At the recent Tyumen Open Winter Swimming Cup in Siberia, Russia in water just above its freezing point - 0.8ºC (33.4ºF) - Henri Kaarma of Estonia channeled his inner strengths - both physical and mental - to do what appeared to be the impossible. Whereas most humans would be struggling to merely survive for a few moments at 0.8ºC, Kaarma pushed himself to
Vadim Lisovoy and Vadim Ilyuschenko reported on the results of the recent Tyumen Open Winter Swimming Cup 2013 where the following swimmers competed in water at 0.8ºC (33.4ºF) in Siberia: Whereas most humans would be struggling to merely survive for a few moments at 0.8ºC, these swimmers are racing and pushing themselves to levels that are unimaginable to
When Usain Bolt runs or Michael Phelps swims, it is beauty in action. When classic artists paint or Frank Lloyd Wright designs, it is a masterpiece of creativity. Similarly, when certain people enter the open water, it is beauty in action and a masterpiece of creativity. We see it being done, but we have a hard time conceiving how it can actually be
Henri Kaarma won't be able to beat Olympic swimming heroes Alexander Popov of Russia, Gary Hall, Jr. of the USA, Mark Spitz of the USA, Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands, Matt Biondi of the USA, or Ian Thorpe of Australia in a pool...unless the water temperature was near 0ºC and the air temperature was south of that mark. Then all bets are wisely
Researchers found that the brains of newborn seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) are large when they are born. The baby seal's brain size is relatively large compared with adult seals and, remarkably 70% the size of adult brains. What is remarkable about these seals are that they are the only mammal that swims long distances under the sea ice, holding their
When the leading men from the extreme world of ice swimming stand in public in their swimming briefs, they re are impressive for their relative slender builds. None of them can be said to be obese or even relatively overweight. Rather, compared to the average middle-aged man, these hardened souls are defined as extraordinarily fit individuals. Solid
