Cold Therapy Anyone?
Discussion
I've been trying to go for a swim a couple of times a week this year to see if it will help my head as I've been struggling quite a bit. Will be heading again tomorrow, I use cheapy wetsuit gloves and socks now it's getting colder and don't do much actual swimming compared to warmer months, more floating (find swimming gives me a headache as my levator scapula start to tighten up). Like some others have said it's more about the peace and being in nature, I'm a member of the West Lothian Dippers page on FB, but don't join in with any group swims. I also often have a cold shower at the gym (don't have time to wait for it to warm up).
Not sure my ticker could take it now but used to do a fair bit of rock pool swimming (often skinny dipping) in N Yorks when I was younger with my g/f at the time. Probably get called a pussy by Sisu but 10C outside air temperature was about my limit when going in the water without my heart rate exploding off the dial. My feet and lower legs cramped up badly when going in if the temp was much lower. Flowing water always feels about 10C colder than it actually is too. Can do cold showers no problem in the British summer but tough to do in the winter when the water temp is just above freezing.
No question that you feel superb both mentally and physically after doing it, which imo can only be a good thing.
No question that you feel superb both mentally and physically after doing it, which imo can only be a good thing.
English Channel sea temp is around 11 or 12c at the moment, certainly feeling a bit colder recently thanks to the longer nights, this week I have been doing pitch black swims due to tidal conditions in the bay I swim in, the coldest it gets here in Guernsey is around 6 or 7c doesn't sound super cold but throw in a bitterly east wind it's f
kin brutal!
Im going winter van camping through the French Alps in January so some frozen lake dips are defo on the agenda.
kin brutal! Im going winter van camping through the French Alps in January so some frozen lake dips are defo on the agenda.
mcelliott said:
English Channel sea temp is around 11 or 12c at the moment, certainly feeling a bit colder recently thanks to the longer nights, this week I have been doing pitch black swims due to tidal conditions in the bay I swim in, the coldest it gets here in Guernsey is around 6 or 7c doesn't sound super cold but throw in a bitterly east wind it's fkin brutal!
Im going winter van camping through the French Alps in January so some frozen lake dips are defo on the agenda.
I’d be fine with the temperature and swimming in the sea but at night!!! Sod that. Have you never watched Jaws? kin brutal! Im going winter van camping through the French Alps in January so some frozen lake dips are defo on the agenda.
BoRED S2upid said:
mcelliott said:
English Channel sea temp is around 11 or 12c at the moment, certainly feeling a bit colder recently thanks to the longer nights, this week I have been doing pitch black swims due to tidal conditions in the bay I swim in, the coldest it gets here in Guernsey is around 6 or 7c doesn't sound supers cold but throw in a bitterly east wind it's fkin brutal!
Im going winter van camping through the French Alps in January so some frozen lake dips are defo on the agenda.
I’d be fine with the temperature and swimming in the sea but at night!!! Sod that. Have you never watched Jaws? kin brutal! Im going winter van camping through the French Alps in January so some frozen lake dips are defo on the agenda.
Are there not jellyfish and sharks off the south coast? I'm sure I've read reports about them in the news some years ago. What about all sewage and rubbish that's dumped in the sea? Walk along any UK beach and they're absolutely littered with plastic bottles, containers and other detrius. 
mcelliott said:
Yes we have blue sharks that come pretty close to shore, last year we had a large porbeagle get a little too close for comfort, been freaked out by a bloody huge tuna that can right into a bay I was swimming in this summer
Edited by mcelliott on Saturday 18th November 22:46
You, sir, are mental!
Al Gorithum said:
I'm pretty into health/fitness/strength training etc, and quite a few of my peers are very much into cold therapies; ice baths, cold showers etc for health benefits, mental clarity and fat loss.
Not tried myself yet. Anyone tried it?
I do it. It does make you feel amazing afterwards and really helps me with my back problems (spinal fusion). Get yourself a tub of amazon for £100 and that s all you need. You don't need ice at all as my cold tap fills it to 11c which is really cold, now the weather has turned it cooled to 5c which is fNot tried myself yet. Anyone tried it?
king freezing! You build up to it with cold showers at first then start to take a dip. I use it after a workout and when your core temp is up its a lot easier. I usually do around 2.30- 3.00 mins max as after that I really struggle to warm up. Everyone is different but go easy at the start, its definitely character building!My wife even does it, which for her is unreal as she is cold blooded!
Well this morning was the first test of resilience, no need for the 6.30 alarm, the wind and rain battering the windows did the job, quick coffee then into my shorts and grabbing my trusty towel, 2 minute walk to the slipway and into the water, first ice cream head of the winter straight away, pure guess work to the orange bouy 500m out in the bay and retrace, do it all again tomorrow!
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