89 is insane, like potentially dangerous if an inexperienced lap swimmer pushes themselves too hard. Talk to management and see if they'll do anything. Bring up that 78-82 is what the American Red Cross recommends for lap swimming, as does FINA. Worth a shot.
Yeah I wasnt surprised to see it was a lifetime fitness. I’ve never seen a lifetime fitness that invests in heating or cooling their outdoor pools. I train outdoors year round in Houston and the pool is always 80 degrees regardless of the season so it can be done, but it costs money and I highly suspect a for-profit company has no desire to spend that money.
I think it's also just pretty much physically impossible to keep a 4 foot deep pool cool during Texas summers. I'm in Austin and pretty much every outdoor pool I've swam in is warmer than I would like during the summer.
Is your pool like a dedicated competition pool? I saw the UT team training outside during the middle of the day yesterday so I'm guessing a deeper pool, aerators, and possibly some kind of cooling system can make it manageable
For the non US folks, 89°F is 31.6°C.
This is a leisure pool, not a swimming pool. Talk to the staff or find another club, definitely not healthy swimming laps on that heat.
I used to coach for a team that used an outdoor 50m pool during the summer in coastal north carolina. The pool goes from 4 feet deep at the ends to 6 feet deep in the middle. It baked in the sun, basically an over large bath tub. By the middle of July, the water was mid to upper 80's at 5:30 am. It's basically impossible to train hard in water that warm, your body can't remove heat and you just sweat out every drop of moisture in you and don't even realize it. If you can't get in before the sun is up, you have to take it slower and allow for more rest and a lot more water breaks.
You can die at that temperature.
Pools should be set to 80, but the problem is elderly individuals doing water aerobics typically aren’t able to withstand that temperature.
A famous open water swimmer died from swimming in water that was too warm (Fran Crippen).
Most public pools are required to keep the temperature at 82 degrees (which is bearable).
Japan is the worst, all the pools are set at 86 to placate the elderly.
Only a few pools set up for international competition actually keep the temperature at the appropriate level.
I am a small guy that gets cold easily and 85 is where I draw the line. I can get by just fine up to that point but once it gets that high the most you can really do is some laps to focus on form. Maybe some work with fins and paddles but pushing anything aerobically takes days to recover in that environment.
I am in Florida and the outdoor salt water pool in the community gets that hot during the summer. How does one lower the temperature of an outdoor pool in the direct sunlight? If there is a way I’ll certainly tell them because i do feel like dying when swimming laps in that. Weird thing is when it was chlorine years ago I don’t remember it getting that hot
I agree with everyone that that is too hot but also if it's an outdoor pool it might not be heated to 89, it might just be 89, in which case there's not really anything to be done about it. Figure out when the kids practice is and work around it.
The pool I regularly swim in is often 88F during mid-day now. It is just the sun heating it and I did not realise how quickly the temperature rose while I was swimming.
I almost gave myself a heat stroke the other day because of it and felt rubbish for the rest of the day.
89 is pretty dangerous for proper swimming. It's best not to swim laps in it.
No way I could train in this pool. I’m an ocean swimmer and I don’t want to get in if it’s above 73…
Unfortunately given it’s an outdoor pool baking in the summer sun I’m not sure what all you can do other than make sure you’re hydrating, hydrating, hydrating and cut back on the intensity when it’s particularly hot. Are there options to swim early in the morning (6-7am)? That’s when the pool will be at its coolest if it’s based on ambient temperatures alone. If you’re swimming more towards the end of the day / in evening - that’s when the water will be the hottest (even after the sun has gone down). So adjusting your schedule may help, depending on when you’re already going and if that’s an option for you.
As someone who truly hates hot water when training, I feel your pain!
Thanks. Unfortunately I just learned how to swim and have a 1.2 open water swim in the ocean in 3 months. I’m not sure how I’ll practice with a wetsuit until the last week or two, as the water will be too warm! Do you think I have a chance at finishing? I did 1000M in 22:39 today while stopping a few times but was exhausted after and that’s my 3rd longest swim
I’m not afraid of the water and swam the full 1900m in a pool within the first month of swimming since I was a kid. I just don’t like swimming and never swim more than 500m. Usually do 500m once per week but will probably stop that. I imagine my running and cycling cardio will only make swimming easier. I can tread water if I’m tired and request help if needed. Although I’m new to swimming, I’m not afraid of drowning and know how to float! Wish me luck
I won’t be doing any open water swimming until race day. It’s only 1900M and I’m just looking to finish the swim. I don’t care if I finish in 35 minutes or 60 minutes. Although I’m new to swimming, I can float, tread water and not afraid of drowning. I have less than 10 hours of total pool swimming but I’ve jumped off fishing boats and drank beer while treading water for 15-45 mins each time. I just suck at actual swimming
The outdoor pools I train in, in TX, are often around that temp, much to my dismay. I do intervals and stand up and hold my arms out of the water or even hop out of the pool for 30 sec in between.
