Nude swimming
Return to DiscussionsFor many of our younger readers, it is hard to believe that there was once a time when many junior highs, high schools, colleges, universities and YMCAs featured swim class wherein all male students were required to swim nude. The practice was that females always wore full bathing suits when using the same pool facilities; however, it was mandatory that all males remain completely naked while in the pool area. The purpose why only the males were required to participate nude and not the females is unclear - some claim it had to do with the antiquated pool filtering systems getting clogged, others say that the lockers would smell terribly if wet suits were left for long periods of time in the lockers. Based upon articles we have read, including those linked below, the practice was wide spread across the country until the 1970s when it apparently died out when it became more common for females to use the facilities at the same time as the men.
I grew up in the old days where we swam nude at the Y and also in High School and in College. Sure wish it was possible today.
I learned to swim at the local Y and went on to compete all the way through HS. Even the competitions were nude. It was no big thing for us - just the way we always would swim.
Well when I entered this group I was hoping to read about some Ys that kept the original tradition of swimming nude. You guys are bearers of bad news! lol
When I was in the Navy our ship was in the Boston Shipyard. Just outside the base was a Y where we had to swim nude. Me and a few of my friends used to go there a lot after the days work. It was great. It was always a starting point for going out on the town or dinner or hitting the bar. He finish work, get dressed to go out, and stop at the Y. Took the shower and enjoyed the pool and sauna. We used to sit in the saune and get real hot, then jump in the pool to cool off and swim around. They even provided us with a towel. So when we finished we took another shower and then go into town. Nice not having to carry a wet bathing suit with you or back to the ship.
Wayne
I do remember as a child going to the Y and swimming in the nude. My parents sent me for swimming lessons on a bus that picked up boys from my area of the community. I didn't have a swim suit that fit me, so my mother told me I could just swim naked, but I was terrified since I was very shy. I came out of the locker room, very reluctantly, to find that I was the only boy that was nude - how embarrasing! Just as we were getting started, the instructor said he was going to demonstrate what he wanted us to do. I was so relieved when I saw him take his trunks off before jumping into the pool - at least now I wasn't the only one naked. I don't think he made the other boys take their suits off, but he might have. The next week my mom had trunks for me so that I wasn't the only naked boy, but if my memory is correct, I did take it off before jumping into the pool, just like the instructor! At that point, the other boys did the same as the instructor & me, so everyone was naked. This would have taken place in the late 1950's. I had polio in 1954 & the doctor encouraged my mom to get me into swimming lessons to continue to stretch & exercise my weak legs & it did help! I will never forget how embarrased I was when I realized I was the only one naked & then the relief when the instructor took his suit off!Now I would welcome the opportunity to swim naked at the Y, a public pool, my condo community pool or the local beach - even if I was the only one naked! I didn't want to swim naked when I was little, but now would welcome it anytime, anywhere!
We had limited swimming facilities where I grew up. One such facility was the YMCA and it featured mandatory nude swimming and very large 30 head showers! I thoroughly enjoyed it and that was a set of rules that I really wish we still had. Life was better with nekkid swimmin and open showers!
At
my university all incoming male freshman students had to take a
mandatory nude swimming test. You had to tread water for 10 minutes in
the nude. If you failed the test (or did not report to take the test),
you were required to take a full-semester course in beginning swimming.
You were allowed to wear swim trunks in the class, but it had to be
their trunks which would only be issued to you after you presented
yourself stark naked after taking a nude shower. After the class you
would repeat the process, handing in your wet trunks at the booth
(totally nude) in return for your towel and locker key. By the way, I
refused to go take the test because as an 18-year-old guy, I was
extremely self-conscious about my naked body.