Safe to swim - It might be cold but It’s still safe to swim!

Whilst it’s still chilly out, the cold won’t last forever and the much warmer weather is soon upon us! Don’t let the cold weather put you off though - It’s still safe to swim! In this blog, we will go through the benefits and our top tips to help you with your cold water swimming!

Let's start with the best bits!

Benefits

• Great for your mental health

Swimming is a great way to boost your mood. Exercising in water has shown to decrease both anxiety and depression due to the brain releasing ‘feel good’ chemicals into our systems known as endorphins.

• It works the whole body

Not only does swimming help with the mind but it is also great for the entire body. With benefits such as: Strength building, muscle toning and endurance, it's a great way to increase the heart rate without having to put too much stress on the body. It can really aid with calorie burning and weight loss.

• Contributes to better sleep

Studies show that swimming 30 minutes daily increases quality of life and leads to falling asleep at night, much quicker.

• Increases flexibility

Due to the body constantly stretching out when performing your strokes, Swimming can help improve mobility and flexibility which has a positive effect on your next session. Even if you’re not a regular swimmer, it’s also a fantastic recovery method too!

• Increases your energy levels and decreases the risk of illness.

Only 30 minutes of swimming over 3 days a week can have a big boost on your energy levels. This is through the increased metabolic rate it offers. Furthermore, just 30 minutes a week will increase your guard against strokes, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Top tips for cold water swimming:

1. Choose the right clothing and equipment

Making the right decisions on your clothing and equipment is vital for cold water swimming. A wetsuit that is made out of neoprene protects your body from cold temperatures. It is super important that when choosing your wetsuit, you select one that is a good fit but is flexible enough for you to swim. It is also important that your wetsuit is between 4-6 mm thick to maintain the temperature of your body.

Neoprene gloves and wetsuit socks will help maintain heat and protect you from the initial shock of the cold water.

50% of your body heat is lost through your head! Ensure that you swim with a swim cap for that added warmth.

Being able to see in the water and your surroundings is a great way to increase your experience. With Goggles, you are also able to maximise your safety.

Finally, we would recommend a high absorbent robe. A robe offers you to change out of your wetsuit easily, offering you that privacy without having to use a changing room or find somewhere else to change.

Useful links:

Wetsuits - https://mytriathlon.co.uk/swim/wetsuits

Swim cap - https://mytriathlon.co.uk/neoprene-swim-caps

dryrobes - https://mytriathlon.co.uk/long-sleeve-robes/

Robes - https://mytriathlon.co.uk/swim/robes/

Goggles - https://mytriathlon.co.uk/swim/goggles/

Neoprene products (Gloves & Socks) - https://mytriathlon.co.uk/swim/neoprene-warmth

2. Enter the water slowly

The water temperature is going to be cold when you first get in, ensuring that you enter slowly will help control the natural reaction the body gives - temperature drop, hyperventilating feel, heart rate increase.

This is not something to be scared of. The most important thing to do is to remain calm. Take to the water slowly and remember to keep breathing! It won’t be that cold for long. Take your time getting in whilst gradually getting deeper.

Top tip: Splash your face with the water before you get in. This will allow you to get used to the temperature of the water.

3. Warm up

Make sure to warm up before getting into the water. Whether you do this through some basic star jumps, a quick jog or some stretches, warming up is so important to open up those capillaries to get the warm blood flowing. Warming up will also help you increase the heart rate slowly, reducing the shock impact slightly when entering the water.

4. Swim with others

Cold water swimming is a very sociable activity. With weekly groups and meetups, you are bound to feel more comfortable and safe, if surrounded by plenty of other people doing the same activity. It is a great way to make friends but more importantly, keep safe. Working with a friend means you can stay close to each other when swimming, check on each other's progress and generally keep morale high.

5. Use a tow float