Take a Shower in Gym Class

A good gym class will help you work up a sweat, meaning you are probably a little smelly. You don’t want your body odor making the first impression to that cute guy or girl who sits next to you in your next class. Dousing yourself with perfume or scented deodorants isn’t the answer, especially if you have the chance to rinse off after class. Overcoming your nerves, and being prepared to move quickly are the keys to showering in the gym after class.

Steps

Getting in the Shower

  1. Give yourself enough time to shower. One thing holding people back from showering after gym class is that they feel rushed to change into normal clothes and get to their next class.[1] Make sure you end the gym activity soon enough to give yourself enough time to get back to the locker room, shower off, and get to your next class.
    • If you are concerned about having enough time to shower and change after the gym activity, talk to your gym teacher about finishing early enough to get back to the locker room.
  2. Remind yourself that you need a shower. It is common for students to be nervous or uncomfortable with the idea of taking off their clothes around their peers.[2] Don’t let this be an excuse and don’t let it stop you. Not cleaning yourself off after getting sweaty and dirty will only clog your pores. Bacteria love to breed in sweaty clothes, so the sooner you get out of them, the better.[3]
    • Remember that the purpose of your gym class is to help promote a healthy lifestyle. When students don’t shower, they tend to work less during class to avoid a sweat, which can create bad habits later in life.[4] If you are prepared to shower after class, you can push yourself more during gym to get the most out of it.
  3. Take your clothes off. You need to rinse off your skin, which is where all the dirt and sweat are. Keeping them on will only make it harder to get clean. Plus, your clothes will get soaked and clingy, which makes them even harder to take off.
    • While you may be nervous about getting naked, you shouldn’t leave your underwear on. Wet underwear will be clingy and uncomfortable, and won’t dry quickly when it’s under your clothes. Plus, it’s a breeding ground for bacteria, which can be really uncomfortable in the areas underwear tends to cover.
  4. Wear something on your feet. Public showers like in your locker room are breeding grounds for athlete’s foot and other fungus. Try to bring something like flip-flops or shower shoes to keep your feet off the ground even as you get clean.[3]
    • Your footwear needs to be open so you can at least rinse off your feet. Don’t wear socks, or something else that will soak your foot without rinsing it off.
  5. Rinse off. You’ll probably be pressed for time after gym class, so this isn’t the opportunity for a full body wash. Instead, focus on getting the water to run over all parts of your body. If you are using soap or shampoo, be sure to rinse off all the suds.[5]
    • The most important thing is to get ready for class, not to get a full-body cleaning. You should get that at home. Besides, overall shorter showers are better for you anyway.

Getting Ready for Class

  1. Dry off. If you don’t use a towel, or even just a rolled up shirt, make sure you dry yourself off with something you won’t be wearing. Avoid scrubbing yourself hard to get everything dry, as this can irritate your skin. Instead, quickly pat yourself down to get rid of the excess moisture.[5]
  2. Apply deodorant. You’ve only rinsed yourself off, so you’ll probably want a little extra help to keep odors away. Use a deodorant that fits your body type and activities, and use it to prevent further smells.
  3. Put on your regular clothes. You don’t want to walk around in your smelly, sweaty gym clothes, otherwise there wasn’t any point to showering. Make sure you get dressed again by putting your regular clothes back on so you are ready for class.
  4. Put your gym clothes in a separate bag. Make sure you have something else to carry your gym clothes in that you can close up. You don’t want to just throw them in your backpack with your school materials, otherwise everyone will still get that sweaty smell. If you can, put the bag in your locker before your next class.

Dealing With Insecurities

  1. Learn to get comfortable in your own skin. Many people, especially teenagers in gym class, are insecure about their bodies, which can make showering uncomfortable. Find some ways to become more comfortable with your own body, which will help give you the confidence to get undressed around your peers.
    • Get naked at home. This shouldn’t be often or for too long, but be willing to spend a little bit of time in front of a mirror with your clothes off. The only way you are going to be able to face down your doubts directly is to confront them.[6]
    • Look for positive things about your body. Everyone has something they are proud of, so focus on those parts of you, and talk them up to yourself.[7] You can also highlight areas you want to improve, but remember that you can fix those things with time and effort. Just avoid too much negative thinking, like comparing yourself to others, or believing you can’t change.[8]
  2. Get started right away. One of the best ways to avoid insecurity about being naked with your peers is to minimize the amount of time that is actually occurring. Moving quickly is also helpful because you probably won't have a lot of time between the end of gym and the start of your next class.
  3. Use a curtain. If your school’s locker room has separate stalls, close the curtain for a little extra privacy. If the showers don’t have curtains, you can bring your own curtain and shower rings for a little more privacy.[9]
    • If you do have a curtain to use, another thing to do is wear a towel around yourself between your locker and the shower. Take it off once you close the curtain, hang it outside. Once you are finished showering, put it back on before opening the curtain again.
  4. Be inconspicuous. You don’t want other people paying attention to you while you are trying to take a shower, so make sure you are doing things that will help you blend in, and not give people something to talk about.[9]
    • Don't use strong-smelling shampoos and scents. That is just another reason for people to notice or pay attention to you.
    • Avoid talking to other people. If you don’t want people paying attention to you, don’t pay attention to them. Don’t try starting up a conversation with someone unless you really need something, like for them to move out of your way. Everyone in the locker room will be uncomfortable about getting naked, and talking to them will probably make it worse.
  5. Ignore other people. Your focus while showering is to get yourself clean and ready for your next class. Don’t worry about what other people do or say, just make sure you are doing what you need to do.
    • If you are concerned about the way other people are acting toward you in the shower, tell the teacher or administrator, or your parents. You don’t have to let yourself be bullied like that.[3]
    • Don’t become the bully. If your biggest fear is that other people will make fun of you, don’t compensate by making fun of them. If you wouldn’t want someone to say something to you, don’t say it to them.

Tips

  • You should change into clean, dry clothes after you exercise whether you shower or not. Just remember that if you didn't shower your body is still smelly, so your clothes will stink very soon also.
  • If you are still uncomfortable showering naked, you can work your way into that by changing into a bathing suit and showering with that. Just remember that it will take extra time to put your suit on and off, which gives you less time to actually shower.
  • If you can’t shower, don’t react by coating yourself with perfume or body scent. Given how much you are sweating, those chemicals will only smell even stronger, and make it just as undesirable to sit next to you. Instead, get some dry shampoo or cleansing wipes to give yourself a quick clean before class.[10]

Warnings

  • Don’t share any of your personal items. Things that touch your body directly like soap, combs, or towels are breeding grounds for bacteria, and you don’t want to share that with your friends. Similarly, don’t ask to borrow someone else’s stuff if you forgot yours.[3]

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://articles.courant.com/1996-09-11/news/9609110350_1_gym-class-school-showers-cold-showers
  2. ↑ http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2015/12/03/locker_room_nudity_is_healthy_and_normal_fear_of_it_is_irrational.html
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/safe-workout-tips
  4. ↑ http://www.scotsman.com/news/education/shower-shyness-after-pe-linked-to-lack-of-fitness-1-3664747
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/29/showering-mistakes_n_4670672.html
  6. ↑ https://www.anxietybc.com/sites/default/files/FacingFears_Exposure.pdf
  7. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hide-and-seek/201205/building-confidence-and-self-esteem
  8. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/self-esteem/art-20045374
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/30/locker-room-etiquette_n_1598366.html
  10. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/11/19/how-to-look-good-after-workout_n_8602860.html

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