Swimming pools feel too cold

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:20:53 GMT

The average pool temperature is 27-29 degrees. If it is warmer it gets too warm after you swim for about 10 minutes. I always hate that first momnet when you jump into the pool but after 10 minutes of warming up it feels just right. When I lived in La Paz for 5 years until 2008 I had difficulties finding a pool. Bolivia is a poor country and doesn't just have public pools. I contacted a triathlon club and they got me the membership of the military school pool which was a brand new pool on the military school base. The pool, the changing rooms and the showers were great and everything was new and in a brilliant shape but after a while they couldn't afford to heat the pool to more than about 22 degrees Celsius. Apparently heating those extra 5-6 degrees cost a couple of thousand dollars more a month. No matter how long and how hard I swam I was always freezing. I'm not sure if the body gets used to it but after 6 months I stopped going there and bought a spin bike instead which was a pity because otherwise the pool was so good.

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:00:20 GMT

Something I've been wondering about-- The pool I usually swim at is 79 or 80F, which I would say is just about ideal. But in the summer I sometimes swim at a pool that is a lot warmer. I don't know the temp, but it's definitely a lot warmer, and anyway, I've noticed that my shoulders don't hurt when I swim there. Is colder water worse for swimmer's shoulder-type problems?

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:44:22 GMT

I would recommend doing something like jumping jacks or toe touches or vigorous arm swings or running in place to warm up your body before you immerse yourself in water. :) I second this motion!

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

smontanaro — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:43:07 GMT

I would recommend doing something like jumping jacks or toe touches or vigorous arm swings or running in place to warm up your body before you immerse yourself in water. :) Or ride your bike to the pool... S

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:55:14 GMT

I love a pool that is around 85F to swim in, my muscles get warmed up quicker and my knees hurt less (Breaststroker) :bliss: I hate when I jump in a pool and I scream french obscenities under water... :afraid: Fight on and beat the Domers...

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:49:44 GMT

The biggest problem I have is getting into the pool at 6am when the water is 72-74 degrees. When I first started swimming, May 2009, it took me 15 minutes to get up my nerve to get in and just swim to warm up. Now it only takes me 5-10 minutes to get in. I question sometimes why I do this shock to my body so early in the morning, but once I get going I love it and would not change anything. I am running into the same thing. I live in florida and when it starts to get cooler, will I be able to get into the pool? This will be my first winter swimming. People tell me that the water will be warmer than the air, but I have to admit, I get cold in the summer in the water. Just inspiring words would be great!! :cheerleader:

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

ViveBene — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:21:26 GMT

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

__steve__ — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:11:57 GMT

I seem to swim fastest in about 77-78˚F. Unfortunately the pool I train in is 86˚F (set by noodlers), which even though I can tolerate, makes it shocking to jump into faster pool's. My coordination goes south if I'm not used to it.

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:51:56 GMT

Hello Blade, Do you wear a cap when you swim? Caps trap a lot of heat and may be of help to you. I second this one!

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:02:56 GMT

Hello Blade, Do you wear a cap when you swim? Caps trap a lot of heat and may be of help to you. Try a long hot shower befor enterng the pool. Also, try swimming a very fast first lap if you can or a first length. If I feet too cool that gets my heart rate up and I feel nice and warm. Then I slow down for a proper warm-up. The three of four public swimming pools here in France all stay at between 27-28 degrees Celsius. I assume that is the accepted norm. Sometimes I feel cool when I first get in but am good and warmed up after the first lap. Good Luck, Elizabeth

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

knelson — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:46:38 GMT

To me, 27-29 would be way too warm to train in. You sure? The vast majority of (lap) pools are in this range. That's 80-84 in Fahrenheit. 80 can definitely feel pretty cool unless you are working hard. To answer the OP's question I think the best advice is to keep moving. If you stop you will get cold. Work hard and your body will produce lots of heat to keep you warm. A warm cap and ear plugs can help, too.

