Putting on weight for swimming
EXTRA,  FEATURES,  HEALTH,  Nutrition,  October 2024,  View from the Water

Putting on weight for swimming: how would this affect your health?

The perceived wisdom is to deliberately put on weight to increase your natural insulation for marathon swimming. But how might this affect your health, asks Simon Griffiths.

Your ability to tolerate extended periods of time in cold water is, to a large extent, determined by your body size and shape.

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I started Outdoor Swimmer in 2011 (initially as H2Open Magazine) as an outlet for my passion for swimming outdoors. I've been a swimmer and outdoor swimmer for as long as I remember. Swimming has made a huge difference to my life and I want to share its joys and benefits with as many people as possible. I am also the author of Swim Wild & Free: A Practical Guide to Swimming Outdoors 365 a Year, I provide one-to-one support to swimmers through Swim Mentoring and I'm the creator of the Renaissance Swimmer project.