A misty fog rises and hovers over the swimming pool as the sun begins to creep above the trees. At 6:30 on a mid-November morning, all is quiet except for the rhythmic, gentle splashes of swimmers gliding back and forth in their solitary pursuits. The air temperature clocks in at 36 degrees, but the YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase’s outdoor pool is a mild 84 degrees and all eight lap lanes are busy. For a dedicated community of local residents, swimming outdoors in a heated pool is their go-to exercise when the temperature drops.
“I love being in a warm pool when it’s freezing outside,” says Tim Finn, 51, a longtime YMCA member who lives in Rockville. “I love seeing the stars in the morning in the winter. I love being in the elements. It’s counterintuitive—you shouldn’t be there, but it’s wonderful.”
Swimming is well-regarded for its health benefits. In 2017, Swim England, the national governing body for the sport in that country, commissioned a study of more than 80,000 people and found that swimmers had a 41% lower risk of dying from a stroke or heart disease and a 28% lower risk of an early death.
The alfresco element brings a health bonus. Most, if not all, studies on outdoor winter swimming focus on cold water swimming, like wild or ice swimming, by experienced athletes. That body of research, while small, is growing. A report published in December 2020 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health pointed to studies showing that winter swimmers have fewer upper respiratory infections, improved moods and lower blood pressure, among other perks.
Some of those benefits may extend to swimming in a heated outdoor pool during the winter, according to Dr. Brad Moore, director of the Lifestyle Medicine Program at The GW Medical Faculty Associates, which is affiliated with the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences. “A lot of what I’ve seen in terms of the benefits of winter swimming [is] due to the cold exposure. You can still get that in a heated pool because the surrounding air is cold and you spend time in the cold air before running inside.”
The link, he explains, is the concept of hormesis. “If you expose someone to a stimulator at low doses, then it stimulates the body’s protection responses. Cold exposure improves mood, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin sensitivity,” Moore says.
Being outdoors is also a boon for the psyche. “Any form of exercise, especially outside with exposure to the sun and fresh air, can help diminish the winter blues,” says Dr. Korin Hudson, professor of clinical emergency medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine. “Swimming is a great cardio activity, and it is also low-impact on bones and joints.”
In addition to the YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase, there are at least three other heated outdoor pools in Montgomery County: the YMCA Silver Spring, the Bender JCC of Greater Washington in Rockville and Potomac’s Montgomery Square Copenhaver Swim Club.
“We have a big group of members who are willing to swim outside all year, and they like it,” says Aleksandar Milojkovic, regional aquatics director at YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase and YMCA Silver Spring. Milojkovic estimates that between 300 and 400 members swim at the Bethesda pool and an additional 200 in Silver Spring on an average winter day.
Ash Gerecht swam at the Silver Spring Y for more than four decades until the year before his death at 97 in 2020, recalls his daughter, Ellen Gerecht of Kensington.
“In the winter, he’d check the thermometer. As soon as it was over 32 degrees, he’d get in the car,” she says. “I think it prolonged his life. It gave him a purpose.”
The YMCA only closes its outdoor pools when the temperature dips below freezing or the wind chill registers 26 degrees. Any water splashed on the pool deck can freeze, creating slippery conditions.
To get the most out of a winter workout, Hudson suggests doing an indoor warmup before getting into the water and then a longer warmup in the pool.
“Coming from the cold, your muscles will be less pliable, so give them more time with a slower tempo. At the end, do a slower, steady cool down for a few laps,” Hudson says.
Winter swimming can pose health concerns for some. “Exposure to the cold with underlying cardio and pulmonary conditions, like arrhythmia or COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] can be risky. Asthma can also be triggered by cold air. Talk to a doctor first,” Hudson cautions. And stay hydrated. “We don’t feel as thirsty. The air is not as humid. It is very easy to get dehydrated. Drink a lot of water before and after swimming.”
In general, Hudson’s advice is to start slow and go slow to minimize risk of injury. Talk to a coach or an experienced friend. Consider wearing two swim caps. Minimize the time spent in the open air on the pool deck, especially after exiting the pool. Be sure to have a towel and dry clothes nearby. And a pro tip: Wear fluffy slippers to protect your feet from the cold concrete.
This story appears in the January/February issue of Bethesda Magazine.