Water Temperature Acclimatisation
The water temperatures vary considerably between our locations. However with all our swims you should have exposed yourself to the temperatures that you are likely to expect on the tour. These temperatures are available on the individual Trip Notes.
A person can adapt to open water temperatures, when exposed to these temperatures on a regular basis. After progressive training, shivering is produced at a later stage and more heat is produced through other mechanisms. These changes allow an acclimatised swimmer to comfortably remain in the water for longer periods. In fact experiencing mild hypothermia , (goose bumps & slight shivering) can help your acclimatisation process as your body learns to adjust to these lower temperatures.
Wearing a swimming hat will reduce by up to 20% the amount of heat lost through the body. Also by entering the water slowly, your body is given time to adapt. Splashing yourself on the way in will achieve this. When adjusting to cold water for the first time, swim for maybe only a few minutes on your first day and build up your times on subsequent visits.
Visits to the sea, lakes & rivers will help you to achieve this. Remember be safe and always swim near the shore.
And lastly don’t forget that we carry a stock of swimming specific wetsuits on our trips, so even after acclimatising, if you still find it on the cold side, then you just need to put one of these on.
Additional Training
Although not essential for a SwimTrek trip, the additional training suggestions outlined below may be of benefit for swimmers who would like to progress to longer distance swimming.
Other activities such as cycling and running are excellent at building your aerobic capacity and can be used to replace a weekly swim session.
Weight training can also be beneficial for open water swimming. However don't worry, there is no need to build large bulky muscle, as this would increase the body density and hence make swimming difficult. For distance swimming, lower weights and higher repetitions are preferred. As over 95% of propulsion is generally generated from the upper body, the shoulders, back and chest muscles should be at the centre of any training programme.
Stretching?
Stretching has been promoted for years as an essential part of a fitness program as a way to decrease the risk of injury, prevent soreness and improve performance. Current research suggests that stretching can decrease pain and soreness after exercise. However, no evidence supports the theory that stretching immediately before exercise can prevent overuse or acute injuries. In addition, the open water swimmer has another issue to think about, which doesn’t affect the pool swimmer to the same degree … Temperature Differentials.
When stretching on the shore prior to swimming we are likely to be at a higher ambient temperature than the water that we will be entering. Stretching will have the effect of elongating the muscles. On immersion in the lower temperature water these stretched muscles will then contract and hence lead to a greater chance of injury.
The greater difference between the air and the water temperatures, the greater chance there is for injury, if stretching is carried out prior to immersion.
However in pool swimming, stretching is still encouraged and widely practiced, due mostly to the similarities between air and water temperatures in the pool environment.
Therefore in conclusion, the lower the temperature of water that you are swimming in, the more likelihood, that stretching prior to immersion, will cause you damage. In the waters of Northern Europe and similar latitudes, stretching prior to swimming should be avoided while in the warmer waters of the Mediterranean and Australia for example, only a light stretching programme should be implemented.
A great way to loosen up when in the water, without initially stretching is for the first 5-10 minutes of your swim to carry out slow, long strokes and a slow and exaggerated body roll.