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WINTER SWIMMING |
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For most people winter swimming conjures images of stocky Russians breaking the ice in park ponds and enjoying a swim in mid winter when air temperatures are well below zero. Well, not only in Russia - there are many swimmers in the UK who do just that. One of them is Mary Cane (left), our committee member for Hampstead Heath Ladies Pond and the Chair of the Hampstead Heath Winter Swimming Club. |
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We asked Mary how it is done - here is what she had to say: The secret is persistence. I have been winter swimming since 1984 - I firmly believe it is brilliant for your health but you need to approach it with caution. We recommend starting your daily dip in summer and simply staying with it. BUT don't turn it into a competition and start small. As the temperature drops don't swim so far just what you feel comfortable with. Arrive really warm (I run to pond) the warmer you are the longer it takes to cool down in the cold water. Bring extra clothing for afterwards, don't get really cold - if your core temp goes down you can feel horrid for a couple of days! And get moving quickly afterwards - I run home faster than I run to the pond! If you need to swim for a long time go elsewhere as well for to start winter swimming you need a cold dip as near to every day that you can manage to build up tolerance - and the benefits? Good health all winter (our oldest swimmer Wynn is 90 this month and swims TWICE a day at present and three times (or more) as the hours extend! But I guess the real benefits are being able to swim for longer in spring and autumn. In the depths of winter you can't go far (round and round) if you have to make a hole in the ice! But it really does wonders for your circulation. We ladies have a bowl of hot water to stand in when we come out - it has been taken away from us from time to time on grounds of health and safety - but standing in the hot water with your hands in as well help to get warmer quicker. In rebellion people have bought flasks and hot water bottles when the hot water was forbidden! Some of us have found we can swim much further if we wear neoprene (diver's) gloves and or socks. I do use gloves they have made a big difference to the distance I can go. So there you are - no great mystery. If you swim regularly in cold water you become tolerant to it, don't feel so cold and stay enjoying the health benefits. Go for it! It is wonderful.  Sixty swimmers took part in the traditional Boxing Day swim at the Albert Dock, Liverpool. Water temperature 4C For a list of top 10 festive swims round the country Click here |
Interested in the science behind exposure to (very) cold water? Read this excellent article on the Science of Sport website.
670 swimmers from 21 countries converged on the Tooting Bec Lido on the 9th and 10th February to take part in the
international Winter Swimming Championships 2008. The event, which takes place in an unheated outdoor pool,
has been held outside Finland for the first time ever.Olivia Brown, a competitor and a member of the South London Swimming Club (which hosted the event) took time out from training to tell Londonist what drew her to winter swimming. Olivia has always been passionate about swimming and even signed up to swim the English Channel in September 2008. She started swimming during the winter four years ago and found it exhilarating. Describing her first winter swim, Olivia said: 'If my memory serves me correctly I think I smiled for the entire day. I didn’t swim through the winter that year. This year will be my first full winter season and, believe me, I’m discovering new things about my toes and teeth-chattering abilities every day!' Click here for more on the Londonist website. |
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THE WATER IN THE ARCTIC NEVER WARMS UP |
So what about shock and hypothermia? From what I can find, all research on the effects of
immersion in cold water is posited on the "victim" having involuntarily entered the water as the
result of some mishap. Very little if any of which applies to the situation where a Speedo-clad,
cold-acclimatised swimmer enters the water voluntarily, and can exit when desired. Indeed many
authorities hold that water temperatures around 13C (mid-50s F) are particularly dangerous.
Strange really, as I for one find water at that temperature exhilarating and far from
uncomfortable. In fact I can withstand bare-skin immersion at such temperatures for an indefinite
period. One of us must be wrong! So, what's so different about a cold-acclimatised swimmer?
