Open Water Source - The Global Home of Open Water Swimming
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Cold & Warm Water Acclimatization
Part of the the Pyramid of Open Water Success is Open Water Acclimatization which includes getting used to both cold water and warm water. Both sides of the extremes - cold water and warm water - are relative to everyone.
What is acceptable to a swimmer who regularly swims in San Francisco Bay or Dover Harbour may be too cold for someone from Florida or Fiji. What is considered balmy for a swimmer in Boston is the opposite for a swimmer in Bali.
Especially important for newcomers or those interested in open water swimming, open water acclimatization is required to get swimmers familiar with the open water environment. This acclimatization includes getting used to:
All these types of experiences are part of open water swimming at one point or another - and there are many more, some more exotic than others:
To be highly successful and comfortable in the open water, these experiences must be understood, encountered and mastered during training.
Of all the different types of acclimatization, cold water acclimatization usually requires the greatest amount of time and effort. For some, swimming in sub-59°F (15°C) water is easy and invigorating. For others, it is painful and not enjoyable. But if you have a certain goal in mind - whether it is swimming across the English Channel or participating in a local lake swim - and it involves water cooler than you are used to, cold water acclimatization can take a few day or a few weeks - or several months - depending on the length of your swim, your background and the expected water temperature of your swim.
Jim Barber, a Triple Crown swimmer, and his training partner Bryan Boggs, have created a Water Perception Scale in collaboration with Open Water Source for open water swimmers that gives an excellent basis for understanding your own personal experiences while training and acclimating to cold water.
What is acceptable to a swimmer who regularly swims in San Francisco Bay or Dover Harbour may be too cold for someone from Florida or Fiji. What is considered balmy for a swimmer in Boston is the opposite for a swimmer in Bali.
Especially important for newcomers or those interested in open water swimming, open water acclimatization is required to get swimmers familiar with the open water environment. This acclimatization includes getting used to:
- cold water
- warm water
- rough water
- salt water
- jellyfish stings
- swallowing water in turbulent seas
- observing marine life up close
- swimming with a kayaker or paddler
- swimming through surface chop, boat fumes, oil slicks, kelp, fog, rain, waves and currents
- swimming in a large pack with aggressive swimmers who bump, touch and veer into you, whether it is purposefully or unintentionally.
All these types of experiences are part of open water swimming at one point or another - and there are many more, some more exotic than others:
- swimming with orcas in Alaska
- avoiding sea snakes in tropical seas
- getting cotton mouth in channel swims
- body surfing down large ocean swells
- swimming at night
To be highly successful and comfortable in the open water, these experiences must be understood, encountered and mastered during training.
Of all the different types of acclimatization, cold water acclimatization usually requires the greatest amount of time and effort. For some, swimming in sub-59°F (15°C) water is easy and invigorating. For others, it is painful and not enjoyable. But if you have a certain goal in mind - whether it is swimming across the English Channel or participating in a local lake swim - and it involves water cooler than you are used to, cold water acclimatization can take a few day or a few weeks - or several months - depending on the length of your swim, your background and the expected water temperature of your swim.
Jim Barber, a Triple Crown swimmer, and his training partner Bryan Boggs, have created a Water Perception Scale in collaboration with Open Water Source for open water swimmers that gives an excellent basis for understanding your own personal experiences while training and acclimating to cold water.
Preparing For Water Temperature Extremes
An overview of how to prepare for cold-water swimming is below.
The same level of care should be taken when swimming in warm-water locations, especially if a high-level of exertion is expected. Hydration and a thoughtful management of one's one efforts should be vigilantly maintained in both water temperature extremes. Proper hydration includes the following:
The same level of care should be taken when swimming in warm-water locations, especially if a high-level of exertion is expected. Hydration and a thoughtful management of one's one efforts should be vigilantly maintained in both water temperature extremes. Proper hydration includes the following:
- making sure your urine is clear on race day and in the days leading up to the swim
- making sure you know when and where you can hydrate during the swim
- if there are no feeding stations on the course, take gel packs in your swimsuit and consume them during the swim, especially if the swim is longer than 45 minutes. A 10-second stop to consume gel pack during a 45-minute race is well worth the temporary stop. You will feel stronger for it and will soon regain the distance that your competitors gained on you during your self-feeding stop.
The Serious Threat of Hypothermia And Cold-Water Exposure
Your coach and escort crew must keep constant vigilance against hypothermia during and after any open water swim. The consequences of not being prepared are life-threatening.
The re-warming process must include getting dry and getting warm from the inside and out. After getting out of the water, get the swimsuit off the swimmer, get the swimmer dry, keep talking to the swimmer (or allow them to talk and be engaged), put on warm clothes, socks, a hat and gloves wrapped in blankets, towels and jackets, and give warm drinks and into a warm shower or bath (while being observed) until shivering has stopped.
The re-warming process must include getting dry and getting warm from the inside and out. After getting out of the water, get the swimsuit off the swimmer, get the swimmer dry, keep talking to the swimmer (or allow them to talk and be engaged), put on warm clothes, socks, a hat and gloves wrapped in blankets, towels and jackets, and give warm drinks and into a warm shower or bath (while being observed) until shivering has stopped.
