Club, take two

[parasitegirl]

Since I want to join a health club but health clubs don't allow people who have tattoos (I'm not talking about people whose tattoos are exposed, I mean tattoos period) and those that do are far away...I think my only choice is to lie, sign up for a  the club nearest to me, buy a few more dark yoga tops that hide my tattoo, and be careful when getting changed...and make sure that the club has private shower stalls.

The club nearest to me is a 10-15 minute walk, so if I needed to toss on my yoga-top at home...no biggie.

There is a risk of getting caught and loosing 2 months of fees...but I think that's just the risk I'll have to take.

I'm the only gaijin but not the only woman in hot yoga with exposed tattoos...but that hot yoga place doesn't have enough of a range of ankle friendly courses on week nights to justify me continuing.

Comments

[sakkaranoush.livejournal.com]

No tattoos allowed at health clubs in Japan, really? How come?

[parasitegirl.livejournal.com]

Yakuza, mostly

http://www.fitnessjp.com/024_51_tattoo+you+and+japan%5C&rsquo%3Bs+gyms

[kimuchi.livejournal.com]

I've got to say, it's weird how Gold's is so different everywhere. I don't think my Gold's has ever featured a poster boy without tattoos (and they're always poster boys -- my Gold's is historically gay).

[parasitegirl.livejournal.com]

Even when it's not historically gay, gym culture is pretty closely tied to certain breeds of tattoo culture in America

[peanutlovelove.livejournal.com]

Lie. Lie. Lie. I've ALWAYS had to sign a waver saying I didn't have one-it's one of the things every gym had translated into English. I can't believe Puppy didn't know that that's how things still are.

Just go in and hand them your bank book and foreign registration card-that's all they need (I know, I know you like to be self-sufficient)...and if they remember you coming before and asking tatoo questions I would lie and say you got confused about the Japanese (or Puppy did).

Are you going to shower there?....I never did because everyone wanted to see my "colors." ;) Good luck!

[parasitegirl.livejournal.com]

He's called the puppy because of his relentless positivity...so I'm not that surprised! He also has probably spent more time in gyms in Canada than Japan (where he notes that tattoos are a huge part of male gym culture) and with Japanese snowboarders (probably right up there with JapanBD for tribal tats.)

Totally not an issue in Hot Yoga, even exposed for all to see in class.

Anna has joined Tipness and mentioned that she has to cover her tattoo, but not that she had to lie abut it.

I'm gonna go with a different gym. The one closer to me will mean that I won't have to be a stinky train girl when I don't shower. And I will LIE.

Puppy was brought so that I wouldn't have to deal with gaijin shock on behalf of the staff...and he's looking into a new gym.