Swim safely this winter
Written by Chloe Rafferty, Director of Love SwimRun and STA Open Water Swimming Coach.
Kit for cold water swimming
As well as taking time to get acclimatised to cold water, getting the right kit is imperative. There is no need to go all macho and swim in skins, wearing a wetsuit and neoprene accessories will make your swims far less painful and allow you to stay in the water for longer, which if you want to get some distance and training in is essential. Wetsuits also offer you safety in their buoyancy.
I have been wearing the following in 8-9 degree water :
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Swimming costume and a long sleeve thermal rash vest
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Neoprene hood over a silicone hat
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Ear Plugs
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Zone3 Fleece Parker (for immediately before and after swimming)
Cold water can cause numbness and pain, particularly in the extremities, such as the hands and feet. Neoprene socks and gloves can help protect you and will dull the cold shock response. Wearing neoprene will extend the time you feel comfortable in the water by removing some of the most painful aspects of it, but you must still take care to notice other signs of hypothermia setting in.
Protecting your head is really important so wearing two swim hats, or a neoprene hat or hood will help to keep you warmer and you can get bigger mask type goggles that will protect more of the sensitive skin on you face from direct contact with the cold water helping to reduce shock and the feeling of ‘ice cream head’!
Making sure your wetsuit fits well and does not flush cold water will ensure you stay warmer. I found wearing a neoprene hood tucked under my wetsuit neck line really helped with this. You could also add a neoprene vest under your wetsuit if there is room, but be careful the first time you use it as I found doing that constricted my breathing too much.
Swim Safely
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It’s always safer (and more fun!) to swim with a friend or a group. If possible swim at venues that remain open all year with life guards and supported training swims or at least have someone on shore to keep an eye on you. Start out swimming in a well used swimming spot that you know is safe and then stay close to the shore or in water shallow enough to stand in. You should only venture into deeper water if you are confident you can swim the distance, being mindful of wind, currents and the temperature of the water and the air.
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Wearing a bright coloured swim hat or a tow float makes you highly visible and a float gives you something to hold onto for a rest.
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Don’t set strict time or distance goals for staying in the water, use your head, not a watch and don’t risk getting competitive about it! Get out when YOU start to feel uncomfortable or notice any of the signs of hypothermia listed further down in the article.
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Don’t swim in cold water when you’re tired, run-down or ill as your body will be less able to deal with the cold and you could do more harm than good.
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Stay out of fast moving water and stay away from ice unless it is very thin (but it can still be very sharp!)
Eat Well, Keep Hydrated & Swim When You Are Rested
To keep warm your body needs energy. The calories in your food are the fuel that your body will burn to produce heat so make sure you have eaten well and given your food time to be digested before you swim. If you swim without eating sufficiently or after other strenuous exercise when your body’s energy supplies are depleted you will find swimming in cold water much harder – you’ll feel more sensitive to the cold, will tire very quickly and will not be able to stay in as long as you otherwise might. The answer? Eat well and rest well before you swim if you want to stay in longer or go further!
Make sure you are well hydrated when you swim. One thing you’ll notice about swimming in cold water especially is that you’ll need to pee more! Cold water causes the blood vessels in our skin to constrict which results in the blood moving to the core. All that blood creates a bigger volume of fluid in the core of your body, which raises your blood pressure. This stimulates the kidneys to start filtering out more fluid, and you feel the need to urinate. Once you get out and start to rewarm, the blood vessels dilate to redistribute blood back to the skin surface but you are left in a dehydrated. Its really important to start rehydrating after your swim and you may also want to consider adding an electrolyte drink or tablet to your regimen, as you’re excreting salt and electrolytes every time you pee.
Start out at body temperature
Entering the water at normal body temperature, rather than feeling hot after exercise, allows for the body to adjust to the cooler temperature of the water better. There will be less of a Cold Shock reaction than if you were to enter the water when you are too warm. It is also not good to start out feeling cold, so taking off your warm layers at the last possible minute advisable, so you are not getting into the water already chilled. This will help you swim for the maximum amount of time before you feel the effects of cold (see below).
Build Up Slowly
You may be able to comfortably swim 5km in the pool, but cold water combined with any wind, swell or currents demand more energy and can quickly sap your strength.
Cold water draws heat away from your body 25 times faster than cold air of the same temperature. As your body tries to recover that heat, it forces your heart and respiratory system to work harder, causing you to tire more quickly.
Do not swim out too far from shore and always make sure that you have enough energy and stamina left to be able to swim back to your exit point. Build up distance and times gradually, the same way you would build up the mileage for a run, but importantly, listen to your body each time you swim, rather than your watch!
I hope you’ll be inspired to give some winter swimming a go. Whether you intend to put in some miles or just go for a quick dip, the main thing to ensure is that you enjoy it and stay safe. Keep fuelled up, layered up, and follow the safety advice above you can keep swimming through the winter and be ready to smash your first event in the spring!
