Gyms with no showers

[LoneLynx]

I moved to a new town and I’m now realizing that the two BJJ gyms closest to me don’t have showers at their facilities. I found this really strange and a big turn off. What do you think? Is it common for gyms not do have showers?

 

[jr jr]

I don't know a single gym in my mid sized american city with a shower. Can think of at least 7 that do not.

 

[Poochie]

I moved to a new town and I’m now realizing that the two BJJ gyms closest to me don’t have showers at their facilities. I found this really strange and a big turn off. What do you think? Is it common for gyms not do have showers?

Same. Even in NYC where rent is ungodly just about every gym has a shower.

 

[Your Noodly Master]

It's too common, I agree, but most academies don't generate a lot of income so they tend to be in small buildings or strip malls. Without showers in place it would be the gym owner's expense to install. I'm sure it's quite costly.

 

[anaconda]

I've seen more gyms without showers than with.

 

[efficientjudo]

Its not ideal, some gyms just don't have the best facilities - I've trained at places like this in the past, as long as you can get home quickly to shower, it can work.

 

[andrewm2211]

I guess get some defense wipes?

 

[Forceof1]

It's 50/50 for gyms in our area.
For evening classes its no big deal, but if I want to make a lunch class somewhere or drop in, I can't do it if they don't have a shower.

 

[EGDM]

It depends on local business regulations. In some cities (Atlanta I know for sure), martial arts schools are classed as "health clubs" and are required to have showers.

As an excessive sweater, no shower is a deal-breaker for me.

 

[KikoJones]

I don't find it to be a big deal. I train from 7-8:30 pm. I go home after, shower, eat and head to Sleepy town.
If you're taking a lunch hour class and heading back to work then I can see how it can be inconvenient.

I've actually asked my job to install one at work so If we go running during lunch, we can shower before going back to work.

 

[ccm22]

Most gyms I’ve been to have showers and I take full advantage of them. Sometimes they aren’t the cleanest, unfortunately.

I’ve been to a few without showers and it’s a pain in the ass, especially if you have to run errands after class or have a long journey home. At those places I’ve just dried myself with a towel and used wet wipes. Not ideal but it’s better than not cleaning up.

Generally lack of a shower is a deal breaker, but you have to take a lot of things into consideration: quality of instruction, convenience of location, schedule, etc.

 

[560ti]

It's too common, I agree, but most academies don't generate a lot of income so they tend to be in small buildings or strip malls. Without showers in place it would be the gym owner's expense to install. I'm sure it's quite costly.

This is 100% true. Most of the single art only gyms in my area are in smaller strip malls which of course don't come included with showers. All 3 BJJ gyms i've trained at had zero showers, 1 muay thai gym didn't either, and the dutch kickboxing gym had a single shower for each locker-room after they moved (previous location had zero).

Really the only gyms that are near guaranteed to have showers are full sized MMA gyms. They pretty much have to have showers do the size and amount of traffic that comes in.

 

[LoneLynx]

This thread has been a real eye opener, I had no idea it was so common.

 

[HansDavidian]

I have never been in a gym without a shower in where I live.

 

[mcgoatp4p#1]

I'm so hung I feel like it would be disrespectful to the higher belts to get naked in front of them, so I always go home to shower

 

[Cappy Goodtime]

My work has a shower, my gym does not.

 

[Ice 9 Cobra]

A lot of BJJ gyms go into spaces that don't have the ability to have showers or would require a lot to get showers.

My gym has a shower but it was a nightmare for the owner to get it installed in a more industrial area. I can only imagine how difficult it is in the strip mall environment.

 

[liuk3]

My school has multiple showers, but the overwhelming majority of schools I have visited have not had showers.

 

[asian-glow]

My first gym didn't have a water fountain. That was a real bummer.

 

[Foppa21]

Showers are a luxury. It's space that can be used for mats. And if a instructor is renting space as a side gig (ie not there the whole day) they probably won't want to be paying extra for showers.