The Serious Threat of Hypothermia And Cold-Water Exposure
The Re-warming Process (video on the right was taken 20 minutes after video on the left)
Hydration Is Key In Warm-Water Races
Consume Gel Packs
Stick the gel packs in your swimsuit - especially if no feeding stations are available or in the case you may miss a feeding stop.
Exclusive Open Water Source Interviews!
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Shelley Taylor-Smith
7-time World Marathon Champion
Shelley Taylor-Smith's first major achievement was breaking the world four-mile record in 1983. Then, she won the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim five times, first breaking the world record in 1995 and setting the current world record in 5 hours, 45 minutes and 25 seconds. She also won the Australian Championships three times, and 7 consecutive world professional marathon swimming championships. [More...]
PREMIUM MEMBERS:
Click HERE to access this insightful interview.
Video Duration: 0:40:20 (40 minutes and 20 seconds)
Shelley Taylor-Smith's first major achievement was breaking the world four-mile record in 1983. Then, she won the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim five times, first breaking the world record in 1995 and setting the current world record in 5 hours, 45 minutes and 25 seconds. She also won the Australian Championships three times, and 7 consecutive world professional marathon swimming championships. [More...]
PREMIUM MEMBERS:
Click HERE to access this insightful interview.
Video Duration: 0:40:20 (40 minutes and 20 seconds)
Alex Meyer
2010 World 25K Champion
Alex Meyer from Harvard University faced massive disappointment when he was disqualified at the last turn at the 2009 world championships. Coming into the last turn at the 2010 world championships in Canada, Alex made sure to avoid d�j� vu as he went stroke-for-stroke with the 2-time world champion Valerio Cleri. In a race for the ages that came down to two men giving it their all, Alex zigzagged his way to [More...]
PREMIUM MEMBERS:
Click HERE to access this insightful interview.
Video Duration: 0:45:16 (45 minutes and 16 seconds)
Alex Meyer from Harvard University faced massive disappointment when he was disqualified at the last turn at the 2009 world championships. Coming into the last turn at the 2010 world championships in Canada, Alex made sure to avoid d�j� vu as he went stroke-for-stroke with the 2-time world champion Valerio Cleri. In a race for the ages that came down to two men giving it their all, Alex zigzagged his way to [More...]
PREMIUM MEMBERS:
Click HERE to access this insightful interview.
Video Duration: 0:45:16 (45 minutes and 16 seconds)
Christine Jennings
World Cup Gold Medalist & Top Pro
Christine Jennings who has burst upon the highest echelon of the elite open water swimming world, won the extremely competitive RCP Tiburon Mile in a close race over Olympians Melissa Gorman and Chloe Sutton.The 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships culminated in an entertaining race - 10,000 meters of shoulder-to-shoulder swimming in the women's marathon in Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California. Simply put, Christine Jennings is on her way to [More...]
PREMIUM MEMBERS:
Click HERE to access this insightful interview.
Video Duration: 0:36:47 (36 minutes and 47 seconds)
Christine Jennings who has burst upon the highest echelon of the elite open water swimming world, won the extremely competitive RCP Tiburon Mile in a close race over Olympians Melissa Gorman and Chloe Sutton.The 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships culminated in an entertaining race - 10,000 meters of shoulder-to-shoulder swimming in the women's marathon in Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California. Simply put, Christine Jennings is on her way to [More...]
PREMIUM MEMBERS:
Click HERE to access this insightful interview.
Video Duration: 0:36:47 (36 minutes and 47 seconds)
Emily Brunemann and Chip Peterson
World 10K Champion
Chip Peterson: At the 2005 World Championships, Chip won gold in the 10K event and a silver medal behind Germany's Thomas Lurz in the 5K event. Chip was jointly awarded the inaugural Open Water Swimmer of the Year [More...]
Emily Brunemann: at Michigan... NCAA Champion in 1,650-yard Freestyle (2008) ... two-time USA Swimming National Team member who trains daily with Chip, both training hard with dreams of Olympic glory [More...]
PREMIUM MEMBERS:
Click HERE to access this insightful interview.
Video Duration: 0:37:51 (37 minutes and 51 seconds)
Chip Peterson: At the 2005 World Championships, Chip won gold in the 10K event and a silver medal behind Germany's Thomas Lurz in the 5K event. Chip was jointly awarded the inaugural Open Water Swimmer of the Year [More...]
Emily Brunemann: at Michigan... NCAA Champion in 1,650-yard Freestyle (2008) ... two-time USA Swimming National Team member who trains daily with Chip, both training hard with dreams of Olympic glory [More...]
PREMIUM MEMBERS:
Click HERE to access this insightful interview.
