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来源：http://shanghai.globaltimes.cn/community/2011-01/614240.htmlShanghai's subzero swimmers - Source: Global Times
- [10:21 January 19 2011]
- Comments
Swimmers compete in the annual Winter Swimming Competition in Tongxiang, Zhejiang Province. Photo: CFP
Swimmers brave the winter cold and icy water at East China Normal University. Photos: Courtesy of Yan Hao
By Thomas McKinley
On a frigid January morning in Shanghai, graduate student Yan Hao steps outside a changing room in a pair of swimming trunks and dives into an outdoor pool. He is not pledging to be in a fraternity nor did he lose a bet - Yan is a "winter swimmer."
While most people's visions of winter sports involve being on a ski slope or skating rink and bundled up with coats, scarves and hats, there are a small and brave few for whom a healthy winter pastime consists of stripping down to a swimsuit and jumping into a pool of nearly freezing water. Despite the extraordinary nature of their hobby, these individuals stand by their choice.
However, given the strain of winters in Shanghai, it seems ironic to see people willingly and devotedly plunging themselves into pools of water with temperatures as low as 2 C.
Yan, a graduate student at East China Normal University in Shanghai, walked past his university's winter swimming society one day back in 2006 and thought what he saw looked interesting. "I was curious, and then found out that winter swimming had certain health benefits," he said. Yan certainly is a picture of health and attributes his physical vigor to his avocation.
While there is a rationale behind this apparent masochism, how much medical evidence is there to support this theory?
Health benefits
Yan's former coach, Wang Wei, is now the deputy director of the Shanghai Winter Swimming Committee. Wang firmly believes in the health benefits of swimming in winter. "It helps the swimmers become healthier both physically and mentally. Winter swimmers seldom catch colds," said Wang. Yan supports Wang's testimonial and attested to never seeing anyone get sick from the activity.
Dr David Jones, chairman of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Shanghai United Family Hospital, offered his insights and suggestions. "There are no conclusive studies to validate winter swimming as a way to 'cure' any medical condition; however, research has shown that winter swimmers report having an improved mood, less aches and pains and fewer colds. For certain conditions such as acute pain or inflammatory arthritis, cold therapy - such as a cold pack - is a common treatment used to reduce pain. Research shows that winter swimming can also reduce pain in those conditions in a similar manner."
As far as specific areas of the body are concerned, Dr Jones stated that "some evidence shows that winter swimming may increase lung function in asthmatics. It also has been shown to increase levels of important blood markers such as white blood cells and hormones that can help in relieving pain."
When asked whether he would ever prescribe a patient to take up winter swimming, Dr Jones said, "There are probably more orthodox treatments that a Western doctor would prescribe before suggesting winter swimming." However, Dr Jones added that sports medicine doctors often prescribe "ice baths" for athletes after heavy exercise in order to reduce pain and swelling.
Dr Wang Ruihua, a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine at his firm Moxalife in Shanghai, agrees with Dr Jones and even goes several steps further regarding winter swimming's corporeal benefits. "Winter swimming is very good for increasing someone's yang qi," said Dr Wang. Yang, in traditional Eastern medicine and philosophy, represents an aggregate of heat and solidity. "Places in the body that benefit from winter swimming include the chest, specifically the thymus. Another place that benefits greatly is the back, especially the spine and bladder meridian. Winter swimming also has great vascular advantages - when one's blood vessels get used to the cold water, it benefits the blood flow and muscles, much like doing yoga," Dr Wang added.
Yan has seen these benefits first-hand. "It helped strengthen my immune system. I once suffered from a slight respiratory disease, and gradually recovered when I began winter swimming," Yan said. Wang Wei asserted that it has helped him "to always be energetic in daily life."
Nevertheless, winter swimming is not for everyone, and can even bring more harm than help. "For those who are not accustomed to the sport, winter swimming can place the body's circulatory system under a significant amount of stress. Therefore, winter swimming may actually harm people who suffer from heart or lung conditions. But for regular winter swimmers, some research suggests that the sport can be helpful and can increase levels of white blood cells, antioxidants, and also levels of pain-relieving hormones," Dr Jones said.
Dr Wang also cautions that people with heart problems or hypertension should not participate in the pastime. "They should know their family history and heart rate, as well as their blood pressure," he stated. Yan also cited hypertension and heart disease as the top two conditions to disqualify someone from entering icy water.
