Help with pool temperature

From age 14 to 17, I swam in a pool that was hardly ever cooler than 85 degrees. I was always grumpy during the hard sets because I couldnt' go as fast as the coach wanted. I just did the best I could, and I swam extremely well in those years. Now in Arizona, I'm experiencing the same thing, especially in the winter. I've noticed that my Tucson training group doesn't like warm water, but we're at the whim of the university team. My Phoenix training group loves the warm water, so I'm in the minority. Like I did when I was a kid, you adjust the intensity of the workout so you don't overheat. Hydrating helps, but if you're swimming at 5:50 a.m., it's hard to start hydrating long before workout. My advice for anyone swimming in warm water is to be very aware of how your body is responding.

Anything less than 80 and I'm all tight. Optimum for me is 82-85 for workout - 84-88 for meets. I depends on your acclimation and individual norm. In Virginia the indoor pool was 82+ - in Florida the indoor pool I was thinking of swimming was lowered to 78- because the noodlers complained it was too warm- just the opposite in Virginia. Go figure - ambiant temp. impacts?

I decided to ask an expert about the proper ratio of air to water temperature. This is what the expert (manager of the Univ. of Missouri aquatic center, where two world records were set last month) said: "The standard is to keep the air temperature two degrees above the water temperature. That really depends on the water being in a normal swimming range (78-85). This allows you to feel as warm out of the water, but keeps evaporation down (humidity settings are also important, too). We keep the Competition Pool at 80 degrees and the air at 82."

Anna Lea, I know that's what the pool manuals must say. However, if the pool is 85, having the air 87 only makes it worse. In our climate, the indoor temperature (if there is no air conditioning in the pool) is affected by the outdoor temperature. On 90+ days, it's hard to swim in 84-85 degrees water temp. In the winter, 84-85 is tolerable. Betsy

Passing on an anonymous tidbit re: water temperature. Could explain some of the chronic issues swimmers (like me) have with breathing, bronchitis and asthma. "It so happens that I have been brought in on a few occasions to council and act as expert witness where people were charging YMCA's and JCC's and the like who kept pool temp above 82 degrees. I've had to present information to the effect that raising body temp with vigorous exercise can lead to both blood pressure spikes and drops, with attendant cardiac irregularities. People can faint and present with all sorts of discomforting responses. BUT, each and every time, the defendants (Y's, etc) said then that those complaining should not be training that vigorously or should go somewhere else...they were more interested in having a "comfy" ambiance for the elderly and arthritic, etc. When it was brought out that even youngsters could be at risk with training in inappropriately warm water, their responses were rather foolish...youngsters can handle it. Most might be able but there are always some that will respond negatively...all this is being presented to you so you will know that if the Y has very warm water, they are either grossly ignorant and just asking for trouble, or they simply don't care about vigorous training in the water. The fractionalized water molecules up to 18 inches above the water level are the most influencing...with many people splashing and swimming hard, this area carries combined chlorine (becoming hypochlorites) and hot water...all bad for breathing...inflammation, irritation, asthma and muscular weakness all can arise. The more you are exposed the greater the chance to develop a chronic condition... I made my case with my medical background and only got in hot water (pun here) with the administration. Stupid me, I kept training and pushing in this bad environment (pool chemistries were also bad as is the case in most places with too warm water) and developed frank asthma and suffered several bronchitis bouts."

:violin:I recently switched to the Y because the aquatic center where I usually swim keeps the water at 78 degrees. I was really struggling to stay warm in the water even going full steam. I don't have a lot of body fat and I have some shoulder issues that I think the cold water was aggravating. The Y pool is almost too warm at 85 but I can swim longer. The only issue is the morning tot class over in the next lane.......all I can think about is the swim diaper issue. I guess every rose has it's thorn.

My problem isn't the water but the air. The air is so hot and stale that it sets off my asthma everytime I've gone there in the last two weeks. there are fans but the women who aren't lap swimmign complain so much that the fans are either turned off or turned so that they blow into walls. There is no air movement at all. What makes me mad is that the schedule specifically states that it is an adult lap swim time. "Walkers" aren't suppose to be there anyway. These old women make me look like i'm a terrilbe person. i told the manager about my ashtma and asked why the walkers are allowed. She told me that they can't be turned away.

Sorry, I get so u[set by these women I forgot to mention that I have a former boss who is the ED of the Arthritis foundation in Missouri. I'm going to e-mail her to ask about the requirements.

Sorry, I get so u Craig, I posted this in another thread a couple of months ago: From : ww2.arthritis.org/communities...gramManual.pdf p. 21 Water Temperature Guidelines To date, research shows that for a recreational warm water exercise program like the Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program, the appropriate and safe water temperature range is 83-88 degrees Fahrenheit (see references below). Higher temperatures, particularly those used in therapeutic pools, i.e., 91 degrees and higher, are not recommended. In the field, there is constant debate regarding water temperature for our program partly due to the wide range of pools in which the classes are taught. It should be noted that therapeutic pools, those that are heated to high temperatures such as 91-99 degrees Fahrenheit, are inappropriate for active exercise programs like the Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program. Ill-effects that may occur include an increase in core body temperature, a decrease in blood pressure and an increase in oxygen consumption and cardiac demands beyond a safe margin. When the program is periodically reviewed and revised, there is a review of current research literature related to aquatic exercise and as appropriate, changes are made in the program guidelines and content to accommodate new scientific evidence…. Water Temperature References Atkinson, G.P., Harrison, R.A. Implications of the Health and Safety at Work Act in relation to hydrotherapy departments. Physiotherapy. 1981;67:263. Golland, A. Basic hydrotherapy. Physiotherapy. 1981;67:258. Kirby, R., Kriellars D. Oxygen consumption during exercise in a heated pool. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1984;65:21 Ruoti, R.G., Morris, D.M., Cole, A.J. Aquatic Rehabilitation. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott; 1997. The Water Well. Vol. 6 An Official Publication of the Aquatic Exercise Association, Inc. (2000-2005). Retrieved June 24, 2005, from www.aeawave.com/consumer.htm Arthritis and Exercise. The Johns Hopkins University. (2002). Retrieved June 24, 2005 from www.hopkinshospital.org/.../water_workout O’Brien, D.B. (n.d.) Aquatics Offers Freedom. Retrieved June 26, 2005, from Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center Web Site: www.marrtc.org/.../arti...uatics702.html Twynham, J., Gross, R. (1997). Exercising your aquatic fitness opportunities. Retrieved June 26, 2005 from www.sandfordgroup.com/editori...ngaquatic.html

Thanks for the link. As a swimming anesthesiologist and former college swimmer I would like to point out that the recommendation is from the Arthritis Foundation. The Arthritis Foundation recs are for folks with rheumatoid arthritis. The majority of folks we see in our pool have osteoarthritis, few have rheumatiod arthritis. Our community YMCA's have all, but for one, caved to the aquatalkers using the Arthritis Foundation info. Once the pool is warmed to bath temp it is very hard to go back. I think we need to be more involved in our local pool management even if it just meeting the director and getting to develop a dialogue. Thanks