Actually, quite a lot. Cold training involves three major physiological changes. Firstly, the body lays down a layer of subcutaneous fat. Studies indicate this "swimmer fat" to be predominantly brown fat. So, what's the difference? White fat is utilised by the body first by conversion to glycogen, thence into glucose for fuelling the muscles. However brown fat is rapidly metabolised to generate heat. Brown fat is also much less of a risk to long term health than the equivalent weight of white fat, so a high body-mass index in a swimmer does not necessarily indicate obesity. Far from it. The vascular system also undertakes changes primarily intended to protect the body's core from chilling, endangering vital organs. It develops the ability to almost instantly shut down the circulation to the outermost tissues, hence the cyanotic blue or purplish hue of a cold-water swimmer's skin after a few minute's immersion. When peripheral circulation restarts, which in my case takes around 10 minutes after leaving the water, all the chilled blood in the outer tissues returns to general circulation. This is when hypothermic shock can occur, and the swimmer needs to be dry, clothed and/or warm and preferably enjoying a hot drink. Finally, metabolism. Again, it is now thought that a cold-water swimmer's metabolism shifts into high gear when immersed (or in some cases just when anticipating immersion). I need to eat the equivalent of 1,000 kcal or more of carbohydrate foods after a cold swim. I'm not gaining weight so I must be "burning" them. I have actually done some tests on myself, and after a half hour swim in seawater at 10C, my core temperature had fallen by just 0.5C and could well have stabilised at that level. Many folk have been taken in by the Health and Safety industry's propaganda and believe all open water to be potentially lethal. So you can imagine the psychological shock resulting from a fall into cold, grey water. However this response is completely absent in a swimmer who knows exactly what he's getting into. So, how do you go about cold training? You will need the following: swimming cozzie (1 off), swim cap (1 off), goggles (optional), a reasonably healthy body (1 off). Oh, nearly forgot - water. As much of this as you can find and it should be unheated. Simply start swimming in "cold" water in summer when in fact it's nice and warm. Come Autumn, just keep going. The golden rule: don't overdo it - there's always tomorrow. When you feel cold, get out, get dressed and warm up. You'll find your tolerance, both time and temperature, will steadily improve. There's no need to bathe in cold water every day - once a week is enough, and even then for just a few minutes. Cold-acclimatisation is a long-term process; I've been doing it for eighteen months and have only just got my tolerance down to 8C. Fortunately, from experience I can confirm that swimming in a heated pool in between cold dips does not interfere with the acclimatisation process. Safety is paramount. While it's important to observe all precautions normally associated with swimming in open water, low temperatures mean taking extra care. Don't start cold training until spring/early summer when the water temperature is at least 15C. Never jump or dive into water below 15C (59F). Always wade or lower yourself in - this gives your body time to switch into "cold mode". Always wear a swim cap, as a surprisingly large amount of body heat is lost through the head. Believe me, it makes a difference. A brightly coloured cap will also enhance your visibility. It's best not to train alone. Cold training puts the body under considerable stress and cold water can also cause cramp. Health problems needn't prevent you from cold training, but should you have a health problem you should seek the advice of a health professional. Those suffering from asthma, heart problems, epilepsy and diabetes need to take particular care. Some time ago I was laid low with congestive heart failure, but my cold training led to a complete recovery. However it was done under medical supervision. So come in and join us - the water's great! The "Feel good buzz" is unbelievable. And very addictive! Pete would like to organise a group of winter swimmers in the NW. Interested? Contact Pete at PeteRoberts007@aol.com |
The general health benefits of winter swimming are well documented. Now there is new evidence to suggest that swimming
in cold water can even be effective in fighting the HIV virus. Lieping Ren - a Chinese scientist, spent eight years researching the use of winter swimming to treat HIV/AIDS patients. The ideas of winter-swimming therapy stemmed from Lieping's years of swimming combined with his medical knowledge. The theory behind this therapy is quite complex. The human body can produce various changes under the stimulation of cold water. Leiping's work suggests that one such change is an enhancement of the immune system to impede, restrain, and destroy the HIV virus. Lieping who recently moved to Sydney, Australia is keen to make contact with winter swimmers in European countries in order to widen and progress his research. Contact him directly for further details. Lieping is at renlieping@hotmail.com. See also a testimony by Li De Picture: winter swimming in China |
The pictures above were taken during the Millennium Race on the 1st January 2000. Reproduced by kind permission of the Serpentine Swimming club |
- Lewis Gordon Pugh, a record setting long distance swimmer, explorer and environmentalist broke his own record by swimming
for nearly 19 minutes at the North Pole to raise awareness of the effect of climate change in the Arctic. Water temperature
was minus 1.8C (29F) - the coldest water any man has ever swum in. We congratulate him on this, extraordinary
achievement.