30+ years of martial arts training in Denmark and I can probably count on one hand how many skin infections I've seen on me and others. Also every gym/sports facility has showers and everyone shower immediately after training. Regular soap always. Seems to be quite different in America judging by all the many gyms I've visited there (no showers + often long transportation time home afterwards).

It would cost me $15000-$25000 to install 1 shower at my facility. That's why.

That's crazy. I think our one indoor, and 2 outdoor (solar) showers cost us a grand total of about $350.

My space is about 3000 sq ft, I'm paying over 6K per month in rent.

This is basically the size of our gym as well, but we own the property and pay a mortgage instead of rent (which is nice). Still, 15-25k for a shower would make it a pretty bad-ass shower pretty much anywhere in the US. Not sure why you wouldn't be able to get by with a ~$1200 shower. But I digress... To answer the op, I'm a firm believer in soap and water being a miracle cure for skin junk, especially if you wash yourself asap after training.

It's not because it's a super nice shower. I am in shopping center. It would require drilling through the foundation of the building to lay new pipes into the city sewage system. Plus new plumbing. And it has to be compliant with the county code which requires permits and inspections. The quotes from companies licensed to do the work are $15-25k per bathroom.

I think this is key; many American academies are run as businesses in retail store facilities. In northern Europe, at least, we have lots of clubs in community sports centers. But even then, Americans who came to visit and train rarely showered after training :D (I think they were often a bit intimidated by the 20-person open communal showers)

I think this is key; many American academies are run as businesses in retail store facilities. In northern Europe, at least, we have lots of clubs in community sports centers. But even then, Americans who came to visit and train rarely showered after training :D (I think they were often a bit intimidated by the 20-person open communal showers)

'Strip Mall Jiu-Jitsu' is definitely a thing.

I think this is key; many American academies are run as businesses in retail store facilities. In northern Europe, at least, we have lots of clubs in community sports centers.

You make it sound as though being in a shopping center somehow diminishes who we are.

20 naked people all in one space should be intimidating for pretty much any person of any nationality.

20 naked people all in one space should be intimidating for pretty much any person of any nationality.

My first college had one of those giant prison like communal shower rooms. I made sure I was up at the crack of dawn so I wouldn't have to face the gauntlet of sausages. LOL

Nah, man. Just loses some personality points, maybe. Lol. I totally understand why strip malls are popular locations for gyms for sure, so no judgements. I was thinking a little bit about your shower situation though. There might be a way you can set up a 'wash basin', and connect it with some hoses, and then you wouldn't need a permit. I know some folks in the area here who have mitigated building codes in this fashion. Anyway, you may or may not care. I was just thinking about it is all.

We do this from we're little kids and go to the swimming hall or have gymnastics in school. Shower with soap (naked, ofc.) is mandatory.

We're not in the country here where that kind of thing is appreciated or warranted. I'm in a densely populated Washington, DC suburb where spaces are limited and expensive and code inspectors and fire marshalls show up every year. My target demographics are middle and upper middle class who live in $500k houses and have a household income of like $120k/year. Installing a wash basin with a hose isn't exactly going to do me any favors and would, most likely, just make me look ridiculous.

You also watch lesbian porn only?

We're not so homogenous here. While some may have this experience, some can go most of their lives without bathing with a small platoon of people. So, for some of us, like myself, who have played team sports or attended boarding school, it's no problem. For others, not so much. I think there's definitely a generational gap here as well. I think communal bathing was more common during my father's and grandfather's generation. That's why when you go to the locker room at the YMCA there are always naked old dudes not giving a fuck about their old balls hanging off the side of a bench while they just sit there and talk to their naked old friends about their hemorrhoids. Younger folks don't tend to do that. Thank you for reading my sociological ponderings.