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:27:55 GMT

The pool I swam in the summer was at a consistent 70-72F. It was nice after a full day of work out in the sun and only was cold until I got to swimming a bit. Kick sets always warm me up since I work hard while doing them.

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Gdavis — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:43:02 GMT

Maybe try getting one of the sun shirts to keep you warmer. I sometimes use a neoprene surf shirt in cold water. Good for extra resistance too! Wearing multiple swim caps also helps. Why not go to a surf store and try something like this? www.oneill.com/ Anyone feeling cold in 29deg C must have reptilian tendencies.:D

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:25:18 GMT

We had a very thin swimmer with us for a while but the 82F water temps were too cold for her. She was very low fat and only lightly-muscled with a tiny body frame. Not sure if that was just her genetics or if she was anorexic. She ended up getting a full-body lycra bodysuit, which helped a bit but her hands and particularly her feet still would get painfully cold. Her circulation was impaired by the cold so she was building up lactic acid during her warmup, which forced her to slow down ... and then a workout with long-rest intervals made things even worse. She was a triathlete and had a good work ethic and had good conditioning, just no cold tolerance. I am guessing she was very good as a long-distance runner.

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

hnatkin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:12:14 GMT

Maybe I'm a toughie but I've always believed that if you are cold while working out in 80+ degree water, then you are not working hard enough. Have you tried speeding up your pace or working harder intervals to get your heart rate up? Your body should get warm from the exertion.

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:05:48 GMT

80 can definitely feel pretty cool unless you are working hard. Emphasis added for benefit of the OP.

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:02:11 GMT

These seem to help the folks at our pool who don't like cooler water: I don't know that it helps in fact I think it is a cause. If you are noodling you are not working hard enough to warm up. I don't mean that as an attack against noodlers. I am stating it as fact.

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

swimshark — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:39:17 GMT

Maybe try getting one of the sun shirts to keep you warmer. To me, 27-29 would be way too warm to train in. I would feel sick after a few minutes. But if you are getting cold from it, sounds like you need to cover up more.

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:41:20 GMT

http://www.getsnuggie.com/

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:13:55 GMT

I'm curious if you swim before breakfast. Try eating protein two to three hours before you swim. This can add heat to the body. I eat protein before open water cold swims and it really makes a difference, so it should work for pool swimming, too.

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:08:53 GMT

You could always try something like this: www.desotosport.com/.../product.asp Designed for swimming (well, triathons:bolt:)...anti-chlorine treatment, and de soto is known for having some of the best customer service in the biz.

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

aquageek — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:57:22 GMT

I don't know that it helps in fact I think it is a cause. If you are noodling you are not working hard enough to warm up. I don't mean that as an attack against noodlers. I am stating it as fact. I thought noodles might have secret warming powers given the how they are hugged upon.

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

aquageek — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:32:08 GMT

These seem to help the folks at our pool who don't like cooler water:

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

__steve__ — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:14:36 GMT

80F for me just feels cool at first and anything below 75F will make me dizzy and causes headaches after a workout. I usually wimp out before others when it comes to cool water. But the water temps your swimming in should not be unbearable. I am not a MD but I would guess it could be one of 3 things: 1) just hate cold water 2) hypothalamus 3) metabolic. Try thinking about the guy that swims 1000M in artic water in just a speedo to remind you how warm it is

RE: Swimming pools feel too cold

Former Member — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:09:01 GMT

And I thought I was a ninny when it came to cold water. You take the cake! 27 - 29 degrees, by most peoples' standards, is hardly cold. A lot of people would find that waaaay to hot to train in. The indoor pool I go to is also kept somewhere between 27 and 29 and, for me, that is just right. But everyone's perception of what is cold is different. Surely after a brisk warm up you don't feel cold any more? The only thing I can think of to suggest is to wear a wetsuit. Is it perhaps because you have only started swimming recently? Water temperature is something the body acclimatizes to. And, if it is the case, after a while, you won't feel cold at that temperature any more.