The noodlers have succeeded, again, in getting the pool temperature raised to 86 degrees! :bitching: I have sent an e-mail to the American Red Cross, however, the more information I gather, the better! If any of you have any published articles on this topic, I would greatly appreciate it!
Here is the e-mail I sent to the American Red cross:
Hello,
I live in an adult community with an indoor swimming pool. After doing internet research, I am still not sure of a definitive recommendation of appropriate water temperatures for the following:
1. Adults (55 years old or older) swimming laps and/or participating in water aerobics who have high blood pressure or other heart conditions.
2. Adults (55 years old or older) swimming laps and/or participating in water aerobics who have diabetes.
In addition, what is the recommended air temperature and humidity percentage for an indoor pool?
The pool temperature in our community was raised from 84 to 86, so I am trying to build a case for lowering the temperature to suit the needs of the majority of our residents. And, it is my guess that most of the residents using the pool have either high blood pressure, other heart conditions, diabetes, or other health conditions making it a health risk to exercise in 86 degree water.
Any assistance and documentation you can provide would be most appreciated!
Thank you very much,
Elaine Krugman
Thanks, Forumites, for any documentation you send my way! By the way, if you can post links in the forums, perhaps it would help others, as well, who are battling the same issues. If you have articles to send as attachments, please send me a PM and I will provide you my e-mail address.
Thanks!
Elaine
P.S. Anna Lea: If you see this, does USMS have any "official" documentation at your offices?
Ha! What a coincidence! I just responded to you (67King) on my Solo Swimmers thread before I saw your post on this old thread I started. I mentioned the 84-degree water at our pool in that comment.
Noodlers are the same EVERYWHERE, aren't they? Until the water temperature matches their body temperature, they will complain it's too cold! After all, many of them are basically corks, bobbing up and down, not making much effort to raise their heart rate...
I fought for 82 degrees at our pool, and the noodlers fought for 86. The board ruled 84, so that is where our thermostat is set; a bit warm for me. I agree with knelson that 83 is probably the best compromise.
.... WHen the air temperature is 10 degrees cooler than the water temperature, I get stiff between reps, even if my rest interval is 20 seconds. If I'm supposed to rest a couple of minutes before starting a set, I have to swim a bit to get loose, again.
King -
I used to have to swim outdoors in these types of conditions. Keep everything underwater except your head between sets. It helps maintain your body temp.
And, maybe more importantly, my body gets used to shedding heat, so when I am in competition (77-82), I have no trouble with over-heating.
I agree with this wholeheartedly. If you train in warmer water you can handle just about any temperature for competition.
Two problems I have with elevated temperature. It is not a comfort thing, it is a safety thing. I don't want to get dehydrated. Fortunately, my body is pretty good at telling me I'm thirsty and I drink water.
But the second issue, and maybe the bigger deal, is the air temperature. People prop open the doors to the pool area, and it can get really flippin' cold in there. Low 70's like the rest of the gym. WHen the air temperature is 10 degrees cooler than the water temperature, I get stiff between reps, even if my rest interval is 20 seconds. If I'm supposed to rest a couple of minutes before starting a set, I have to swim a bit to get loose, again.
My wife and I are probably outliers. I love 84 degrees for training. It is easy to get into, I never get cold - regardless of the practice intensity.
And, maybe more importantly, my body gets used to shedding heat, so when I am in competition (77-82), I have no trouble with over-heating.
I think anything over 26°C (79°F) is too hot for me and I have to reduce my intensity. If I swim in 30°C (86°F), I may have to get out after 100 m.
My neutral point is around 21°C (70°F) where I can stay for a long time without getting cold, and do high intensity interval without getting warm.
I think anything over 26°C (79°F) is too hot for me and I have to reduce my intensity. If I swim in 30°C (86°F), I may have to get out after 100 m.
My neutral point is around 21°C (70°F) where I can stay for a long time without getting cold, and do high intensity interval without getting warm.
That is... not normal.
That is... not normal.
Yeah that seems heavily skewed to the "cold side" of things! For me, it depends upon the pool and environment. Indoor pool? I like 78-82 with a preference for right at 80 (to be precise, 79.7-80.3 or thereabouts). However, I can still get a decent workout in a well ventilated "warmer" pool that is upwards of 84. After that, I can swim, but it won't be worth it to attempt any kind of quality workout (meaning if I only had ONE pool option and the temperature was 89, I could get a 3000-4000 yard workout in, but it would be all AE swimming, kicking, and drilling...no fast stuff).
