From The Water's Edge - Build Confidence In Colder Months
There is something very different about swimming outdoors for the first time. The water isn’t contained by four walls, you can’t see the bottom, there are no perfectly drawn lines to guide you. In fact, it can feel a bit like the stabilizers have been taken off your bike for the first time! The temperature changes with the weather and the seasons, the wind can alter the surface, and even a familiar swimming spot can feel completely different from one day to the next. That is the beauty and the appeal of open water swimming. It is also why building confidence in open water takes a little more than simply deciding to get in.
It’s totally normal to still have some nerves as you approach the water’s edge especially in colder months. But confidence comes from understanding the water, knowing how your body responds to cold, preparing for the conditions and learning where your own limits are. Repeated exposure also builds your resilience.
Cold Water Shock
One of the most important things to understand when you start cold water swimming
is cold water shock. Water at 15°C and below is considered cold water, and sudden immersion can trigger a strong automatic response from the body. You may experience an involuntary gasp, rapid or uncontrolled breathing, an increased heart rate and a rise in blood pressure. These responses can make you feel panicked or disorientated, particularly if you weren’t expecting them. This is why the first moments of an open water swim can feel surprisingly intense, even when the water looks calm and inviting. We would recommend starting cold water swimming from September as the water gradually decreases in temperature and allows you to acclimatize and reduce the risks.
Rather than jumping or diving straight in, enter the water slowly and allow your body
time to adjust. Splashing some water onto your arms, neck and face can help you acclimatise, and it is important not to hold your breath for an extended period when you first enter. Wait until your breathing is under control before you start swimming.
When I take beginners into the water, there are a few key steps involved for that first 30-60 seconds of exposure to the lake. We begin with a safety briefing on land covering the things to look out for and what to do if you panic so that everyone understands what to
expect. Then we enter the water slowly. First to above the ankles, a temperature sensitive point on the body and breathe normally allowing the water to lap against us. Then we take a few more steps into the water to mid-thigh level, again pausing to breathe and allow our bodies to adjust. Then when each person feels ready we go deeper into the water to our waist. Still calm, still breathing normally. Then the choice to immerse is yours if its available to you and we can begin to swim.
Acclimatizing To Cold Water
I have touched on acclimatization, particularly as the seasons change and the water gets colder. Acclimatization is your body’s gradual adaptation to repeated exposure to cold water. Outdoor Swimmer describes regular outdoor swimming as the way to build this adaptation, with exposure increasing gradually while paying attention to how your body responds. But acclimatization isn’t the same as becoming immune to cold.
There isn’t a magic water temperature or a fixed amount of time that is safe for everyone. How long you can comfortably and safely stay in cold water depends on a range of factors, including the water temperature, your body, your experience and the conditions on the day. It is a personal experience and what works for one person isn’t the same as another. Therefore don’t compare yourself to the other person getting into the open water.
You don’t need to prove that you can stay in for ten minutes because somebody else
did, or swim further because your friends are continuing. A short swim can still be a really good swim. It is all about what is comfortable and safe for you. The aim should be to build your experience gradually rather than suddenly exposing yourself to much colder water or much longer swims.
Coaching In Open Water
In my wild swimming community up here in the Lake District, those who have been swimming year-round will start to change up their gear and some will move to wearing wetsuits or adding neoprene gear to their kit. Each swimmer will have their own routine and comfort level when it comes to the seasonal changes. Early morning swims have a nip in the air and those beautiful ethereal misty mornings indicate the change of seasons. Gloves and socks now make an appearance in the dips. Allowing the body’s extremities to stay warm for longer and making it more comfortable to swim.
Know your limits: cold water can affect your ability to swim
One of the biggest shifts that happens as you become more comfortable in open water
is learning to distinguish between challenge and risk. Cold water doesn’t just make you feel cold. Prolonged exposure can affect how your body works, including your ability to swim effectively.
As the body cools, blood flow to the limbs is restricted to help protect the core. If you become sufficiently cold, your arms and legs can begin to work less effectively and you may find yourself slowing down or struggling to maintain your stroke. This is sometimes referred to as swim failure. If you notice your stroke changing, you’re struggling to swim or you’re becoming increasingly cold, it’s time to get out. This is why confidence in open water shouldn’t be measured by distance, speed or how long you can stay in.
Knowing when you’ve had enough is part of becoming a confident swimmer.
Open water conditions can also change quickly. Wind, waves, water temperature, visibility and your own energy levels can all affect how a swim feels.
The RNLI recommends assessing conditions before entering, staying within your limits and adapting your swim to the conditions on the day. If the water is too rough or something doesn’t feel right, there is no shame in deciding not to swim.
Having swum through all the seasons at Coniston Water, I’ve witnessed a variety of swim experiences in different people. From those who mentally were not feeling great and went in and came out lighter, to those whose confidence has gradually grown over a period of months to a point where they can comfortably swim on a guided swim and enjoy it all without fear of the water. And I’ve seen the swimmers who decide that the conditions just don’t feel right and don’t get in at all. None of these things is a success or failure. They are real experiences of real swimmers who have learnt to listen to their bodies. This is another kind of confidence in open water. Knowing yourself well enough to say: Not today.
After Drop
One of the things that can be easy to overlook when you’re starting cold water swimming is that the swim doesn’t necessarily end when you leave the water. Your body will continue to cool after you get out. This is known as after-drop, when cooler blood from the extremities circulates back towards the body’s core, potentially causing your core temperature to continue falling for a period after you’ve left the water.
That’s why cold water swimmers have an after-swim routine.
Have your warm clothes ready before you get in the water. When you come out, dry yourself and get dressed promptly. A hat, gloves, warm layers and a warm, non-alcoholic drink can all help you warm up.
RNLI beginner guidance also recommends allowing time to warm up before heading home
and avoiding driving immediately after a cold-water swim while after-drop is occurring.
And remember that a wetsuit doesn’t make cold water risks disappear. It can help keep you warmer and provide additional buoyancy, but it doesn’t prevent cold water shock or eliminate the risk of hypothermia.
My Colder Water Kit
So what’s in my own kit bag? Well, I always carry in colder months a packet of Hotties to snap and put into my gloves, I have thick merino wool socks, sherpa lined joggers which are easy to get on with cold hands, a merino base layer, an omni-heat pull on down jacket and then a dry robe and bobble hat.
I take a hot water bottle, layer my clothes in the order I’ll put them on and wrap the hot water bottle around them under my changing robe so that they are pre-warmed when I get out of the lake.
I always tell my swimmers to get their core, head and legs protected quickly to prevent afterdrop and help warm up post swim. The people who do this rarely end up experiencing after-drop and can carry on changing till they are layered up and drinking a warm drink to get their core temperature up.
Gloves & Socks Bundle
Dippy have their neoprene gloves and socks as a bundle for those who want to buy them both. 3mm thermal insulation, superior quality gloves and socks that are both glued and blindstitched plus are available in our brand colours pink, orange and grey.
A Final Thought
Open water swimming asks you to pay attention. To the weather. To the water. To your surroundings. To your breathing. And, perhaps most importantly, to yourself. That awareness is part of what makes swimming outdoors so different. You don’t have to swim the longest distance or stay in the coldest water to belong there. You just need to learn the water, respect the conditions and find a way of swimming that works for you.
By Natasha Shuttleworth | Founder, Wild Wellness