32 Celsius = 89 F !!!!!!!!!!!!
Effect of water temperature on performance, lactate production and heart rate at swimming of maximal and submaximal intensity.
Mougios V, Deligiannis A.
The effect of water temperature on performance effort, monitored heart rate and lactate production during freestyle swimming at maximal and submaximal speed has been studied. Fifteen male sprint swimmers performing 100 m swimming and fifteen comparable endurance competitors performing 30 min swimming at submaximal speed served as subjects. Water temperature in separate events was 20, 26 and 32 degrees C. At maximal performance there was a direct relationship between any two of the following parameters: water temperature, average swimming speed, heart rate during the competition and plasma lactate concentration after the event. Thus, the best effort (speed 1.704 m/s), the highest peak heart rate (185 beats/min) and the highest lactate level (19.8 mmol/l) were observed at 32 degrees C (all mean values). In contrast, these values were markedly lower at 20 degrees C. At the submaximal effort, water temperature was related to peak heart rate only. The highest peak heart rate (144 beats/min) was again obtained at 32 degrees C, while the lactate concentration (4.2-5.2 mmol/l) was independent of temperature. Water temperature appears to have a direct effect on performance effort, heart rate and lactate production during swimming at maximal intensity, whereas this effect seems to fade at submaximal efforts.
I must be the only sprinter who hates warm water. My fast twitch muscles turn to slow twitch in warmer water (82 and higher), my brain wants to shut down and my times are about a second slower per 50 than if I swam in cooler water. You can't properly do race pace work in warm water.
Rich, I swam in the Mona Plummer pool on Tuesday and it was a wonderful 79 degrees. On Wednesday it jumped up to 80. I'm assuming it'll stay there for this weekend.
I will say that doing workouts in 78 degrees is tough. I have had trouble with leg cramping for some reason. But I only experience this "problem" when I'm trying to get in a swim while working at a championship meet (NCAAs and nationals), where they keep the pools at the low end of the allowable range.
I must be the only sprinter who hates warm water. My fast twitch muscles turn to slow twitch in warmer water (82 and higher), my brain wants to shut down and my times are about a second slower per 50 than if I swam in cooler water. You can't properly do race pace work in warm water.
Rich, I swam in the Mona Plummer pool on Tuesday and it was a wonderful 79 degrees. On Wednesday it jumped up to 80. I'm assuming it'll stay there for this weekend.
I will say that doing workouts in 78 degrees is tough. I have had trouble with leg cramping for some reason. But I only experience this "problem" when I'm trying to get in a swim while working at a championship meet (NCAAs and nationals), where they keep the pools at the low end of the allowable range.