Help Needed: UK Gym Showers and Changing Room Etiquette

[yumyumRaywing]

Hi everyone,

I need to go to the gym for showers, as our bathroom will be unavailable for a couple of weeks due to renovations.

I've been to a swimming pool once in the UK and was quite shocked by how different it was compared to what I'm used to in my home country. For instance, the changing room was not divided by gender, and the shower area was completely open. Towels were not provided either. I remember feeling quite disoriented and ended up wearing my clothes on top of my wet swimsuit because I didn't know how to navigate the unfamiliar setup.

This time, I'm considering going to a different gym and have a few questions:

1. Is it uncommon for gyms in the UK to have gender-specific changing rooms?
2. How can I find out if the gym showers are partitioned before committing to a membership?
3. In shared changing rooms, how does one go about showering? Do you go in fully clothed, shower, and then manage to dress again while still in the shower area?
4. Do I need to bring my own shampoo, body wash, and shower towel?
5. I remember that using lockers was a bit different, but I can't recall the specifics as I was quite shocked last time. Could you explain what to expect?
6. Are there any other etiquette norms or things I should be aware of?

I know these questions might seem a bit odd, but it seems like one of those things that people just "know" and never discuss online. As I don't have any friends nearby to ask, I would really appreciate any guidance you could provide.

Thank you!

1. This depends on the facility in question.
2. The facility should be happy to show you around
3. All the ones I know of have a shower area, an area with lockers and individual changing rooms. When you arrive you go to a changing room, get into swimsuit, put stuff in locker. When you are finished you shower, keeping your swimsuit on. Then you get your stuff and go into a changing cubicle to dry and get dressed.
4. Usually you do. They will generally have some sort of multi purpose body wash/shampoo but that's not guaranteed. Some places will hire you a towel. Generally only posh spa type places will provide a towel.
5. Some places give you a key with an elastic or pin to attach it to your wrist or swimming costume. Some places have the keys in the lockers but you need a pound coin or shopping trolley token to be able to use the locker. Some allow you to program in your own code. The facility should be able to advise.
6. Don't cover the floor with talcum powder!

1. Better You gyms have gender specific changing rooms. I'd say more have them. Maybe newer ones don't, as it does save space. Also council/local authorities tend to be one room with individual cubicles.
2. You can also just call them, it's not an unusual question.
3. Same as above. Some do have cubicles. If lockable I usually pull the top half of my costume down.
4. Haha yes
5. Same as above
6. Wear flip-flops if you prefer. The hairdryers are universally shit. Take a plastic bag for wet stuff.

• Is it uncommon for gyms in the UK to have gender-specific changing rooms?
I'd say separate changing for men and women is the norm but my local swimming pool just has mixed cubicles for everyone.

1. How can I find out if the gym showers are partitioned before committing to a membership?

Ask this question or ask for a tour

1. In shared changing rooms, how does one go about showering? Do you go in fully clothed, shower, and then manage to dress again while still in the shower area?

I. The swimming pool I mentioned showers are poolside and people just rinse off in the swimwear, then get changed in a cubicle.

1. Do I need to bring my own shampoo, body wash, and shower towel?

It depends on the establishment. At Council run facilities you generally need to take everything. Higher end places will usually provide towels and might have some toiletries in the showers

1. I remember that using lockers was a bit different, but I can't recall the specifics as I was quite shocked last time. Could you explain what to expect?

This differs from establishment to establishment. Some require coins, for some you need your own padlock.

1. Are there any other etiquette norms or things I should be aware of?

Brits are fairly prudish so parading around naked would stand out

Our gym still has separate changing rooms/showers. It has never provided towels (not posh enough 😂)

I'd just ring up various gyms and ask what the set up is.

It's sex not gender.

My gym is completely separated by sex. Individual shower cubicles and changing rooms for male and female only.

Local swimming pool I couldn't tell you though it really depends on the facility. They're all different.

Surely you need to ask at the specific pool
You'll be using? They are all different.

It varies! I think most private gyms will have separate changing and probably individual lockable shower cubicles. If I hadn't already been swimming I would change in a changing cubicle, wrap a huge towel around myself, put everything back in the locker, shower, towel back round myself, grab bag out of locker and get changed.
At the "council" leisure centre it's individual changing rooms for the "dry changing" for the gym / classes with shower cubicles but the changing area is fully communal. In the swimming changing it's mixed sex and communal showers so you need to keep your cossie on while showering. I've never felt it was an issue though as the cubicles lock and I've never heard of any issues.
So basically if it's a concern to you, you need to ask!!

It's normal for changing rooms to be single- sex but some have family areas too.

Facilities will vary, most places will let you come and have a look as a prospective member.

It is normal to wear your towel to go to and from the the shower cubicle and either change discreetly by your locker or go to an individual cubicle to dress.

Are you actually planning on going to the pool or just gym?

Our pool has open showers by the poolside, mixed changing but with individual cubicles. You have to keep your costume on to shower so if you don't have a shower at home maybe not ideal.

I am a member of a cheap chained gym (PureGym) where there is separate sex changing as well as an accessible area open to either sex. The female changing area has separate shower cubicles which are spacious and there is also one cubicle in the 'dry' area to change in so if you wanted to be private you can be although most women will change in the open area.

No towels or shampoo etc though.

It’s all subjective, my v expensive gym has a spa so has separate changing rooms, towels, shampoo, conditioner, oils and creams, hairdryers, straighteners, fruit and nuts.
Shop around, ask for a tour including changing.

Every pool is different, you can tour them in advance or just ask at desk/on phone.

1. Is it uncommon for gyms in the UK to have gender-specific changing rooms?
What do you expect families to do, dads with daughters or mums with sons, otherwise?

2. How can I find out if the gym showers are partitioned before committing to a membership?
Phone them? Ask for a tour, they all give tours before you pay for membership. And ask then. Ask them if you bring own lock or need a pound coin.

3. In shared changing rooms, how does one go about showering? Do you go in fully clothed, shower, and then manage to dress again while still in the shower area?
Is nude showering the norm where you're from?
Most places have some private cubicles for showering. You'd be expected to exit the cubicle not nude.

4. Do I need to bring my own shampoo, body wash, and shower towel?

Where are you from that all that would be provided as part of membership or swim session fee. I've managed to attend public pools in France, USA, Iceland, UK (obs)... so none of them.

5. I remember that using lockers was a bit different, but I can't recall the specifics as I was quite shocked last time. Could you explain what to expect?

In most countries you bring your own lock (definitely USA). In UK there are lots of pound-coin operated lockers (you get pound back when you open up). Sometimes you can pay a deposit for a key, return key & get your deposit back. Many people in many places bring their bag of stuff somewhere poolside so they can keep half an eye on it. This was officially banned in France but lots of people did it (typical French)

6. Are there any other etiquette norms or things I should be aware of?

Don't impose your nudity on others. Brits are quite prudish about it. Some pools have rules about must wear caps or flipflops or shower 1st (not that everyone observes all such rules). They will tell you when you join.

It sounds like you are going to end up using your local council pool.

Communal showers, generally used with swim suit on. Then take your towel out the locker get dried in a changing cubicle.

Private gyms tend to be more expensive, want you to take out annual membership, tend to have male / female changing and individual showers. But open plan changing.

Re changing rooms and showers, check their website. If that's no good, look them up on Tripadvisor or Google reviews (incl photos). People usually mention if they're mixed-sex IME.