The question remains then, as to under which parameters winter swimming should be undertaken. Dr Jones prescribes the following: "In a safe and supervised environment, winter swimming can be safe at temperatures of 2 C. The danger in winter swimming lies in extreme changes of temperature. Rapid changes in temperature can place stress on the body, and therefore it is important not to go from extreme cold into extreme heat and vice versa. A warm spa after winter swimming may sound inviting, but should definitely be avoided!" Yan's procedure accords with that suggested by Dr Jones. "After swimming, I always have a cold shower, then gradually turn it to hot," Yan said.
"If people want to do winter swimming, they must start slow. I recommend taking cold showers for at least four months before winter, in order to be prepared. This will also increase their yang qi," Dr Wang said. As uncomfortable as this may seem, it may be a relief from the intense heat of a Shanghai summer.
As far as other foods that are helpful to the winter swimmer, Yan cited "beef, cheese and chocolate" as the top three. Interestingly, all three belong to the yang category of foods. Other yang foods include eggs, smoked fish, peppers and potatoes. The organic heat from these foods helps to maintain the proper balance with cold water.
Location, location
As for the location, all parties agreed that a swimming pool is the optimal environment. Whereas one may commonly think of swimmers joyfully jumping with reckless abandon into a river, this is highly advised against, especially by Wang Wei. "Swimmers should not swim in rivers, as they are polluted. They may get diseases," Wang said. "Outdoor swimming pools are the best, and most authentic, places to swim, as the water is clean and at the appropriate temperature. Swimming in winter, but in warm water indoors, is not real winter swimming."
Yan basically agrees with his former coach, but cannot resist mentioning that, "swimming in the river is much more interesting. It feels more natural."
The best time to swim, according to Yan, is in the early morning, as in the afternoon the water is too warm. He recommends a water temperature of 6 C, a slightly upward variation on Dr Jones' recommendation of only 2 degrees. For natural bodies of water, colder water will be more conducive to health as there is less bacteria present.
The atmosphere at the outdoor pool at Yan's university consists of one or two swimming coaches, warmly clad in winter attire, at the edge of the pool, coaching their swimmers in the water. The latter occasionally wear bodysuits, but are generally bare-chested and wearing swimming trunks. For females, who number a small percentage of the winter swimming population, shorts and a T-shirt are the usual manners of dress. There is a strong feeling of camaraderie and an overall cheerfulness, in accordance with the pastime's wholesome and health-related benefits.
The swimming sessions and meets are conducted very much like an ordinary swimming event in warm weather. There are individual and group competitions - Yan himself specializes in the 400- meter race. There are lifeguards and even a doctor on site. One notable difference at the swim meet is the ginger soup being passed around. "Ginger improves circulation," said Yan.
Aside from university students, the pastime of winter swimming encompasses people from all walks of life. "People of different ages, both young and old, are doing winter swimming. Some of them are students; some are businessmen; some are even working in the government," Yan said.
Cold and dedicated
Winter swimming may not be the most popular winter pastime, but it has a significant number of adherents to constitute a yearly team competition in the town of Tongxiang, Zhejiang Province, organized by the local government. Yan belongs to his university's swimming club, Linghan, and also to the Yangpu Swimming Team, which also swims alfresco. Linghan was established in 1994 and tends to attract a total of roughly 15 winter swimmers each year.
The pastime has even become sufficiently popular as to have a publication in its honor. Shanghai Winter Swimming has been published since 2004 and features photographs of participants smiling triumphantly against a background of winter-coated spectators, or occasionally standing on a snowy river bank. Articles titled "My 38-year Winter Swimming Experience" and "Yoga in Winter Swimming" are featured as well as more exotic pieces like a competition to see who could catch a duck the fastest. The duck was subsequently eaten by the winner.
Nonetheless, the sport has a way to go before being accepted as "normal" by the general public. Despite the positive effects that Yan has derived from winter swimming, he has had some opposition from his family. "My parents and even my grandparents dislike it, and have advised me against it many times. My uncle is a bit more progressive and was aware of the benefits," he stated. Indeed, the strong preferences for hot water and hot food in China seem to militate against a general acceptance of winter swimming.
But it has not deterred Yan, who considers it a lifestyle and even travels to different parts of the country to engage in swim meets or just to meet new people who share his passion. Shanghai itself has a winter swimming team for each district, and according to Yan there are similar bodies forming in other Chinese cities. He recently made contact with winter swimmers in southwest China and made a trip down to visit them. "Winter swimming has become a hobby that connects me with fellow swimmers across China," he said.
Feng Fan contributed to this story
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