The Navy SEAL Physical Fitness Guide - Uniformed Services ...

developed guidelines for use of passive thermal protection during training in cold waterenvironments. Note that Table 5-2 is limited to high energy swims at a set distance of 2miles.Table 5-2. Distance, Temperature, and ProtectionRequirementsSwimWaterTemperature (°F)Protection> 64° NoneSwim of 2 miles63 - 64° Hood Only60 - 62° Wet-Suit Top/Hood50 - 60° Full Wet Suit/HoodSpecial Open Water Training IssuesIt is easy to have chafing from the wet suit around the arms and also for the fins tochafe. Get thin booties without soles for fin use and consider using some vaseline oraquaphor ointment for other chafe points.If you swim regularly in cold water, your body will undergo some adaptive changes.This will increase your tolerance to some extent. You will also begin to actually crave fattyfoods, an instinctual tendency of cold water swimmers to want extra body fat to protectthem! This is a natural adaptation, but this may be undesirable for your running and overallfitness.Surf training is great for honing your aquatic skills and for developing confidencein big water. For body-surfing, use a medium fin, like short surfing fins, that permits quickacceleration but is small enough not to get caught in moving parts of the wave. Use velcroelastic“keepers” for your fins unless you are sponsored by a fin manufacturer!Keep your head down and always surf with anarm extended up over your head.78 Swimming for Fitness