precautions like this.

The number of UK and Irish people who would not take their togs off was staggering. They have people checking to make sure you comply and they must be killed asking people to please obey the rule.

I used to be overly body-conscious myself and working to get past it has been more than worthwhile.

RacoonQueen

RacoonQueen wrote: »

People will go into the toilet cubicles to get changed which is gross and very annoying.

Sometimes find this really funny when someone goes form the changing room to the toilets with clothes in their hand then they come out in a skimpy bikini.

...while someone else hops around on one leg with two towels around them trying to get their pants on and nearly ends up on their snot. That sort of thing and walking through the room with clothes in your hand to go into the loos makes people look up.

Do you feel uncomfortable getting changed at the gym/pool like that?

It's no wonder people feel uncomfortable when there are people judging them like that!

A lot of the time I've no problem stripping off. But sometimes if I'm wearing a certain sports bra or swimsuit that's difficult to get out of, or if I'm feeling like a bit of a mess I like to give myself a bit of coverage and on occasion I've popped into a cubicle to do it. Sometimes I'll just do it in one of the private shower cubicles because I'm there anyway but sometimes a toilet one and sometimes just do it in the communal area. It totally depends on the day. I had no idea people were watching and judging me...

My gym has plenty of toilets and showers so I know I can't relate to how annoyed you might be if someone's changing their underwear in there, but other than that I think you're being a bit harsh. Surely people can cover up without being labelled as ridiculous or uncomfortable. Can I ask how it's "gross" to get changed in a cubicle?

BraziliaNZ

Do you think it's an Irish/British thing? Europeans seem to be far more comfortable with nudity, saunas are mixed sex and naked in Germany for e.g.

coffee_cake

I've no problem changing, don't think i'd be into the communal showers though

i did use a private changing cubicle (they had them specifically there) when i was going totally naked under my dressing gown at a spa before a massage, the place seemed so open...
that's it though

RacoonQueen

true-or-false wrote: »

It's no wonder people feel uncomfortable when there are people judging them like that!

A lot of the time I've no problem stripping off. But sometimes if I'm wearing a certain sports bra or swimsuit that's difficult to get out of, or if I'm feeling like a bit of a mess I like to give myself a bit of coverage and on occasion I've popped into a cubicle to do it. Sometimes I'll just do it in one of the private shower cubicles because I'm there anyway but sometimes a toilet one and sometimes just do it in the communal area. It totally depends on the day. I had no idea people were watching and judging me...

My gym has plenty of toilets and showers so I know I can't relate to how annoyed you might be if someone's changing their underwear in there, but other than that I think you're being a bit harsh. Surely people can cover up without being labelled as ridiculous or uncomfortable. Can I ask how it's "gross" to get changed in a cubicle?

Where am I judging anyone?! I'm not judging anyone I'm commenting on behaviours and how you're by trying to stop people looking at them when they're not looking anyway they're attracting attention to themselves.

Where did I label anyone as ridiculous? Where in my post did I say that? Where did I label anyone as anything? I asked were people uncomfortable in that environment, I am assuming the reason for trying to cover up is because they are uncomfortable and questioning if that is the reason.

As to why it's gross, off topic now, but, toilet cubicles are dirty. No matter where you are the general public are filty. Toilet roll on the floor, tampon and sanitary towel wrappers on floors and hanging out of bins, toilets not flushed, wet floors from people out of the shower and pool. Germs - urine and feaces splash out of the toilet when you flush. Why on earthy would you want to put clean clothes on the floor, door or sistren. I'm a bit of an ocd hygiene freak but surely EVERYONE can see how dirty toilet cubicles are/can be. Walls aren't washed, I doubt anything other than the floor, rim of toilet, seat and bowl are cleaned. Gross.

RacoonQueen

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

Do you think it's an Irish/British thing? Europeans seem to be far more comfortable with nudity, saunas are mixed sex and naked in Germany for e.g.

