The Community Answers What is the Weirdest Benefit of Open Water Swimming?

Swimming comes with benefits. Not every benefit of open water swimming is easy to identify. There are benefits that some may gain while others don’t, and some that are more apparent to some than others. 

What is the weirdest benefit of open water swimming that you’ve received? We asked the open water swimming community this question. Here are there responses.

Instagram 

• “Helping you become more comfortable being uncomfortable!” - @cblythe1

• “A faster swim trying to out swim sea lions per @diamondxgirl.getsfit.” - @crazyjudy17

  • “When our coach orders a faster swim, I don’t think this is what he means.” - @diamondxgirl.getsfit

• “Addition!!” - @mparanjape 

• “Its natures nettie pot.” - @kelceybates 

• “The colder water helps ice muscle and joint injuries.” - @suzorange 

• “Definitely dealing with less people and being one with the power of the ocean.” - @elizabethlovestravel 

• “The rhythm you always find to carry you thru your swim.” - @swim.inspire

• “A deep sense of calm and peace. And a sedation like state for two days afterwards.” - @sabrina.flynn 

• “The calmness within the storm.” - @melyde12 

Facebook 

• “The natural sandy food scrub!” - Courtney W.

• “Peeing in the water.” - Kristi P. 

• “Learning to balance my body and keep my stroke even when the water is rough. Increased sense of confidence in the choppy, cold water.” - Elise C.

• “In salt water it’s always that my sinuses get cleared out....” - Gary W

• “Open water swimming has made me more aware of social and ecology issues which I wish to advocate. When I swam in the pool, I just did my laps and left. Now I research my environment for safety, and that has led me to learn about marine life, climate, water quality, and access to public water.” - Kelsey Bassanini

• “More buoyant and faster than the pool.” - Raymond B. 

• “Your hair doesn’t bleach as bad as in chlorine.” - Sigrid H. 

• “It's a great time to reflect, unwind, and is very calming. It's like it washed away my woes. It has also increased my confidence.” - Pamela A. 

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