Does your gym allow you to take your shirt off?

Yes, Does your gym allow you to take your shirt off? What's the problem with no shirt? It's not like climbers are generally non-ridiculously good looking.

Are you serious???

I own a busy gym, and we don't have a policy against taking off a shirt... but nobody does it. If we had lots of people doing it, we would make a policy against it.

Other customers have a right not to see a half naked man. You can't take a shirt off at a fitness gym, or a restaurant, or the bookstore... so climbing gyms shouldn't be any different.

Bottom line... why not? Because it offends other customers.

My two cents :)

Guess Jackson Hole is different... nobody seems to want to take their shirts off... which, personally, I think is a good thing ;)

I'm more a commando climber

The posing in the BRC wouldn't be nearly as funny if you couldn't.

I've never taken my shirt off at the gym, but there are a handful of guys that always do, so I'm guessing there's not a "shirt on" policy.

Andy Laakmann wrote:You can't take a shirt off at a fitness gym, or a restaurant, or the bookstore... so climbing gyms shouldn't be any different. Bottom line... why not? Because it offends other customers. My two cents :)

Comparing a gym to a bookstore is specious. You don't go to a bookstore or a restaurant to work out. Men often take off their shirts in yoga classes and women often strip down to sports bras. Do you ban grunting at your gym as well?

I like to wear something like this when I climb!

Bob D'Antonio wrote:This subject didn't make the top nine. newsweek.com/id/140685?GT1=…

maybe this should be a separate thread, but what else bothers people in the gym? i personally think it's hilarious when people take off their shirts. but i do think it's lame when people bleed all over the holds. it's one thing to get a flapper, shit happens. it's another to push on and finish, covering the rest of the holds with your blood. gross! just lower and take care of it. the route will be there when you stop bleeding. how 'bout oogling the ladies? yes i noticed the hottie in the super form fitting outfit. wonderful. no need to take 5 minutes mentally undressing her, possibly while ignoring your belay duties.... any thoughts?

I don't understand what the big deal is? You go to a swimming pool and everyone has their shirts off and you'll find people in Speed o's no less.

I understand where it might be an issue in the exercise gym where one might sweat all over the bench press machine. But in the climbing gym where only your hands touch the holds, there is only the chance of offending people who might be disgusted by men's nipples!

It's just more comfortable to climb without a shirt. Especially when it's hot. I don't have a problem with it and am thankful the gym I climb in doesn't seem to either. Just a personal choice in my opinion. I would also respect if it the owners of the gym asked that we not take our shirts off.

While true that it's not a big deal, it's just exceptionally gay for a bunch of shirtless dudes to be strolling around the gym. not that there's anything wrong with that.

Kelly Cordes wrote:While true that it's not a big deal, it's just exceptionally gay for a bunch of shirtless dudes to be strolling around the gym. not that there's anything wrong with that.

Is it "exceptionally gay" for a bunch of shirtless dudes to be hanging out on the beach?

I almost never climb in a gym, but on the few occasions that I do, it would be nice to climb sans shirt without being considered rude or a poser. Contrary to popular opinion, it isn't about showing off my bulging pecs (lol), it is just comfortable. It is also comfortable at the beach, in the park, playing disc golf, watching TV at home, walking around the neighborhood when it's 110 degrees in the desert, etc...

I don't really understand why people find it so offensive.

Just my 2 cents. For now I'll continue to wear at least a tank top in the gym.

Man, alot of BS flying around about such a trivial thing. "Exceptionally Gay"? Man , dude, relax! I take my shirt off in the gym because it's hot; and I pay my dues regularly for that privilege, I don't need to pose for the likes of you. Maybe you folks who have such extensive issues with this need to examine your own attitudes; a little uptight, perhaps?

Here in the City of Salt, I believe two of the three gyms allow shirtless, one doesn't.

Oh horror of horrors, is that they (Momentum) don't allow only sport bras either. Which was our rallying cry at Rockreation the other night (loser night: Friday). "Sport bras, sport bras, sport bras".

Yeah, we're a bunch of losers.

Someone actually told me to not boulder in my bare feet once. I guess I could hardly blame them. Something needed to be said...

you must be talking about momentum in the fabulous mormon land of utah. management at momentum has turned off and rubbed many climbers the wrong way - like the time dickhead put his vacuum into climber a's chalk back because he was using loose chalk (which is against the rules). Just wait for the front's new gym in Ogden.

I was born shirtless, so I shouldn't have to wear a shirt in a gym.

How can I climb at my limit if I'm severely fettered by a cotton tee-shirt? Tank tops are soooo 80's, I can't be seen in one of those. That would be gay.

So what if the customer demographic is fairly conservative and would feel more comfortable if people were fully clothed? I'm sure the gym makes so much money that they don't need them. They shouldn't even climb if they are afraid of seeing a little skin. Gyms are only for "core" climbers like me anyway.

Plus, it robs others of the chance to admire my honed physique.

Brian in SLC wrote:Here in the City of Salt, I believe two of the three gyms allow shirtless, one doesn't. Oh horror of horrors, is that they (Momentum) don't allow only sport bras either. Which was our rallying cry at Rockreation the other night (loser night: Friday). "Sport bras, sport bras, sport bras". Yeah, we're a bunch of losers. Someone actually told me to not boulder in my bare feet once. I guess I could hardly blame them. Something needed to be said...

next time you see me, remind me to get a membership there, will ya?

I never see anyone take their shirt off in the gym unless they are ripped. That means that they are doing it to show off their bodies. That's precisely the reason not to do it.

People should keep their clothes on at all times and most people need more clothes on all the time, especially women. Put on a burqa for Allah's sake. Geesh!!!

What's the big deal? If someone has their shirt off and people are soooooo sensitive to be offended or repulsed, they can look away. I really hate how our society makes a perfectly natural thing so taboo. It's the human form regardless of how fat or skinny or how fit or flabby. People need to spend more time reflecting upon themselves and their choices as opposed to judging others all the time.

The way I see it is if you make a rule like not allowing men to go shirtless, you are doing nothing more than massaging people's insecurities.

PC shit is annoying.

Tracy Roach wrote:The way I see it is if you make a rule like not allowing men to go shirtless, you are doing nothing more than massaging people's insecurities.

Another way to look at is it to consider that by allowing people to remove their shirts you are indulging those people's insecurities. 99.9999% of the people who remove their clothing in public are doing it to show off.

Just keep your clothing on, and your erect nipples to yourself or your significant other!