How warm is too warm for a lap pool?

May 8, 19 7:30

Post #1 of 36 (3693 views)

So I've been searching for answers online and even did a search on this forum but come up empty handed. How warm is too warm to do a good 3-4K swim workout? The pools I currently swim at are fine regarding temperature but very crowded lately and there are other issues that are getting to be a bit much. I might have an option to swim at a quiet peaceful pool that is about 84F. I have permission to give the pool a try tomorrow morning and see if I can do my workout. I have swam in warmer pools and they do feel a little stifling but maybe one could get used to it?

Thoughts? How warm is too warm? I know it's an individual thing as well but would love feedback. If it's not a risk health-wise I might favor being a bit too warm but having a quiet, clean pool. I think it's going to be a trade-off.

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 7:37

Post #2 of 36 (3663 views)

I have hundreds of miles in my YMCA pool at 84°. It honestly does not feel hot to me at all. I am even doing wetsuit workouts in the pol now leading up to Gulf Coast this weekend. Wetsuit swims are a little toasty at 84°, but really not that bad. I could go all day.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [exxxviii] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 7:41

Post #3 of 36 (3655 views)

exxxviii wrote:

I have hundreds of miles in my YMCA pool at 84°. It honestly does not feel hot to me at all. I am even doing wetsuit workouts in the pol now leading up to Gulf Coast this weekend. Wetsuit swims are a little toasty at 84°, but really not that bad. I could go all day.

Thanks! I appreciate this.

I think also it's a matter of acclimation. Running in 84F can feel awful if not acclimated. But in mid-summer 84F is just another day and I love running in those temps.

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [exxxviii] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 7:42

Post #4 of 36 (3652 views)

I'm going to add that it is also a function of the air temperature. I swim in outdoor pools year round, heated in the winter and chilled in the summer. If the air temp outdoors is 50 then a pool at 84 would feel very nice. But if it's summer time and the air temp is 90 with 90% humidity, then I will absolutely cook in an 84 degree pool unless I was content with a very leisurely swim.

Short answer - if the water aerobics people are not complaining about the pool temperature then it is way too warm for swimming.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 7:49

Post #5 of 36 (3623 views)

Yeah that's the problem. Around 9am there are a couple weekly water aerobic classes. I will swim much earlier.

I'll see if I can do my 4K swim tomorrow morning. I stopped by the pool on Tuesday and stuck my hand in the water. It felt warm. One of the employees said the pool was regulated at 82-84F. But it felt more like 86Ff. I'll know tomorrow for sure.

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 7:50

Post #6 of 36 (3618 views)

HuffNPuff wrote:

Short answer - if the water aerobics people are not complaining about the pool temperature then it is way too warm for swimming.

Haha. This is the exact battle at my Y. The Director is constantly managing the balance between the less active water aerobics and elderly folks and the active swimmers.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 7:50

Post #7 of 36 (3616 views)

PS - this is an indoor pool

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 7:53

Post #8 of 36 (3600 views)

84 for me will definitely hamper my workouts. But here is the deal, when it is hot, you just have to go slower if you want to get in your yardage. That or take a lot more rest for less. I have swam out in the desert where pools get up to 92/93, it is brutal, but you can do something. The pool in palmdale is regularly 84 and it always gets me at about 2k into the workout, because I have not really adjusted paces. 81/82 is my usual swim temps, 78/77 is what I like best.

It is the same exact thing as training outside on the bike or run. The hotter it gets, the slower you have to go, and the more you have to replace. It is just in the water it is not so apparent of your higher sweat rate, so it can sneak up on you...

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 7:55

Post #9 of 36 (3596 views)

I swam at a pool built to teach infants how to swim and senior water aerobics(more like feeding time at the Serengeti). It was 90 degrees air and pool temp and 2 feet deep to 4 feet deep. Interesting and fairly doable. Had to keep high elbows.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:00

Post #10 of 36 (3574 views)

My regular Y pool is a balmy 86-90 degrees. Typically warmer in the winter. If I'm doing a straight long swim at a steady race pace, I can start really feeling the overheating around 1500 yards--but routinely hit 2000-2400 without major difficulty. I wouldn't want to go much further than that at speed. Sprint / interval workouts are a little tougher and I start overheating around 1200 yards.

Sure, I'd love a cooler pool...but I'll take what I can get.

Last edited by: Per: May 8, 19 8:01

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [monty] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:02

Post #11 of 36 (3566 views)

That pool in Palmdale is lovely.

Our Y is currently floating at 83.8. It's brutal trying to hit paces and rest correctly. Just eats me alive. I've asked about four times for them to bring it down to even 82. Maybe if I bring 4-5 big bags of ice with me on deck they might get the hint...