Video Duration: 0:37:51 (37 minutes and 51 seconds)
Penny Palfrey
Fearless Adventurer
Penny Palfrey is one of swimming�s greatest aquatic adventurers. She has done numerous unprecedented swims in cold water as well as warm water, starting down two Great White Sharks along the way. Prepare to be enthralled by her descriptions of her incredibly dangerous swims when she faced humungous ocean swells in Hawaii and sharks in the Pacific as well as her races around Manhattan Island. Learn about how she trains and overcomes obstacles [More...]
PREMIUM MEMBERS:
Click HERE to access this insightful interview.
Video Duration: 0:59:50 (59 minutes and 50 seconds)
Penny Palfrey is one of swimming�s greatest aquatic adventurers. She has done numerous unprecedented swims in cold water as well as warm water, starting down two Great White Sharks along the way. Prepare to be enthralled by her descriptions of her incredibly dangerous swims when she faced humungous ocean swells in Hawaii and sharks in the Pacific as well as her races around Manhattan Island. Learn about how she trains and overcomes obstacles [More...]
PREMIUM MEMBERS:
Click HERE to access this insightful interview.
Video Duration: 0:59:50 (59 minutes and 50 seconds)
Trent Grimsey
World Silver Medalist & Top Pro
Trent Grimsey is currently Australia's highest ranked male open water swimmer on the FINA pro circuit. Since making the switch from pool to the open water in 2008 after just missing out on Australia's 2008 Olympic Team in the 1500 freestyle, "Trento" has shown he can mix it with the best in the world, from 5K to 25K.
In his relatively short open water career there is not much Trent hasn't achieved. [More...]
PREMIUM MEMBERS:
Click HERE to access this insightful interview.
Video Duration: 0:45:42 (45 minutes and 52 seconds)
Trent Grimsey is currently Australia's highest ranked male open water swimmer on the FINA pro circuit. Since making the switch from pool to the open water in 2008 after just missing out on Australia's 2008 Olympic Team in the 1500 freestyle, "Trento" has shown he can mix it with the best in the world, from 5K to 25K.
In his relatively short open water career there is not much Trent hasn't achieved. [More...]
PREMIUM MEMBERS:
Click HERE to access this insightful interview.
Video Duration: 0:45:42 (45 minutes and 52 seconds)
OWS Member Application
If you would like to see Open Water Source from the inside, then the next step is to submit the member application.
Watch the video on the left to learn how you can join Open Water Source for free. We show you how easy it is to claim your membership in the Open Water Source community. You will be pleased to know that we offer a variety of membership levels, including free membership. Click HERE to access the membership application, and we will see you on the inside of this exciting community. |
Open Water Wednesday
Open Water Wednesday is a regularly scheduled, entertaining one-hour online TV show that focuses exclusively on open water swimming, its superstars (both past and current), its personalities, trends, growth, equipment , rules, traditions and events. Open Water Wednesday showcases swimmers, coaches, escort pilots, sponsors, administrators, officials and race directors who will describe their exploits, lifestyles and perspectives on air.
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Attention Business Community:
Let the Open Water Community Know About Your Products and Services.
Steven Munatones, CEO
The global open water swimming community is estimated to be 16 million individuals of every age, ability and background located in nearly every country, region and continent in the world.
Advertise your brand right here in this spot. Your ad will appear directly below an interesting, aquatics-related video on this web page.
Your ad will be "clickable" directly to your own website or blog. We can use your existing artwork or create a custom ad for you at no extra charge.
In fact, if you need assistance creating an online presence, we would be honored to assist you. This text will be replaced by your own artwork and professional copy.
If you have an alternative video that you would like to use, then we will use your video in place of the one above upon your request.
If you don't have a company video, or if you would like to produce one that is optimized for the major search engines and social media, then we gladly offer our assistance.
So whether you're interested in advertising for one month, on a monthly basis, on an annual basis, you will find that we are very flexible.
We look forward to serving your advertising and marketing needs in the Open Water Swimming Community.
Advertise your brand right here in this spot. Your ad will appear directly below an interesting, aquatics-related video on this web page.
Your ad will be "clickable" directly to your own website or blog. We can use your existing artwork or create a custom ad for you at no extra charge.
In fact, if you need assistance creating an online presence, we would be honored to assist you. This text will be replaced by your own artwork and professional copy.
If you have an alternative video that you would like to use, then we will use your video in place of the one above upon your request.
If you don't have a company video, or if you would like to produce one that is optimized for the major search engines and social media, then we gladly offer our assistance.
So whether you're interested in advertising for one month, on a monthly basis, on an annual basis, you will find that we are very flexible.
We look forward to serving your advertising and marketing needs in the Open Water Swimming Community.
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Ad approval is subject to our terms of use.
The Open Water Source and the www.OpenWaterSource.com website are the exclusive property of Pan Pacific Partners, Inc.
Your recurring monthly payment for advertising will be processed safely and securely via PayPal.
You may cancel your subscription at any time by logging into your PayPal account and viewing your active subscriptions.
Please use the form on the right to share your advertising, marketing and website development needs with us. We will respond promptly to your inquiry.
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www.openwatersource.com is a web property of Pan Pacific Partners.
© 2010 Pan Pacific Partners, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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