Preparing yourself for Winter Swimming…

With so many new open water swimmers heading into their first winter swims we’ve put together our usual advice for having fun, safe winter swims.

We hope you find it useful.

Pre-swim

    • Stay warm for as long as possible
    • Prepare your exit strategy
    • Know where your hat and warm clothes are, have your them laid out in the order you’ll put them on and avoid tight fitting clothes, lots of warm loose fitting layers.
    • Leave your dry stuff out of the weather – wetpack/drybag

Safety

    • NO DIVING IN
    • Observe, look, watch – risk assess, tides, currents, obstructions, safe water entry, safe water exits, water temperature and other water users
    • Please don’t swim alone, even experienced swimmers can get into difficulties, we all have our off days and small issues in the water can turn into big ones very quickly. If you do choose to swim alone make sure you share your route / planned swim with someone and ask yourself “what if” and plan accordingly

Acclimatisation

    • Learn how YOUR body works in the cold – memory-bank it!
    • Take your time
    • Walk in to your waist
    • Get your hands & wrist used to the water
    • Wet your face and neck
    • Breathe!!!
    • Go deeper
    • Submerge your shoulders
    • Breathe!!!
    • Swim a few strokes of breast stroke
    • Breathe!!!

Slowly Slowly vs. Quick Dash

    • Some people prefer to get the cold shock over and done with…
    • KNOW YOUR BODY
    • Comparison is the robber of all joy – swimYOURswim

 

Cold Water Shock OR Cold Shock Response

    • brought on by the bodies natural reaction to immersion in cold water.
    • Cold water shock starts with the gasp reflex
    • Our body’s automatic instant response in cold water is to gasp – a big sudden inhale, the gasp which if the head is underwater will pull water straight into the lungs.
    • This will cause choking panic and hyperventilation (fast uncontrolled breathing)
    • Cold Water Shock is responsible for more drownings than hypothermia.
    • The effects of cold water shock on the body lasts at most, three to four minutes so relax take deep controlled breathes and enjoy the scenery

Controlled Breathing

    • Breathing rate changes dramatically when immersed in cold water
    • Controlled Breathing
        • Breathing rate changes dramatically when immersed in cold water
        • Controlled Breathing
            • Breathing rate changes dramatically when immersed in cold water
            • A normal adult breathing rate is between 12-20 breaths per minute (bpm), cold water shock or cold shock response can increase this bpm dramatically resulting in a disruption to the normal breathing processes with a rate above 20 bpm. 
            • All these responses contribute to a feeling of panic making it more difficult to manage your breathing
            • Controlling your breathing is critical in ensuring your cold water response is minimised.
            • Again – The effects of cold water shock on the body lasts at most, three to four minutes so relax take deep controlled breathes and enjoy the scenery

           

        • All these responses contribute to a feeling of panic making it more difficult to manage your breathing
        • Controlling your breathing is critical in ensuring your cold water response is minimised.
        • Again – The effects of cold water shock on the body lasts at most, three to four minutes so relax take deep controlled breathes and enjoy the scenery

       

    • All these responses contribute to a feeling of panic making it more difficult to manage your breathing
    • Controlling your breathing is critical in ensuring your cold water response is minimised.
    • Again – The effects of cold water shock on the body lasts at most, three to four minutes so relax take deep controlled breathes and enjoy the scenery

Breathing Exercises

    • I’m for ever blowing bubbles… feet on the floor, head in the water, blow bubbles
    • Breathing out under the water – start getting acclimatised by splashing water on your face and neck

Sing!

    • Make your head KNOW you’re breathing out by singing, humming or blowing bubbles as you breathe out – BE INTENTIONAL! and relax!

 

Safe & Secure

    • Know where you’re getting out
    • Take your time but don’t stay in too long, if your body is telling you to get out don’t be cajoled into staying in for another loop by friends, swimYOURswim
    • Recognise the early signs of hypothermia, clawing hands and slurred speech can be minutes away from swim failure so stay within your ability and build up your experience and acclimatisation gradually and safely.
    • Don’t let your enthusiasm exceed your ability
    • Do not rely on a tow float, they are a visibility device only and will not keep a cold swimmer safe.

Post Swim Chill Factor

    • Don’t be fooled by the adrenaline rush
    • Watch/Know the weather conditions
    • Get out of ANY wind ASAP once you’re out of the water.

Clothing Prep

    • Know where your clothes are
    • Know your drying routine
    • Practise at home

Food & Drink

    • Always have a warm drink prepared, flasks with straws are perfect and will stop you getting burnt if you have strong shivers
    • Get something warm inside you ASAP
    • Eat something sweet

Shivers & Giggles

    • Shivers are good – you’re alive!
    • You will get giggly – it’s funny!

Hypothermia

Is a condition in which the body’s core temperature drops below that required for normal metabolism and body functions. This is generally considered to be less than 35.0 °C (95.0 °F)

In mild cases of hypothermia, symptoms may be vague but include:

• maximal shivering

• feeling cold

• low energy

• cold, pale skin

• numbness of extremities

• slowing of thinking and speech

• loss of fine motor coordination

• rapid breathing and pulse rate

The symptoms of moderate hypothermia include:

• shivering that slows down or ceases

• increasing confusion

• loss of gross motor coordination, stumbling

• muscle twitching

• drowsiness and listlessness

• slow, shallow breathing

• a weak pulse and irregular heart beats

Treating Hypothermia

    • Remove the swimmer from the water
    • Remove the swimmer from direct wind
    • Place a Dry-Robe or similar on the swimmer
    • Swap the swimmers cap for a woolly hat
    • Remove the swimmers wet clothes
    • Dry the swimmer carefully, pat dry do not rub
    • Dress the swimmer (in multiple layers)
    • Provide the swimmer with a warm drink
    • Provide the swimmer with chocolate
    • Monitor the swimmer’s consciousness and awareness (keep them talking, ask them questions)
    • Cuddle and hug the swimmer – but take care not to rub their body too much!

If the swimmers temperature does NOT start to increase, or if the symptoms of mild hypothermia do not dissipate, get them to a hospital ASAP

 

We will cover this and more in our upcoming introduction to winter swimming course on October the 16th at both Hatfield and Thrybergh. You can book your place online via our Wix spaces app or the booking website www.swimyourswim.org the courses are optional and not a requirement to swim with us over winter ( winter swim club details to follow ).