Getting used to colder water

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:53:01 GMT

Alrighty I've been trying all day...my car only started after I removed my wetsuit from the trunk!!!! Well, that taught me a lesson! :blush: Vive hope your shoulders feel better soon.

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:15:49 GMT

I was all set to go and my car won't start :( try again mb during the week or next sunday

RE: Getting used to colder water

ViveBene — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 02:21:15 GMT

48 here in the lake now, apparently. You would think Chicago would be a great place to do 50's-60's swimming but we have such a short window before it plummets!!! I'm toying with neoprene...help!!!! I need an intervention!!!:afraid: Lake was 50.0 F today at 9:15 a.m. I did not go in (wrecked my shoulders with multiple stresses). About 2 more weeks left; maybe we can push it into early November. :applaud:

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 05:25:16 GMT

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:32:36 GMT

Recent studies show, contrary to the stories we've heard, that only 10% of body heat is lost through the head... "When it comes to wrapping up on a cold winter's day, a cosy hat is obligatory. After all, most of our body heat is lost through our heads – or so we are led to believe.Closer inspection of heat loss in the hatless, however, reveals the claim to be nonsense, say scientists who have dispelled this and five other modern myths. They traced the origins of the hat-wearing advice back to a US army survival manual from 1970 which strongly recommended covering the head when it is cold, since "40 to 45 percent of body heat" is lost from the head. Rachel Vreeman and Aaron Carroll, at the centre for health policy at Indiana University in Indianapolis, rubbish the claim in the British Medical Journal this week. If this were true, they say, humans would be just as cold if they went without a hat as if they went without trousers. "Patently, this is just not the case," they write. The myth is thought to have arisen through a flawed interpretation of a vaguely scientific experiment by the US military in the 1950s. In those studies, volunteers were dressed in Arctic survival suits and exposed to bitterly cold conditions. Because it was the only part of their bodies left uncovered, most of their heat was lost through their heads. The face, head and chest are more sensitive to changes in temperature than the rest of the body, making it feel as if covering them up does more to prevent heat loss. In fact, covering one part of the body has as much effect as covering any other. If the experiment had been performed with people wearing only swimming trunks, they would have lost no more than 10% of their body heat through their heads, the scientists add."

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:28:23 GMT

i too have a hard time gaining any weight. though i seem to move pretty regularly between 163 and 170. i have been trying to add some mass, as i have a few long swims planned for next season and a little extra couldn't hurt. i have been swimming twice per week in a lake for about an hour at 58 degrees followed by a cold down hill mtn bike ride of 20 minutes. i didn't think the ride had much benefit, but i swam a bit over 4 hours at coney island last sunday with ease... water temp was 60, so i think the extra cycling while shivering is an added bonus. the lake temp dropped 6 degrees in as many days and i'll be out of town for a bit so, it may be april until i get back there. i will try to get at least one 4 - 6 hour swim in per month in water between 57 and 62 degrees...... but i haven't figured out where i'm going to do them yet.

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:52:00 GMT

I have seen that recent report and will dismiss it . 10 % heat loss only Baloney! Rubbish as they put it. The actual % will vary from person to person depending on their body fat , heart condition , vascular condition and many other factors. The head is filled with blood its a radiator as such , so are the arms and legs but the body will constrict blood flow to the extremities if the core becomes too cold.. not so with the head . the body always maintains a full blood flow as the brain suffers with any less. Try swimming in cold water capless.. see how fast you get cold and try again with a cap, the difference is day and night. Swimmers have learned that a cap keeps you warmer.. Ask the San Franscisco Bay crowd as they have been cold water swimming for decades with only swimcaps and not wetsuits. And with that said whats your point? That a person is warmer with no cap or theres no difference?? Even accepting the 10% number you are warmer with a cap then without. My best advise : See your medical doctor before making any decisions about swimming in cold water. Cold Water Swim Caps www.geocities.com/.../coldwatercaps.html On Oct 26th Geocities will pull the plug on this page. Goodbye Geocities.

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:31:49 GMT

Does anyone know if the neoprene caps with the chin straps increase chafing? Is it better to just use two regular latex caps? Thanks Tyr makes a neato neoprene cap that is light enough to fit under a regular cap. It doesn't have a chin strap, either. I love it. Wear earplugs for warmth and to protect your ears, too.

