in the summer I probably run up there and swim twice a week. my commute takes me past dartmeet and newbridge. i prefer broad ledges but its harder to get to.
Our electric shower is playing up, so we may have a few days of testing the cold water theory.....
I think the ratio of women to men in my big cold water swimming group is about 9:1 in favour of women.
Definitely not macho as that's the fast way to end up hypothermic.
I think whm has a strong scent of woo, but it is based on some sound principles as seen at the huberman lab and a lot of the references in 'breath'
I have no idea on the science of it but anyone who agrees to take part in such a vacuous tv trash is hard to take seriously. I watched one episode and was in hysterics at the stupidity and fakery
I finished my (very hot) shower today with a cold blast following a chat with one of the PTs at my gym about mental health. It felt bloody good. I'm not sure I'm ready for open water swimming though; I took my drysuit to Egypt when I was on a week long trip on Feb...
I think its very, very unproven either way and I would love to see some decent scientific investigation although who knows how they could manage to come up with a control group.
I did read some interesting research into how the perception of cold didnt actually match the realities of how the body was reacting with the implication that for extremities basically the nerves had been battered into submission.
It looked to be very early stages but enough that made me decide when kayaking over the winter I will stick some icehockey tape on the paddle and wear gloves just in case it ends up being the case that it is reduction in the ability to sense damage rather than reduction in damage.
That a cold blast "wakes" you up is unquestionable. I know I have had that plenty of times running drops. It is great as an extra alarm but what it actually does beyond the immediate shock wakeup I think is still up for analysis.
I will stick some icehockey tape on the paddle and wear gloves just in case it ends up being the case that it is reduction in the ability to sense damage rather than reduction in damage.
An early lesson I learnt in ice swimming is that you need to be very careful when walking out of the water. You don't realise due to the numbness, but when you are pushing sheets of ice out of the way with your thighs and shins you are actually cutting yourself. I had some pretty bad cuts first time I did it.
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I remember playing rugby on a frozen field and it pretty much did the same to my knee caps. Didn’t help that my opposite No.8 was 6”10 and I spent most of the game being dragged along on my numb, bleeding knees.
have converted to nasal breathing too, which has cured my (past) annoyingly frequent nasal congestion,
I don’t understand this - don’t people naturally breathe through their nose without thinking about it? I know I do, unless my nose is bunged up, in which case I use a nasal spray to clear it. I’ve heard/read the term ‘mouth-breather’ used derogatively, but I don’t find breathing through my mouth natural or, indeed comfortable.
I had some pretty bad cuts first time I did it.
Around December I forgot my gloves one days kayaking. Numbness + abrasive tape on paddle + paddle rotation on the offhand == lack of skin on the thumb and forefinger and a fair amount of pain once I warmed up enough to feel it.
In Britain, wild swimming is like sex. Sometimes it’s a bit crap, but doing it matters less than cultivating a reputation as someone who does.
In Britain, wild swimming is like sex.
I’m Australia it’s frequently combined.
You have to pick the body of water you swim in, much much more carefully in aus though
wild swimming is like making love to a beautiful woman
You have to pick the body of water you swim in
make sure the current is flowing smoothly
then get in there and go up and down until you're spent
Its all kicking off apparently. by all accounts Wim hof and his son Enahm Hof have fallen out
https://www.scottcarney.com/blog/how-wim-hof-lost-his-method
Interesting podcast on cold water exposure her
https://drchatterjee.com/the-new-science-of-cold-exposure-reduce-stress-boost-immunity-increase-resilience-with-dr-susanna-soberg/
Might be of interest to people
Yeah, I was listening to another Susanna Søberg podcast last week. She has done a lot of research into the effects of both cold and heat on the production and retention of brown fat cells. Most of it is based on the use of saunas and cold water dips though, so not all applicable to the majority in the UK.
Having raynauds, this is one area of decompression and re-energisation that I’m happy to avoid. I admire those of you who can immerse yourself in these water temperatures
My girlfriend used to suffer from Raynaud's - she used to have to wear ski mits cycling through much of the summer because of the effects long road descents had on her hands. Coincidentally or otherwise it seems to have just gone away since she started sea swimming year round
Co incidentally I saw a couple of articles on this
be careful folks
https://outdoorswimmer.com/featured/what-is-sipe-and-what-are-the-risks/
There was a piece on R4 yesterday about that. I cold water swim and thought I knew about most risks, but that one was news to me.
I knew about SIPE from previous podcasts etc. Norma from Immerse Hebrides has covered it in some detail. Wearing a tight wetsuit seems to be a contributory factor, as does high blood pressure. In our wee group, we never swim alone.
I should also add that many folk laugh at the idea of taking a float but (despite disclaimers to the contrary) using one could actually be a lifesaver in some cases.
I have no desire to go near cold water other than accidentally so have no particular skin in the game.
Did find this an interesting read the other day though on the subject.
I think some people are just built different...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu%C3%B0laugur_Fri%C3%B0%C3%BE%C3%B3rsson
During the sinking of their boat, off the coast of Heimaey in Vestmannaeyjar, Guðlaugur and two out of four other companions climbed on to the keel. After about 45 minutes, they swam towards the shore, yet the other two disappeared within 10 minutes. The only survivor of the crew of five, Guðlaugur swam for five to six hours in 5–6 °C (41–43 °F) water the 6 km (3.7 mi) to the island, wearing a shirt, sweater and jeans,[1] guided by a lighthouse.[4] He remained clear-headed throughout.[1]
Reaching the shore of Heimaey, Guðlaugur found himself at the most dangerous section of the island's coastline, due mainly to the waves hitting the coastal lava rock formations. After searching for and finding a suitable, flatter part of the shoreline, he finally got to land but had to walk with bare feet, traversing 3 km (1.9 mi) of volcanic scree.[4] When he knocked on a door at 7 a.m., nine hours after the boat had sunk, he was taken to the hospital. Guðlaugur's body temperature was below 34 °C (93 °F) yet he showed almost no symptoms of hypothermia or vasodilatation, only of dehydration.[2][3]
There's a good film about that guy and the subsequent testing they tried to get him to do.
The Deep https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Deep_(2012_film)
I think some people are just built different…
Very much so. On a smaller scale but I am heat tolerant. I did get dehydrated a couple of times this summer but I rode right thru the heatwave without major issues. weeks on end of 30+ temps - pushing 40 some days. However I do not cope with cooler temps at all well and there is no way I could swim in cold water. Even in the med I have become borderline hypothermic after a few minutes.