You enjoy swimming in open water in the summer, to cool down during a nice sunny day. Then autumn and winter came and you caught yourself thinking, how nice would it be to swim outside again. Well, guess what? You can do it, you just need to know how to do it right. Swimming in cold water is healthy and we are here to tell you everything you need to know about this type of swimming.
Cold water swimming
First of all, we should say that in general, cold water swimming is good for physical and mental health. That means swimming in cold water boosts your immune system, improves your circulation, burns calories and it also activates endorphins and increases your libido. Would like to join the team now?
With cold water swimming, you can prevent colds, high blood pressure and allergies. You can also become mentally more resistant to stress or other disorders. Cold water swimming is suitable for everyone, only children and elderly people should take it easy especially at the beginning. You can start swimming in cold water as a child and practice it for the rest of your life.
The first results and positive effects will appear after three weeks, so don't give up, even if it's hard on the beginning. If you interrupt the hardening process and stop training for a while, you will have to start adjusting your body to the cold water almost from the beginning. You can start adjusting to the cold water step by step, first, start with a cold wet towel for 3-5 minutes from the feet upwards, skipping the head. When you get used to the towel start showering, first with lukewarm water and then after about 2 minutes gradually reduce to cold.
If you mastered adjusting with the towel and showering the next phase is swimming in cold water. In this phase, the duration depends on the water temperature, the air temperature and the level of toughness. It is very important to move in the water constantly, it's not the same as when taking a cold water shower at home. The body cools down fast without movement and the effect would then be opposite and dangerous for your health.
So what are those 7 rules to follow?
✓ Gradualness
✓ Regularity
✓ Age considerations
✓ Safety
✓ Medical condition
✓ Frequency & consistency
✓ Responsible approach
Cold water swimming tips
When you swim in open water,
don't forget to protect your head with a quality
neoprene cap that will keep your head warm. The swimming
safety buoy is also suitable for open water, which not only serves as a resting tool, to lean on it when you get tired from swimming, but also as a waterproof bag in which you can store your belongings. While swimming in open water you need to see well and have an overview of the surrounding events.
Ideal for this is triathlon goggles because they have larger eye lenses that rest more on the bone around the eyes.
Now that we have completed swimming in open water, we need to talk about the procedure when we get out of the water.
The body cools down much faster than it warms up. Because of that, we recommend that you consider bringing with you a
bathrobe, a
parka (jacket), or a quick-
drying towel.
Besides that a good option is
slippers, so you will not soak your shoes.
An important final note: never take a hot shower immediately after getting out of the cold water, you can risk circulatory failure. Be aware of your limits, if you are unsure of your health, consult your doctor about hardening.