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:51:12 GMT

dont do much open water myself...gonna change that....but my daughter has an extensive background, and the concensus is that the fast skins to not add any warmth over any other "conventional" suit. This cap looks like it would be the berries! If this is true this would help a lot. As my daughter completed the Manhattan Marathon, and only concern was hypothermia, which nearly ended her swim. Interested in anyones experience with this cap. Help, Hurt,no difference. Hope this help

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 12:29:30 GMT

I do remember Carol Sing used a bubble strap cap for her English Channel record swim and The Swim Around Manhattan. I wear one but I am not doing more then 1 mile at a tme. Caps are cheap to try out and swim items like caps, goggles, wetsuits ect. used in a race should be tried and tested before the race to make sure they work . One thing for sure is how much heat leaves thru the head, Ive heard up to 50 percent, then the body shuts down the blood to the arms and legs to conserve the heat in the head and body core

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 06:18:28 GMT

and one more item, Ive found the Desoto neoprene caps chafe much less (not at all in fact) than the others, they are cut high in back and out of 1 piece through the strap and its very stretchy neoprene. The only problems are they are not legal for most ow swims and they float your head up a bit so my neck muscles work harder maintaining my preferred head position.

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 06:16:12 GMT

I have used the cap and fastskin/legskins in openwater (catalina for the legskins) I found the fastskin to be a little bit cooling as it drys so fast it felt like any wind hititng it instantly cooled it. The elastic edging of the bubble cap chews my neck badly so I only used it for a few 3-4 mile swims before abandoning it.

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 12:35:39 GMT

Do Fastskin bodysuits provide any warmth?

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:54:39 GMT

Does anyone know if the neoprene caps with the chin straps increase chafing? Is it better to just use two regular latex caps? Thanks

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:09:54 GMT

The bubble caps with the strap are warm cheap and English Channel legal. they dont chafe either. They can be worn over a silicone or regular cap for extra warmth.about 7 dollars . Most heat does leave thru the head and a good open water cap really works wonders. cold water caps www.geocities.com/.../coldwatercaps.html

RE: Getting used to colder water

Rob Copeland — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 10:39:29 GMT

A neoprene cap will keep you much warmer than two regular latex or silicone caps, however a chin strap does increase the risk of chafing. Bodyglide, or Pam spray (any vegetable oil) will help to reduce chafing. If you need neoprene for warmth, then experiment and figure how to reduce chafing. Also, be sure to experiment is similar conditions (salt water is different than fresh).

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 06:34:36 GMT

Start every day with a cold shower. :snore:-> :agree: -> :wiggle:

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 07:46:07 GMT

along with this, as i am looking to do a few cold water swims this year and next, is there anything else you recommend? I am not a large person and everyone i know, keeps telling me i am going to have to put on weight, although none of these people are swimmers, lol. I am muscular, 5'8" and i weigh 138lbs.(i have been this height and weight forever, gaining weight isn't really easy for me as i am very active...and i find when i swim long and in cold water, even when i eat like a horse i still don't gain weight as i burn a lot of calories..) I did try one long swim in October of this past year, the water was 59 degrees and i swam for 1:25, i did have some hypothermia when i was done, so i am hoping not to get in that condition again. Any other suggestions would help, i know acclimaizing will help, but i am looking for any other useful tips!

RE: Getting used to colder water

Rob Copeland — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 04:13:49 GMT

Keep your body well fueled Stay warm before the swim Get warm after the swim Swim fast, the more energy you exert the more calories your body burns and the warmer you stay.

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 12:23:17 GMT

Thanks for the advice, all. I'll keep track of what I do so I can share my experiences with others in the future.

RE: Getting used to colder water

Former Member — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 13:26:39 GMT

For what its worth, I would not worry to much about getting in the ocean now the difference between this winter water temp and your swim temp is huge. If you have planned out a training schedule including long ocean swims, start acclimating about 1 to 2 weeks before your first one. There is no reason to make yourself miserable acclimating to water you will not be spending a great deal of time in. Just remember to take your time and bring a buddy. Now if your just a sicko and you want to swim around in winter water, welcome to the club, membership is free. I hope you have a great swim Cheers Willie Schulz

RE: Getting used to colder water

Rob Copeland — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 04:52:54 GMT

First, I found that it is best to start cold water acclimation in the fall, when you can train as the water cools. This way you can keep your rime in the water relative constant even as the temperature begins to drop. But this won’t work for you. So instead of maintaining the time in cooling water, I’d recommend increasing the time in warming water. When I was training for cold (60-64) marathons I would train down to about 50 degrees, where I was good for about an hours swim. When it got below 50, I started to wimp out. However with your swim in only 7 months, you may want to get in for some short duration (5-20) minute swims now and increase the time in the water as it warms. I would suggest that you find a friend to swim along, most likely in a full body wetsuit, or at the least have an escort boat. And be very aware of the possibility of hypothermia. A couple of suggestions… make sure you stay warm before you start the training swim and make sure you have somewhere close to warm up after the swim. Also two caps and ear plugs help to maintain body heat. I assume that wetsuits are not allowed so don’t wear one to train. Also, there is a big difference between 62 for 11 hours and 68, so if possible try to bet a better understanding of what race day conditions will be.