Winter Swimming

[Wildswimmer]

Now I've acheived my ambition to become a complete lunatic (advanced grade)....sorry, winter swimmer, anyone else out there who loves the cold water?

Leppie will no doubt wish to be included!

Wildswimmer Pete

[Bully]

Now I've acheived my ambition to become a complete lunatic (advanced grade)....sorry, winter swimmer, anyone else out there who loves the cold water?

Leppie will no doubt wish to be included!

Wildswimmer Pete

I also love the cold water, when I'm in the desert dieing of thirst that is!

[cougar]

AS you know mate, i did a bit myself in my younger day. I think next year as i said to you before the river Wye is gonna av me in it. Last summer whilst on a scouting mission i saw a guy ( middle aged ish ) ploughing up it So i reckon i will be starting up that road again ...

[cougar]

Hi Wildy mate , got a question for you , if you would mate. I aint been daft here but what temp would you reckon cold water in the tap is. I was thinking of taking this cold water training up starting here at home. Also how long do you reckon ( at what temp etc) for this cold hardening to take place would you say each session has to be. Also over what period of time eg weeks or months before you become immune to it.. Cheers mate

[Wildswimmer]

Hi Wildy mate , got a question for you , if you would mate. I aint been daft here but what temp would you reckon cold water in the tap is. I was thinking of taking this cold water training up starting here at home. Also how long do you reckon ( at what temp etc) for this cold hardening to take place would you say each session has to be. Also over what period of time eg weeks or months before you become immune to it.. Cheers mate

Tap water is usually around 10C (50F) in my area at this time of the year. For cold-training at home it's reckoned showering is better than immersion. If you immerse yourself in cold water you've got to start swimming to help produce heat.

Time, well I don't know for cold showers as I don't have a shower at home. As far as swimming is concerned, until you feel uncomfortable. No need to go to borderline hypothermia. Skin red/purple/bluish - that's OK. Any pale/grey patches and you've overdone it.

How long? Well it's taken me 18 months to get as far as I have now - and that's by swimming outdoors. Will depend on your physique, metabolism and body fat. If you are relatively lean then bear in mind that cold-conditioning will pile on the fat. I know of one case where cold-hardening put around 1.5 stone on a guy.

Finally - don't try jumping into the Wye now unless you're wearing a winter-grade wetsuit. Wait until it warms up in spring, then keep regularly swimming in it thoughout summer and then into autumn for as long as you can stand it. Swimming in a heated pool in between times has not affected my cold-hardening.

Finally I've just posted some events in the events diary.

Wildswimmer Pete

[cougar]

Cheers for that mate, One question tho, wouldnt my calorie intake have to exceed my present intake to gain that amount of body fat? As for the Wye its looking a little angry at the moment and im not confident i could beat her. Have you ever tackled flood water, at times she looks to have maybe 10 ft on her judging by normal summer levels... Cheers

[Wildswimmer]

Cheers for that mate, One question tho, wouldnt my calorie intake have to exceed my present intake to gain that amount of body fat?

You'll find your appetite will increase sharply when you start cold-training. And it's carbs that you need, both to stoke up your internal heat and to make fat. Don't forget that "swimmer fat" is brown fat, not the white lardy stuff that's unhealthy. Brown fat can be directly metabolised to generate heat. So it's eat healthily, no more than your usual intake of fat but plenty of complex carbs.

As for the Wye its looking a little angry at the moment and im not confident i could beat her. Have you ever tackled flood water, at times she looks to have maybe 10 ft on her judging by normal summer levels... Cheers

You know her better than I do. My avatar was taken in the Weaver while it was in full spate (hence the turbulance behind me) but as you know it's quite wide at Frodsham and even when in flood rarely rises more than a few feet. I've also swum it for 30 years so I know its little tricks.

By the way, looks as though I'll be going into Liverpool's Albert Dock bare-skin on Boxing Day, together with the other nutt.....hardy souls. My lift is arranged and a couple of friends are going to make sure I don't chicken out! I'd seriously like to do Maldon as well but can't see any way of getting down there.

Wildswimmer Pete

[cougar]

Cheers mate, oh by the way this will make you smile, 1st had a cold shower this morning- jeez, i managed not more than a minute , being totally bald the pain in my head, what a wimp, mind you from acorns grow as they say.. 2nd on my kids life this is true(no tongue in cheek or a wind up), i had this real vivid dream i was diving in to water last night...... you guessed, ended up with the missus screaming and me starkers on the bedroom floor having 1st whacked my head of the bedside cabinet, carpet burns from the landing and skinned knees. I would love to have that dive on film, oh well back to the frozen peas for the poorly bonce....

[Wildswimmer]

i had this real vivid dream i was diving in to water last night...... you guest, ended up with the missus screaming and me starkers on the bedroom floor having 1st whacked my head of the bedside cabinet, carpet burns from the landing and skinned knees. I would love to have that dive on film, oh well back to the frozen peas for the poorly bonce....

Ahh...... a wet dream. :zip:

being totally bald the pain in my head, what a wimp, mind you from acorns grow as they say..

You could wear a swim-cap. I always do when swimming outdoors unless the weather's really hot - bear in mind that while I'm not bald my head is shaved. Don't forget you lose as much as 3/4 of the total loss of your body heat through an uncovered head. Look at the size of the plumbing carrying all that hot blood to your brain!

Wildswimmer Pete

[OpenNewbie]

Ahh...... a wet dream. :zip:
Wildswimmer Pete

Hehehe :joker:

[Spidey]

I heard about the masochist who enjoyed a cold shower every morning, so he took a hot one.

[Stevie_k]

lmao coug. You fruitcake.

Had you been out on the sauce or wot?

My mate peed on his sisters cd's in his sleep after a night on the lash.

[cougar]

No mate, sober as a judge, i tell you what my missus was not amused, after she stopped screaming she sobbed her heart out. She now reckons ive got to go and see a priest, she reckons im possesed. Im also now getting it about this site, she reckons 30 years away was not enough and i should stop trying to revive my swimming career and just stick with the weights. If i go AWOL you now know why...

[Bully]

Now I've acheived my ambition to become a complete lunatic (advanced grade)....sorry, winter swimmer, anyone else out there who loves the cold water?

Leppie will no doubt wish to be included!

Wildswimmer Pete

Do winter swimmers go away on cold weather training in the summer?

[Wildswimmer]

Do winter swimmers go away on cold weather training in the summer?

I don't

Wildswimmer Pete

[Wildswimmer]

I've updated my winter swimming page. A couple of extra pics and some digs at RoSPA.

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/wildswimmer007/winter_swimming.htm

Any (polite) comments welcome, and (printable) suggestions for any additions.

Wildswimmer Pete