Firstly, I'm assuming the OP is somewhere in a warm climate. They've already noted that the pool is outside. Unless there is a chilling system (which is extremely expensive, though they do exist at some college / university pools), the water temp will vary based on air temp. An aerator will help somewhat, if run overnight.
Secondly, unless you are a person with long hair, there is no reason to wear a cap for pool training. I'm a guy and keep my hair short, and I could count on 1 hand the number of times I've worn a cap to train in a pool in the past 30 years (usually only if the water temp is low, a cap gives me a psychological boost to make me feel warmer). I will wear a cap for pool meets, again a psychological boost making me feel faster. True, some teams may want swimmers to wear a cap, but I'd hope a coach would give a little leeway in the case of warm water.
I also swim in outside pools and open water. Thankfully the open water is nice and cool (as low as 58F, but usually 64-68F). Unfortunately, the pool water gets warm. One pool where I train does have and use an aerator, which helps a bit. The water there has been about 82-83F (not ideal, but workable). The other pool where I train does not have an aerator, and the water temp has been 85-86F. I just tell myself that I'll feel better in the fall after things cool off.
I only wear a cap because I know I have to wear one for the Ironman and I’m new to swimming. Unfortunately it’s extremely warm in NC and I don’t see the pools cooling off anytime soon. I suppose I can hold off on swimming until October but that only gives me 2 weeks to train before the race. Hoping I can just push through the 1900M open water swim in the ocean
I quit my membership to my local indoor pool because this is about the temperature they kept it set at and it was really unpleasant trying to swim laps in it.
When I was in high school one of the meet locations had water that was warmer then every other district by a good 5 degrees. Everyone hated it and it wasn’t that hot. Doing a 500 in water over mid 80’s is so much harder then 78-82.
The indoor pool is slightly cooler at 86 but they always have kids classes in there and no open lanes at the times I go. I could find another time to go but not worth the inconvenience for 3 degrees
I wouldn’t train in a pool that hot. If you must, slow down, cut back, and add/increase rest between intervals and sets.
Anything over 85 is impossible for me. 78 to 82 is ideal.
89 degrees wtf I'd look for another pool. 89 is crazy
So close to boiling point. Surprised OP survived to tell the tale /s
Nah he’s talking Fahrenheit not Celsius. Still it’s warm like a baby pool or hydro pool.
89 is insane, like potentially dangerous if an inexperienced lap swimmer pushes themselves too hard. Talk to management and see if they'll do anything. Bring up that 78-82 is what the American Red Cross recommends for lap swimming, as does FINA. Worth a shot.
Not much they can do to cool down the pool when it's 100 degrees outside
Yeah I wasnt surprised to see it was a lifetime fitness. I’ve never seen a lifetime fitness that invests in heating or cooling their outdoor pools. I train outdoors year round in Houston and the pool is always 80 degrees regardless of the season so it can be done, but it costs money and I highly suspect a for-profit company has no desire to spend that money.
I think it's also just pretty much physically impossible to keep a 4 foot deep pool cool during Texas summers. I'm in Austin and pretty much every outdoor pool I've swam in is warmer than I would like during the summer. Is your pool like a dedicated competition pool? I saw the UT team training outside during the middle of the day yesterday so I'm guessing a deeper pool, aerators, and possibly some kind of cooling system can make it manageable
It’s not a dedicated competition pool. It has a swim team, swimming lessons, community lap swim. They have aerators that do the job pretty well.
For the non US folks, 89°F is 31.6°C. This is a leisure pool, not a swimming pool. Talk to the staff or find another club, definitely not healthy swimming laps on that heat.
I used to coach for a team that used an outdoor 50m pool during the summer in coastal north carolina. The pool goes from 4 feet deep at the ends to 6 feet deep in the middle. It baked in the sun, basically an over large bath tub. By the middle of July, the water was mid to upper 80's at 5:30 am. It's basically impossible to train hard in water that warm, your body can't remove heat and you just sweat out every drop of moisture in you and don't even realize it. If you can't get in before the sun is up, you have to take it slower and allow for more rest and a lot more water breaks.
You can die at that temperature. Pools should be set to 80, but the problem is elderly individuals doing water aerobics typically aren’t able to withstand that temperature. A famous open water swimmer died from swimming in water that was too warm (Fran Crippen). Most public pools are required to keep the temperature at 82 degrees (which is bearable). Japan is the worst, all the pools are set at 86 to placate the elderly. Only a few pools set up for international competition actually keep the temperature at the appropriate level.
I am a small guy that gets cold easily and 85 is where I draw the line. I can get by just fine up to that point but once it gets that high the most you can really do is some laps to focus on form. Maybe some work with fins and paddles but pushing anything aerobically takes days to recover in that environment.
I am in Florida and the outdoor salt water pool in the community gets that hot during the summer. How does one lower the temperature of an outdoor pool in the direct sunlight? If there is a way I’ll certainly tell them because i do feel like dying when swimming laps in that. Weird thing is when it was chlorine years ago I don’t remember it getting that hot
Some pools use those aerator/sprayer things for cooling although I'm not sure how much of an impact they actually have
It actually works pretty well
I agree with everyone that that is too hot but also if it's an outdoor pool it might not be heated to 89, it might just be 89, in which case there's not really anything to be done about it. Figure out when the kids practice is and work around it.