I think so. Which maybe comes down to confidence? I know my mum and sister would never be as comfortable with communal dressing rooms as I would. At the same time if I was getting changed at a race I'd happily change tops, exposing my sports bra, in front of everyone. Men, cameras included. Sports bra covers everything. So no issue.

Have shared hotel rooms with male friends and people find this really weird. I don't understand the difference between sharing a hotel room and sleeping in seperate beds with a male friend compared to a female?

BraziliaNZ

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I think so. Which maybe comes down to confidence? I know my mum and sister would never be as comfortable with communal dressing rooms as I would. At the same time if I was getting changed at a race I'd happily change tops, exposing my sports bra, in front of everyone. Men, cameras included. Sports bra covers everything. So no issue.

Have shared hotel rooms with male friends and people find this really weird. I don't understand the difference between sharing a hotel room and sleeping in seperate beds with a male friend compared to a female?

I've a German friend here and she used to live in Ireland too and is bemused as to how they cover up in the changing rooms, and that most of them don't shower, just go home in their gear. Here in London she's had the sauna in her gym to herself every time she's gone. I used to go out with a different German girl in Dublin and no one on her football team showered afterwards except her! I really don't know why anyone would care what anyone else thinks of them - and when you see people in the changing rooms do you really care what they look like? No!

username123

Ive never noticed people using toilet cubicles to change in, but my gym does have a couple of family changing cubicles that people sometimes nip into to change.

It doesnt bother me one way or the other, tbh I dont be looking around that much as Im changing myself. I certainly couldnt care less who sees me naked or semi naked, but I dont flaunt myself about, I stay in place and change. I do remember one woman who used to stride about naked and rub in cream while getting into some vulgar positions that left nothing to the imagination - but she was an exception!

There would be very very few skimpy bikinis in the gym I go to, mostly sports swimwear so cant say Ive ever noticed that.

What I do find absolutely disgusting, cringy and uncomfortable is the amount of people who walk around barefoot in the changing rooms. Mostly younger people, yeuch!

Princess Peach

In my old gym the showers had walls between them, but no curtain on the front, so if you faced out you would see the person opposite you, but really everyone just used to face in. I showered naked, cause nobody was looking at me. Only time I ever felt uncomfortable was two girls who were friends came in, one went next to me, the other opposite me. They both wore bikinis and faced out to chat to each other. So the girl directly opposite me was facing me! Bitta etiquette like! Wasn't that big of a deal though!

Asked my sister to come before and she said she couldn't because there were no shower curtains. I said shower in your suit so, she said she couldn't risk seeing other ladies Can't understand women who shower in their Speedos, how do you even get clean?

And I'm fine in the dressing room too. Everyone usually just faces into their locker, nobody is parading around naked! I feel comfortable because I have learned nobody is looking at you! In that gym there was only one changing room, and it was for wheelchair use, and it was the baby changing room. Annoyed me when girls would go in there and spend ages. Only time I feel uncomfortable in changing rooms is when there are little kids around from swimming, they do tend to look!

I've been in communal showers too with no partitions, just tend to wear a bikini bottoms, mostly cause everyone else does.

I find the shy people usually tend to be younger girls, and often are with a friend! I was like that when younger, just got over it though!

username123

Princess Peach wrote: »

Can't understand women who shower in their Speedos, how do you even get clean?

I dont use the shower after the pool to 'get clean'. If Im not clean after being in chlorinated water for over an hour then nothing can make me clean!!! I just go in to rinse off the chlorine. I do take off my swimsuit in there, doors or no doors, but a lot of women dont. Its not really a hygiene thing after the pool though, its just rinsing off chemicals.

Novella

Nah, I don't feel uncomfortable changing at the gym. I know nobody is standing there looking at me as they're too busy getting changed themselves so it doesn't bother me at all.

miamee

Like someone said earlier, I read the title and instead of thinking communal I was thinking unisex - a bit different

When I was a member of a gym, I had no problem changing or drying off in the communal changing room.

