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.
In the current issue of Swimmer, there is a brief item on pool tempurature, and it speaks to the fact that the warmer the water, the more blood shifts to the skin to cool the body, depriving the major muscles of O2 and clearing of poisons.
Perhaps warm=good for a sprinter, but if the Swimmer article is correct, longer distance swimmers would be better off in cooler water.
Thoughts?
Warm water is just as bad for a sprinter. We need the oxygen just as much as distance swimmers. We deplete our oxygen stores in our muscles faster and create lactate quickly. We need the blood to keep our muscles working, and if the blood is doing other work, it can't help us swim faster.
As I mentioned before, my times in warm water are much slower. I try very hard to keep up my stroke rate, but the energy isn't there.
As long as I live, I will continue to see this divide. Since fitness swimmers far outweigh the number of competitive swimmers in Masters, they will always win in convincing coaches/pool managers of the best pool temperature.
In the current issue of Swimmer, there is a brief item on pool tempurature, and it speaks to the fact that the warmer the water, the more blood shifts to the skin to cool the body, depriving the major muscles of O2 and clearing of poisons.
Perhaps warm=good for a sprinter, but if the Swimmer article is correct, longer distance swimmers would be better off in cooler water.
Thoughts?
Warm water is just as bad for a sprinter. We need the oxygen just as much as distance swimmers. We deplete our oxygen stores in our muscles faster and create lactate quickly. We need the blood to keep our muscles working, and if the blood is doing other work, it can't help us swim faster.
As I mentioned before, my times in warm water are much slower. I try very hard to keep up my stroke rate, but the energy isn't there.
As long as I live, I will continue to see this divide. Since fitness swimmers far outweigh the number of competitive swimmers in Masters, they will always win in convincing coaches/pool managers of the best pool temperature.
