Nudism in the News

1) Spanish Gym Offers Naked Workouts: The recession hit the Basque region of Spain particuarly hard and drove down business at many of the area gyms. So, Easy Gym decided to try an unusual promotion as a way to boost customers. After surveying the area and discovering more than a dozen nude beaches and swimming pools, the gym decided to offer workout sessions for local nudists.

“We’re always interested in new activities,” Maite Vicuna, president of the Basque Naturist Association, told the BBC. “Doing sport without clothes is natural — and much more comfy.”

The gym says that it provides towels in order “to prevent slippage” while customers work out on the equipment.

2) Wearing Only a Smile, Nudists Seek Out the Young and the Naked: The Wall Street Journal examined one of the United States’ struggling industries at length last week: the nudist resort community. Over the past couple of years, interest in nudist communities has begun to decline or level out, prompting the communities to offer “reverse-strip-poker nights, volleyball tournaments, naked 5K road races and music festivals like Nudepalooza and Nudestock.” The current clientele has grown older and operators hope to attract younger people to the nudist experience.

There are more than 250 nudist resorts in the United States today. All of those establishments, along with cruises and other activities, generate more than $440 million annually.