I remember when some clothes shops (definitely Penneys anyway) used to have communal fitting rooms and my mother would never use them, she'd be mortified! You'd just walk into the changing rooms and *surprise* there'd be about twenty people in various states of undress vying for some mirror space! But on a similar note, fitting rooms/cubicles that are directly facing into the shop with a flimsy curtain I find really awkward and wouldn't use them. On a couple of occasions I have been in a ladies changing room but heard a man's voice outside (why do women bring the hubbies/fellas into the changing room area?!) and the thought of a strange man just on the other side of the curtain and me with all me wobbly bits out kinda freaks me - I'd just leave the stuff and not bother trying on any more.

Kooli

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Anyway, why do people feel so uncomfortable in this environment? Is it confidence or just shyness?

Do you feel uncomfortable getting changed at the gym/pool like that?
Does it make you uncomfortable when people just take off their clothes without any hesitation?

I'd say for some it's about lack of body confidence.

I'd say for others it's just personal boundaries around who gets to see their naked body, and who else's naked body they must look at.

daenerysstormborn3

Communal changing rooms don't bother me but women who are too free and open do bother me. You know the ones, they spend 20 minutes drying their hair in front of the mirror in the middle of the changing rooms completely naked or you're sitting on a bench lacing up your trainers and they're bending down at all kinds of angles sticking their bums and whatnot in your face moisturising every inch of themselves.

Nothing worse than being in the showers (last gym I was in had open showers) and you make eye contact with someone and you smile politely, while standing there starkers under the water :P

Agree with Princess Peach, I don't understand women who shower with their swimming gear on. I assume they just have a quick spritz under the shower and then shower properly when they get home.

BraziliaNZ

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

I used to go out with a different German girl in Dublin and no one on her football team showered afterwards except her! I really don't know why anyone would care what anyone else thinks of them

Well I get this tbh. If I'm going straight home I wouldn't be arsed showering in the gym. It saves me packing a bag to bring with me, all my toiletries, hairbrush, hairdryer etc are at home so it's so much easier to just head home and hop in your own shower.

Princess Peach

Deleted User wrote: »

Well I get this tbh. If I'm going straight home I wouldn't be arsed showering in the gym. It saves me packing a bag to bring with me, all my toiletries, hairbrush, hairdryer etc are at home so it's so much easier to just head home and hop in your own shower.

I always shower at the gym cause I don't have a car. Very easy to hop in a car sweaty and head home to your nice shower!

People I've seen shower in their swimsuit though and wash their hair and everything, so they are taking a proper shower and not just rinsing off the chlorine. A bikini is easy enough to maneuver around to wash but not a speedo! I've seen people not even go to the pool but change into a swim suit for the shower.

Malari

Princess Peach wrote: »

I always shower at the gym cause I don't have a car. Very easy to hop in a car sweaty and head home to your nice shower!

I'd usually shower at home because I'd have cycled home when I used the gym regularly. I wouldn't want to get all sweaty into my clean car.

Stepping Stone

There isn't a hope in hell that I would shower in the gym. It is a one way ticket to foot rot in my book. I actually had to stop my boyfriend from doing it because he constantly had fungal infections/ bacterial infections and veruccas. Since I stopped it, he has been clear, thank god. I used to spend hours cleaning the shower after his disgusting feet.

