Winter swimming: the next level of mastery!

Who Can Practice Ice Swimming?

Who is this form of activity for? Who is the “typical” ice swimmer?

ŁT: Who is this sport for? Once, my capoeira coach, Łukasz "Calango" Tadla, said: "Capoeira is for those who want to train it." This thought can easily be applied to other sports, so ice swimming is for anyone who wants to do it. Of course, there will always be individuals with health conditions that exclude them from participating in this discipline—it’s enough to consult your doctor about your new hobby idea.

There is no such thing as a “typical” ice swimmer or winter swimmer because this sport is not targeted at any strictly defined—or worse, exclusive—social group.

Winter swimmers come from all walks of life, regardless of the categories you apply. They include slim and larger individuals, wealthy and less affluent people, teenagers, and the elderly. What’s more telling is our shared traits:

• First, we can swim—at least a little
• Second, we like to endure some discomfort. Hypothermia adds a "touch" of pain

PŚ: If a young, underage person—whether my student or not—came to me asking for advice about ice swimming, I would gladly provide guidance. However, any practical instructions would only take place in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

Ice swimming is a young sport in Poland, carrying higher risks than open water swimming in warm temperatures. The decision to start training this discipline should be made with full awareness, and the person making it should be mature.

Nobody should be persuaded into it, let alone forced. However, as with any other sport, it’s worth explaining, demonstrating, and sparking interest. With time, this might encourage someone to give it a try.

How to Prepare for Your First Swim in Cold Water and Your First Competition?

ŁT: My advice for anyone looking to start their adventure with winter swimming: take it gradually and sensibly. It’s a good idea to check your time for a given distance in a warm-water pool, multiply that time by 1.5, and then spend that amount of time swimming—or at least wading—in cold water (passive sitting won’t be an accurate measure).

PŚ: Self-monitoring and gradually increasing the distance or time spent swimming are also crucial in winter swimming. Start with short distances up to 100 meters or a maximum of 2–3 minutes of swimming, and observe how active exposure to cold water affects your body. Pay attention to how quickly you return to your normal body temperature and how your heart rate stabilizes.

This isn’t a place to "play tough." Staying in cold water for too long without proper adaptation can result in long-term health damage. Your nervous system needs to learn how to respond to the intense stimulus of icy water.

Leszek Naziemiec explains this very well in his book "Wild Swimming: How to Prepare for Traversing Rivers, Lakes, Seas, and Oceans," which I highly recommend.

In winter swimming, a key element—aside from acclimating your hands and feet—is immersing your face. For me, this was the most challenging part, as it’s associated with quite intense pain, especially in the beginning. The face has numerous sensory receptors, and cold water is a strong stimulus.