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Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [rrheisler] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:05

Post #12 of 36 (3556 views)

That pool in Palmdale is lovely. //

It is a great pool, only problem is that 80% of the lap swimmers, don't actually swim laps. Because it is so shallow, there are a ton of walkers and floaters. So I think they get to have it at their temperature, squeaky wheel and grease happening there..

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:07

Post #13 of 36 (3552 views)

FINA rules are pool temp 77-82° (25-28C). I find that I prefer the lower end of this range even though it feels cool at first. Anything over 80 makes everything tougher. But good luck on getting any YMCA in the country that also hosts water aerobics classes to lower it.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [monty] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:12

Post #14 of 36 (3542 views)

Every pool I've been to will have it's fair share of floaters, paddlers, and walkers. They do tend to be squeaky about it, too -- but if you can get a couple of people (or the masters group at the pool) to complain it's too warm, you can usually get a degree or two back.

You know what really took me by surprise there was altitude. Just enough to knock me on my ass a bit when trying to swim there.

I'll have to come out again, swim, and drink more of that Dos Almas tequila.

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Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [rrheisler] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:15

Post #15 of 36 (3529 views)

Ya, the altitude get people, and they dont even know it. Dan says the pool is just under 3k ft., which is just about the minimum you need to feel it. Even when living there full time and acclimated, it still kicks my butt. I believe I looked it up a long time ago, but you get some time handicap starting at 3k, so it must be a thing..

And every time we go, we complain about the pool temp, so I'm guessing that is what is keeping it only at 84!!!

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [monty] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:19

Post #16 of 36 (3511 views)

It was just enough! That and Dan was beating on me for the first couple 200s so I had to fire back. That idea went...poorly.

At any rate, anything above 82 is:

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Last edited by: rrheisler: May 8, 19 8:20

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [Melvano] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:20

Post #17 of 36 (3500 views)

Melvano wrote:

I swam at a pool built to teach infants how to swim and senior water aerobics(more like feeding time at the Serengeti). It was 90 degrees air and pool temp and 2 feet deep to 4 feet deep. Interesting and fairly doable. Had to keep high elbows.

Too funny. I have personally witnessed the water buffaloes on parade at one pool I use. I marvel at how people over 300 pounds kid themselves that they are working out while they leisurely float on multiple pool noodles back and forth. I'll start to count how many laps I can get in before one of the wounded buffaloes makes 50 yards.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:22

Post #18 of 36 (3486 views)

70Trigirl wrote:

PS - this is an indoor pool

I think my comment on air temperature still applies. The few indoor pools I have used when travelling tend to feel very warm and humid when you open the door to go in. Unless they are running some good A/C, a warm pool in a warm, humid room is going to be tough.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:25

Post #19 of 36 (3471 views)

I do 90% of my swim workouts in my complex pool which is a SCM indoor pool but heated like a leisure pool (~84 F, with very warm air temp). I swim 3000-4000m workouts with no issue. However on the odd time I go to the local competition pool, I swim much faster and with lower RPE; that pool is usually about 78F.

I consider a warm pool no different than a hot run or ride. Go by RPE and dont be too concerned if your times are a bit slow. It can still be a very good quality workout.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:34

Post #20 of 36 (3439 views)

My Y pool used to bounce between 80-82 but then the main thermometer broke and it is now 84-85. I have gotten used to it a bit but it does make my times slower. I've taken to wearing earplugs instead of a swimcap to help keep cool.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:37

Post #21 of 36 (3430 views)

it is going to depend on your effort. I've trained at the Nat in Indy where its 78-79 but we got moved to the instructional pool during a renovation. That pool was 86 deg and felt like bath water. It had a low ceiling and held the heat and humidity really bad. I couldn't cool down at all and was pouring sweat between intervals.
I was still sweating at work an hour later.
A slower effort would of been more tolerable, but still hot.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:37

Post #22 of 36 (3430 views)

300 pounds would be the fittest person at my pool. The only workout they get is crowding me over to the edge and making an occasional colossal wave. I thank them for getting me ocean ready.

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [Melvano] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:48

Post #23 of 36 (3403 views)

Not directed at you, but let's stay on topic here and not wade into the waters of shaming people who bothered to show up to the pool at all.

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Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 8:59

Post #24 of 36 (3386 views)

Lately my local pool has been running cool (much to the chagrin of most users) and has been in the 82-84 range. It's normally kept at 86 and I find that uncomfortable on a hard swim. When it's 87.8 or warmer, I refuse to swim (learnt the hard way that my body cannot cope).

Re: How warm is too warm for a lap pool? [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]

May 8, 19 9:12

Post #25 of 36 (3358 views)

A few years ago the heater died at Desert Breeze pool in Vegas. They closed when the water temps dropped into the 60s. The first day they were open for swimmers again, the water temp was 68-70F. My wife and I were the only swimmers. It was cold, but amazing to have an entire 50m pool to ourselves.

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