Changing I don't mind though. That said, the gym that I go to has a few German women who come in and hang around naked, talking. It just bothers me that as I am changing, I end up at crotch eye-level. I wouldn't mind it if they were actually doing something, but ten mins of hanging around chatting drives me crazy (takes a while to change cos my feet touch nothing unless they are in shoes. Crazy, I know. :eek:

coffee_cake

Deleted User wrote: »

Well I get this tbh. If I'm going straight home I wouldn't be arsed showering in the gym. It saves me packing a bag to bring with me, all my toiletries, hairbrush, hairdryer etc are at home so it's so much easier to just head home and hop in your own shower.

this and being home is way more hygenic and comfy and nice
i WILL say that the showers in the glenroyal gym are kick ass so i had no problem with those ones
but the ones in another gym i was at, eh, no thanks

Malari

Stepping Stone wrote: »

There isn't a hope in hell that I would shower in the gym. It is a one way ticket to foot rot in my book. I actually had to stop my boyfriend from doing it because he constantly had fungal infections/ bacterial infections and veruccas. Since I stopped it, he has been clear, thank god. I used to spend hours cleaning the shower after his disgusting feet.

Changing I don't mind though. That said, the gym that I go to has a few German women who come in and hang around naked, talking. It just bothers me that as I am changing, I end up at crotch eye-level. I wouldn't mind it if they were actually doing something, but ten mins of hanging around chatting drives me crazy (takes a while to change cos my feet touch nothing unless they are in shoes. Crazy, I know. :eek:

Not if you wear flip-flops, surely? :eek:

Lia_lia

Haha, was going to make a thread on this topic myself. I always kinda laugh to myself (in my head...not out loud!) at people who take about 15 mins getting dressed because they hide under their towels. I mean really, who cares. We all have the same bits/whatever. You'd just be drawing more attention to yourself if you make a big deal about trying to cover yourself up.

And the getting changed in toilets thing is just disgusting.

Always shower at the gym too, I get too sweaty! And I'm one of these people that takes 2 minute showers. Don't really care about home comforts.

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

Do you think it's an Irish/British thing? Europeans seem to be far more comfortable with nudity, saunas are mixed sex and naked in Germany for e.g.

Yes, it is! I lived in France during my childhood and everyone roams around naked in the changing rooms there. No one cares.


I remember I was at a music festival in Denmark a few years ago where the showers were communal. About 15 girls would be in one large shower at a time and you had to queue for them naked too because there was nowhere to put your towel inside! Didn't bother me. The (Irish) girls that I was there with would only go in wearing bikinis They were the only ones I saw wearing bikinis the whole weekend! I mean surely if everyone else was naked you wouldn't care?!

Also, I used to work in a leisure centre in a hotel and you'd often have (usually non-Irish) people complaining that others were getting changed in toilet cubicles. We even had a sign up saying that you are not allowed get changed in the toilets.


I dunno. Are Irish people just too prudish or is it a confidence thing?

Stepping Stone

Malari wrote: »

Not if you wear flip-flops, surely? :eek:

Not a hope. Too worried about splashes and my flip flops contaminating everything else. Seriously, feet really bother me.

username123

Princess Peach wrote: »

People I've seen shower in their swimsuit though and wash their hair and everything, so they are taking a proper shower and not just rinsing off the chlorine. A bikini is easy enough to maneuver around to wash but not a speedo! I've seen people not even go to the pool but change into a swim suit for the shower.

Well thats just weird! I certainly go and rinse but I rarely shower 'properly' at the gym - Id have to bring far too much stuff, for me the bathroom routine includes sitting with conditioner in for a while, shaving, exfoliating etc... I could manage a quick wash if I wasnt washing my hair, but generally I swim at the gym so just rinse.

Just on the foot rot - some people are just more prone. Ive never had athletes foot, ever. My hubby gets it now and again though. Its not from showering in the gym, he used to get it more when he didnt shower in the gym!!

username123

Stepping Stone wrote: »

Not a hope. Too worried about splashes and my flip flops contaminating everything else. Seriously, feet really bother me.

Fungal foot problems etc are the domain of wet damp feet and places. So long as you let your flip flops dry properly and periodically spray them with a bit of anti fungal spray and dry your feet properly you shouldnt have an issue.

Mind you, I am a bit paranoid and never let my feet touch anything in the gym either