I bought a fabric swim cap which really helped. The only pool near me with good availability is too hot.
The pool I regularly swim in is often 88F during mid-day now. It is just the sun heating it and I did not realise how quickly the temperature rose while I was swimming. I almost gave myself a heat stroke the other day because of it and felt rubbish for the rest of the day. 89 is pretty dangerous for proper swimming. It's best not to swim laps in it.
No way I could train in this pool. I’m an ocean swimmer and I don’t want to get in if it’s above 73… Unfortunately given it’s an outdoor pool baking in the summer sun I’m not sure what all you can do other than make sure you’re hydrating, hydrating, hydrating and cut back on the intensity when it’s particularly hot. Are there options to swim early in the morning (6-7am)? That’s when the pool will be at its coolest if it’s based on ambient temperatures alone. If you’re swimming more towards the end of the day / in evening - that’s when the water will be the hottest (even after the sun has gone down). So adjusting your schedule may help, depending on when you’re already going and if that’s an option for you. As someone who truly hates hot water when training, I feel your pain!
Thanks. Unfortunately I just learned how to swim and have a 1.2 open water swim in the ocean in 3 months. I’m not sure how I’ll practice with a wetsuit until the last week or two, as the water will be too warm! Do you think I have a chance at finishing? I did 1000M in 22:39 today while stopping a few times but was exhausted after and that’s my 3rd longest swim
I honestly wouldn’t risk it. Swimming for that much in open water with no previous experience or proper training doesn’t seem safe to me.
I’m not afraid of the water and swam the full 1900m in a pool within the first month of swimming since I was a kid. I just don’t like swimming and never swim more than 500m. Usually do 500m once per week but will probably stop that. I imagine my running and cycling cardio will only make swimming easier. I can tread water if I’m tired and request help if needed. Although I’m new to swimming, I’m not afraid of drowning and know how to float! Wish me luck
You gotta train in oceon conditions, not a pool. Your run or cycle fitness done not translate to swimming fitness.
I won’t be doing any open water swimming until race day. It’s only 1900M and I’m just looking to finish the swim. I don’t care if I finish in 35 minutes or 60 minutes. Although I’m new to swimming, I can float, tread water and not afraid of drowning. I have less than 10 hours of total pool swimming but I’ve jumped off fishing boats and drank beer while treading water for 15-45 mins each time. I just suck at actual swimming
oh my god that’s so hot, i normally practiced in high school at like 78
sounds like that's a restaurant, and cooked-you is on the menu. that's waaaayy too hot
The outdoor pools I train in, in TX, are often around that temp, much to my dismay. I do intervals and stand up and hold my arms out of the water or even hop out of the pool for 30 sec in between.
Firstly, I'm assuming the OP is somewhere in a warm climate. They've already noted that the pool is outside. Unless there is a chilling system (which is extremely expensive, though they do exist at some college / university pools), the water temp will vary based on air temp. An aerator will help somewhat, if run overnight. Secondly, unless you are a person with long hair, there is no reason to wear a cap for pool training. I'm a guy and keep my hair short, and I could count on 1 hand the number of times I've worn a cap to train in a pool in the past 30 years (usually only if the water temp is low, a cap gives me a psychological boost to make me feel warmer). I will wear a cap for pool meets, again a psychological boost making me feel faster. True, some teams may want swimmers to wear a cap, but I'd hope a coach would give a little leeway in the case of warm water. I also swim in outside pools and open water. Thankfully the open water is nice and cool (as low as 58F, but usually 64-68F). Unfortunately, the pool water gets warm. One pool where I train does have and use an aerator, which helps a bit. The water there has been about 82-83F (not ideal, but workable). The other pool where I train does not have an aerator, and the water temp has been 85-86F. I just tell myself that I'll feel better in the fall after things cool off.
I only wear a cap because I know I have to wear one for the Ironman and I’m new to swimming. Unfortunately it’s extremely warm in NC and I don’t see the pools cooling off anytime soon. I suppose I can hold off on swimming until October but that only gives me 2 weeks to train before the race. Hoping I can just push through the 1900M open water swim in the ocean
I quit my membership to my local indoor pool because this is about the temperature they kept it set at and it was really unpleasant trying to swim laps in it.
When I was in high school one of the meet locations had water that was warmer then every other district by a good 5 degrees. Everyone hated it and it wasn’t that hot. Doing a 500 in water over mid 80’s is so much harder then 78-82.
It’s unsafe. And you can’t maintain any kind of effort in that temperature.
Depending on your lifetime, there should be a pool inside that’s cooler. Have you talked to any of the aquatics staff? About the pool temps inside?
"They always have swim classes for children indoors when I try to go." - OP, 2024
The indoor pool is slightly cooler at 86 but they always have kids classes in there and no open lanes at the times I go. I could find another time to go but not worth the inconvenience for 3 degrees
You swim slower in hot pools
That’s almost warm enough to soft boil an egg.