Two techniques for cold water acclimatization

Acclimating to cold water during an open water race is a crucial component for all open water swimmers and triathletes. That’s because the body heat loss in cold water, for a non-exercising body, can be up to two to four times greater than the heat loss in cold air at the same temperature. When you exercise in cold water, swimming for example, the heat loss from your skin can be 70 times greater than air of equal temperature.

There are two ways to lose heat during cold-water exercise, and these are due to both conduction and convection. Conductive losses are direct losses from one molecule to another through a liquid, solid or gas. Convective losses depend on how fast water (or air) moves past the body.

Tips to cope with cold water in open water races

A lot of open water swimmers hate the cold, both the cold air and especially cold water. There many people out there that they don’t go near the ocean until it gets up around 20 degrees C. Cold water can not only be unpleasant and draining, it can also be dangerous. If you’re training at temperatures under 20 degrees Celsius, it's always best to do it with a partner, just in case.

There are many triathlons where cold water is part of the challenge—especially the early-season ones in April and May. What can you do about cold water, other than be uncomfortable, get an ice cream headache, and use up lots of your body's energy just trying to stay warm? Here is a list of tips to minimize the negative effects and the uncomfortable feelings that can result from cold water swimming.