· Cold water · Safety
Your first cold minute
The gasp, the racing breath and why the first sixty seconds in cold water are the ones to plan for.
Below about 15 °C, the first minute in the water is the hardest. Your skin cools fast, you gasp, and your breathing races for a while before it settles. It’s called cold-water shock, and it passes, but it’s the moment to plan for.
Get in slowly
Walk in rather than jump. Let the water reach your waist, splash your face and the back of your neck, and wait for your breath to slow before you start swimming.
Breathe out
The gasp is an in-breath. Concentrate on long out-breaths, through pursed lips if it helps, for the first thirty seconds or so. Once you can talk in full sentences, you’re ready to swim.
Know your water
Saltglass shows the water temperature for your spot because it decides how long the first minute lasts and how long the swim should be. Early in the season, a few minutes is plenty. You’ll build up.
This is general advice from swimmers, not medical advice. If you have a heart condition, talk to your doctor before swimming in cold water.