Now, outdoor pools are a different story. Here in Arkansas it gets miserably hot (READ: temperature of 100 with 100% humidity but no clouds in the sky type miserable!) from June through August. The Little Rock Racquet Club actually has an airator to "cool" the outdoor LCM pool down because without it, by mid June, the temperature has risen to 86-87 and is unsuitable for workouts (it is the club team's main pool during the summer months). I usually get in as soon as the LCM pool opens in late March, with the temperature around 63-64. Again, can't get too much quality at that temp, but I do not find it unbearable. The sweet spot for me for an outdoor pool is between 75-78, however there have been times when the temperature soars here in Central Arkansas that a pool temp in the low 70s has been optimal for a great workout.
On a funny side note, one of the most "comfortable" afternoons I trained this past year was in October (October 13th, to be exact). It was 45 degrees and pouring down rain. I managed to drag Trip to come do a practice with me before he headed to War Memorial Stadium to watch Arkansas play Ole Miss in football. He figured since he would be miserable and cold at the game all night, he might as well start getting acclimated by being cold and miserable at the pool. The pool temp was 64, but with the ambient temperature dropping to the low 40s, it felt AMAZING. Was one of our better practices, and I think the conditions helped us there. Water did NOT feel like 64 (felt more like in the mid 70s). Not saying I would want to swim every day in pouring rain, 45 degree air temp and 64 degree water temp, but in this case it was fine.
Yeah that seems heavily skewed to the "cold side" of things! For me, it depends upon the pool and environment. Indoor pool? I like 78-82 with a preference for right at 80 (to be precise, 79.7-80.3 or thereabouts). However, I can still get a decent workout in a well ventilated "warmer" pool that is upwards of 84. After that, I can swim, but it won't be worth it to attempt any kind of quality workout (meaning if I only had ONE pool option and the temperature was 89, I could get a 3000-4000 yard workout in, but it would be all AE swimming, kicking, and drilling...no fast stuff).
Now, outdoor pools are a different story. Here in Arkansas it gets miserably hot (READ: temperature of 100 with 100% humidity but no clouds in the sky type miserable!) from June through August. The Little Rock Racquet Club actually has an airator to "cool" the outdoor LCM pool down because without it, by mid June, the temperature has risen to 86-87 and is unsuitable for workouts (it is the club team's main pool during the summer months). I usually get in as soon as the LCM pool opens in late March, with the temperature around 63-64. Again, can't get too much quality at that temp, but I do not find it unbearable. The sweet spot for me for an outdoor pool is between 75-78, however there have been times when the temperature soars here in Central Arkansas that a pool temp in the low 70s has been optimal for a great workout.
On a funny side note, one of the most "comfortable" afternoons I trained this past year was in October (October 13th, to be exact). It was 45 degrees and pouring down rain. I managed to drag Trip to come do a practice with me before he headed to War Memorial Stadium to watch Arkansas play Ole Miss in football. He figured since he would be miserable and cold at the game all night, he might as well start getting acclimated by being cold and miserable at the pool. The pool temp was 64, but with the ambient temperature dropping to the low 40s, it felt AMAZING. Was one of our better practices, and I think the conditions helped us there. Water did NOT feel like 64 (felt more like in the mid 70s). Not saying I would want to swim every day in pouring rain, 45 degree air temp and 64 degree water temp, but in this case it was fine.
For me, I don't know why, but 21°C pool produces better T/T result than 26°C pool for me. However, 17°C is another story, I got much slower when I tried 1500 m the first time in a pool of such temperature, even desperately wanting to make a year-end goal, probably because I haven't been acclimatised to that temperature yet.
Where are you that there are open pools that are keeping their water 21 degrees C and below? That's pretty extreme. Here in the U.S. your typical pool that is used for both rec swimming and training is kept around 28 on average. I can say with confidence that there is zero chance a pool would be open to public at 17 C (63 F).
Agree. They leave the LCM pool open here at the LRRC when it is that cold because that pool is always "swim at your own risk". There is no lifeguard on duty at that pool either. You are welcome to swim in it as soon as they have it open in March, when it is in the low 60s, but that's your call :P
