Help! Water temp over 90!

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

Former Member — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 14:52:15 GMT

I hope you find a decent pool soon. My pool is a university pool and is kept at 78, it's perfect during a workout. A bit chilly at first, but it feels amazing by the end of a 10x200. I just got lucky in finding this pool, for many years I swam in an 82 degree pool nearby but it really felt too warm. I don't like pools that are so warm they "steam". According to the link below, the American Red Cross recommends 78 degrees for training. www.livestrong.com/.../ Some universities allow you to swim at their pools, provided you join their alumni society or pay a community membership fee. Maybe that's the only way to find a reasonable temp now that noodlers have taken over control of community swimming pools. -mark

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

knelson — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:02:22 GMT

Right, but this facility has a therapy pool for hot water lovers, therapy, water aerobics classes, a hot tub and a LAP POOL, that was supposedly built purely for lap swimmers In that case there's no excuse. I'd say 82 should be the upper limit. 78 might be on the cold side even for some lap swimmers.

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

ande — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:16:33 GMT

Does anyone actually workout in the outdoor pool with these inhuman water temperatures of 90+? Last week it was 86, and I was so uncomfortable, cramping constantly, despite bananas, Vit 3 and tons of water. I've had to go indoors, which is killing me, since I suffer through winter, living for the summer, but this is brutal. I'm on the East coast. This week the air quality is bad, and heat index is in the triple digits as well. Should I tough it out and just accept that the workout will be quite poor? :doh: that sucks many outdoor pools in TX use aerators, they shoot water up in the air and it cools as it falls back in the pool Find another pool No CAP swim easy Take breaks, even get out & take cool showers do a few sprints take longer breaks bring ice water or frozen sport drinks to drink & douse request pool managers do something Request to have a running hose near your lane to cool where you rest or spray cool water on yourself

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

Former Member — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:33:28 GMT

Hey Ande and Marksman, thanks for the info and tips. I know our university pool is quite cool, but unfortunately, it's quite a hike for me, and the hours aren't that great either. I have two colleges that are 15 mins from me, but the water temp (other than for swim meet season) is between 81-83 as well. I may bring that article to the GM at my fitness center. I know one of our attorney members has already alerted them to the swimmer who died while swimming in water that was too warm. When lap swimmers complain enough, they drop the temp for a week or two, then the noodlers and blue heads complain, and its back up to 83. It's a no win situation.

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

JenniferMHill — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:04:36 GMT

It's just going to suck. Our Y has the same issue and it's brutally painful. I think a push workout vs. an endurance workout is the way to go. Go hard and fast in short bursts with A LOT of rest (i.e., 10x25 on the 30, 10x50 on the minute, 10x100 on the 2 minute or faster, but all with a lazy couple laps and few minutes between the sets).

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

Former Member — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:56:29 GMT

See, that's the problem. Anyone other than lap swimmers will complain. Most pools aren't solely used for lap swimming so there's some give and take involved. 83 is definitely better than 85 or 86, after all! Right, but this facility has a therapy pool for hot water lovers, therapy, water aerobics classes, a hot tub and a LAP POOL, that was supposedly built purely for lap swimmers, and kept at a target temp of 78. Which is why I joined. Which is why I am annoyed at 83, whether it's better than 85 or 86, it's contrary to everything the members were told prior to joining.:bitching:

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

__steve__ — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:40:59 GMT

Don't be as the Jacuzzi frog - acclimate to the 90F water then your body can't adjust back to 78F at meets.

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

no200fly — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:42:41 GMT

Does anyone actually workout in the outdoor pool with these inhuman water temperatures of 90+? Last week it was 86, and I was so uncomfortable, cramping constantly, despite bananas, Vit 3 and tons of water. I've had to go indoors, which is killing me, since I suffer through winter, living for the summer, but this is brutal. I'm on the East coast. This week the air quality is bad, and heat index is in the triple digits as well. Should I tough it out and just accept that the workout will be quite poor? :doh: Water can be cooled with an aerator. Our Y has several that they use at night. Here is a link to a company that makes one - livingwatersaeration.com/

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

Former Member — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:00:56 GMT

83 isn't terribly warm. You can definitely get used to that. 90, on the other hand, will never be comfortable to workout in. Yes, you're right, but in the indoor setting where they CAN control the temp, it just makes sense that a lap pool should not be 83 inside. It definitely felt a hundred times better than swimming outside. Still.......it's just annoying. And people still get in the 83 degree pool and complain it's cold!

