Ocean Swimming as a Substitute for Running: I lived in the tropics for many years and never really got used to being cold after that, so four years ago, I’d have said you were crazy if you told me I’d take up ocean swimming in the winter with sea temperatures about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. But that’s exactly what I did, and here’s why.
After running 10-15 km every second day for many years, my body was a mess because, as it turns out, I have a weird gait. At that point, I decided it was time to get back to the ocean, so I moved 3,000 miles to do that. Four years later, the problems have virtually disappeared, thanks to non-impact ocean swimming. I still run occasionally, but only for cross-training and short distances.
The lesson here is simple: some people aren’t born to run. You have to recognize that when your body tells you instead of trying to power through it as I did for years. Also, as you age, it’s usually not a great idea to continue repetitive impact sports, although some people who have a lot of cartilage can indeed do it. Depends on the individual. I’m not one of them. Ocean swimming also exercises your whole body rather than your lower limbs, and you can really notice that in the muscle tone of your arms.
One hidden benefit of ocean swimming that takes some research is that when you come out of such cold water after half an hour, even with the best wetsuit, you’re glad to be alive, and you’re certainly reinvigorated. Part of that is because studies are showing that cold water immersion reduces the chronic inflammatory response that almost all of us suffer from, even though we don’t know it.
This comes after the age of 30 when the elastic fiber in our bodies starts to degrade without being replaced. That process triggers a vicious yet barely detectable cycle of micro-injuries and inflammation that gets worse as we age. If you want to learn more about that, see the chapters on The Elastic of Life in my book Discovering the Nature of Longevity.
You also get benefits from ocean or lake swimming that you don’t get in a pool ( granted, many people have no choice). The first is no chlorine to ruin your skin—I just can’t tolerate chlorine. The second is being out in the open instead of doing repetitive laps in the pool—it’s a completely different feeling. Having said that, I’m lucky because I live close to the ocean and an ozonated pool where much less chlorine is used, so when it’s below zero, I default to the pool (they also serve a great latte afterward).
Despite the many benefits of ocean swimming, there are also hard lessons along the way that I’ll share so you can learn from them the easy way. When you’re ocean swimming in winter, the coldest part happens after you exit the water and take your wetsuit off.
At first, I thought that peeling off the suit outdoors in the cold was good for you, but it’s not after you’ve been in the water—you need to get warm as soon as possible. My feet froze several times while taking off the suit, and I had to spend half an hour in a warm shower until I got the bright idea to take the wetsuit off indoors (preferably avoiding leaving salt water marks on the floor). Removing the suit in a car if you drive to the beach is a feat, but it can save you from hypothermia when you’re already chilled.
The other risk to watch is that when you’re in the water and you feel cold, it’s too late—you’re already slightly hypothermic. You have to know when to get out. Some people have a constitution that lets them swim without a wetsuit in very cold water, but most of us aren’t made that way. There is one trick to save you, though. If you get too cold, pee in your suit. It warms you and doesn’t harm the suit, then washes into the ocean.
To reduce the risk of hypothermia, get the right wetsuit and be ready to pay for it. For two years, I tolerated nearly freezing with my old, leaky, too-thin wetsuit until I ordered a custom-fit 5/5 thickness suit from 7till8 in Los Angeles. This award-winning suit is made to measure, and it’s manufactured from Yamamoto limestone instead of fossil fuels—much better for the skin. It doesn’t stink like plastic.
A huge advantage is that, unlike other 5/5-thickness suits, it is extremely flexible, so easier to get into and out of and do swimming strokes with. It also has a backwash panel at the zipper to prevent water from coming in—something that many suits lack and is really important in cold water.
Also, I have a 7-mm set of “lobster claws” to keep my hands and feet warm. Gloves don’t work at that temperature because the fingers are individually exposed. Neither do booties that have separated toes. On top of that, I have a hood because most heat is lost through your head. Then I put gel on the exposed parts of my face. I don’t put my face in the water because it can freeze solid at cold temperatures in the wind.
The only thing I still struggle with is my thumbs—they tend to get cold, but I’ve also found that they’re a type of early warning system—when the thumbs get numb, it’s time to get out of the water!
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- About the author: Douglas Mulhall’s latest book, Discovering the Nature of Longevity: Restoring the Heart and Body by Targeting Hidden Stress, explores prevention and therapies for heavy metals contamination. The American Institute of Stress recommends it and carries a Foreword by the Chief author of the American Heart Association statement on toxic heavy metals. He co-develops award-winning certifications and standards for products globally and is a registered ISO expert on a global standard for declaring the contents of products.
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