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

Former Member — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 07:36:30 GMT

I *hate* warm/hot water too. It's possible to die from heat exhaustion from swimming in hot water, so be careful, it was a good thing you posted. You can take a cold shower after though, hopefully the tap water is a bit cooler. Another option is to freeze your water in a water bottle and use that bottle to cool you off (by drinking it, dumping it over you, whatever it takes). That being said, find an AC'd indoor pool though if you can, so many pools are on google maps now. I did a search the other day, after getting fed up with my current pool, and discovered that two great indoor pools within a 10 min drive opened up recently, with waaaay more lap swimming hours. Marksman, I really hate warm water too. One of the members was talking about a swimmer who died from swimming in water that was too warm, so the lifeguard was very agreeable to throwing the hose in the pool for me, but of course, it did next to nothing, except feel good when I reached the wall at the end of each lap where the hose was! I drink frozen juice diluted with water and drink constantly. There is an indoor pool that I belong to, but even that was terribly warm (83) this past week. I get more upset when the indoor pools don't control the temp in the summer - do they think that we can do serious workouts in that kind of temperature in the summer???? :bump:

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

Former Member — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 07:30:51 GMT

If you can... move your practice to as early in the AM as possible. Also, talk to your pool manager about if/when they are adding water to the pool, and if they can do it overnight. (They have to be losing quite a bot to evaporation in those conditions.) the pool opens at 10, which is early, but not early enough. No one is there to add water at night. It's an outdoor pool that serves more as the community (townhouse, home, condo) pool, with a lap lane (more like a rope) tossed in for a couple hours a day. we are low priority.

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

Former Member — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 07:28:41 GMT

I'd really complain to the pool management about the temperature, but it probably wouldn't help much. But if you don't voice the concern, nothing may change. There isn't much they can do other than put in the cold water hose, but it depends on what guards are on at the time, if you know what I mean.

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

knelson — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:50:15 GMT

And people still get in the 83 degree pool and complain it's cold! See, that's the problem. Anyone other than lap swimmers will complain. Most pools aren't solely used for lap swimming so there's some give and take involved. 83 is definitely better than 85 or 86, after all!

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

aztimm — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 03:50:21 GMT

Water can be cooled with an aerator. Our Y has several that they use at night. Here is a link to a company that makes one - livingwatersaeration.com/ Aerators only work when the air temp and humidity are low. Even with running aerators here, many pools get close to 90F by mid-July, and stay that way through mid-September.

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

knelson — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 03:42:26 GMT

There is an indoor pool that I belong to, but even that was terribly warm (83) this past week. 83 isn't terribly warm. You can definitely get used to that. 90, on the other hand, will never be comfortable to workout in.

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

Former Member — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:29:15 GMT

Yes, the workout is going to be slower and more difficult than it would be in good water conditions. First if your hair is short enough to get away with no cap, don't wear one. It really traps heat. Another thing that helps me is to take a break of sorts every 750-1000 and do an extremely slow 50 sculling while floating on my back- even though I have to wear a cap for sets, i take it off for this.

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

Former Member — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:06:28 GMT

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

pmccoy — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:37:33 GMT

We were "outdoors" last summer while the indoor pool was getting a new roof. Temp went as high as 93 in the pool. Hydrate a lot and be careful... you can overheat. Take long breaks in between sets. After a few weeks, I adapted pretty well. I wouldn't consider it a "poor" workout either. The conditions are changed to make it more stressful. Your body will go through the same levels of exertion. You just won't be breaking any personal bests.

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

jaadams1 — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:36:12 GMT

I'd really complain to the pool management about the temperature, but it probably wouldn't help much. But if you don't voice the concern, nothing may change.

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

funkyfish — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 07:13:56 GMT

The Master's group in my area swims at 6:00am in a 50m outdoor pool during the summer, with workouts beginning around Memorial Day weekend. Usually there are about 2-3 weeks when the water is nice, but around now it gets a bit too warm to merit getting up to swim at 6:00 for me. I wouldn't consider it a "poor" workout either. The conditions are changed to make it more stressful. Your body will go through the same levels of exertion. You just won't be breaking any personal bests. I can anecdotally confirm this. The pool I swim in has an average temperature of 84-87,° and occasionally they like to crank it up to 89-90. I can tolerate the 84-87, but when it gets to 90 I'll swim slower and have to take more rest between sets. One possible benefit from working out in warmer water is that it's really nice to swim at meets with 78-80° pool temps.:D

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

Former Member — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 06:29:44 GMT

I'd really complain to the pool management about the temperature, but it probably wouldn't help much. In my case, there is no pool heater at the outdoor pool. It's heated by God (or alternately your deity of choice) and is pretty much in the upper 80s/right around 90 from July through the beginning of September.

RE: Help! Water temp over 90!

Redbird Alum — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 03:20:49 GMT