Whether you're feeling down or you're going overboard, Avant can help. Experienced cold sufferers say that stress, bad mood, nausea and shortness of breath are left behind with lifeguard training near me.



Nature is frozen and covered in freezing snow, but the opening is open. Men and women in swimming costumes walk towards the frozen, black water. The steps are calm and the expressions herald the ecstasy to come.

For others, baptism is enough. The most hardened swim tens of meters. In any case, a reborn person emerges from the opening, feeling wonderful, heavenly, open, princely or ecstatic. It is explained to the uninitiated: - Crazy job, but you have to get there.

Open swimming is an old natural healing method and is still used as a self-treatment. For many, it is a new extreme sport, with which to measure the limits of one's courage and get top experiences.

Open water swimming is now unprecedentedly popular. More than 100,000 Finns visit the open air regularly. There are a lot of openings maintained by municipalities, private and open swimming clubs all over the country.

Swimmers have to queue for the most popular ones. For example, the opening of the Helsinki Rowing Center has more than 10,000 swimming times a year. A maximum of 400 winter swimmers attend the safety opening with lifeguard training near me.

The body demands

- The body demands that you have to get into the cold water, Virtanen , 42, laughs as she takes a dip in the one-degree opening. He readily admits his addiction.

He goes at least four times a week, some weeks every day. He is on leave from his job as a kindergarten teacher and now is the time with American lifeguard Association Vienna.

- I cane walk about three kilometers from home. It will get warm in time. I swim without a sauna, run from one pier to another, i.e. 50 meters, put on my clothes and walk home,  Virtanen tells about her habits.

Before, he used to take sauna and swim alternately 4-5 times in one trip. He changed his style because going from a hot sauna to cold water started to feel too drastic for him. Even though is braving the cold for the fifth winter and even if she goes outdoors every day, every time she leaves home, she has to gather her courage for a trip to the outdoors. Courage is rewarded every time.



- Even if I'm busy, tired or overexcited before the opening, I always feel good after the opening, he says.

The flu has only been a problem for  once during the cold spell that has been going on for the fifth winter. I also had the flu in the summer.

Is the only open swimmer in her circle.

- When people at work complain about their ailments, my habit is to say that I know a good cure.

Says that she only meets good-natured, happy people at the open house. Titles are not asked in the dressing room and on the sauna boards.

Source of health

About one in three open swimmers has started their hobby for health reasons: some treat illnesses and aches, others try to prevent illnesses.

Is believed to help, among other things, with asthma, circulatory problems, rheumatoid arthritis, MS , fibromyalgia and pain caused by joint wear and tear.

Those who practice open swimming regularly find the cold exposure beneficial for their health and well-being in many ways.

- The poor blood circulation in the legs has improved and the menopause sleep problems have stopped, 60, is happy.

Her hip joints worn out from her work as a driver were replaced with artificial joints six years ago, and Maire started regular open swimming three times a week as soon as the surgical wounds had healed.

According to the swimmers' individual experiences, open swimming improves cold tolerance and blood circulation, reduces swelling, pain and respiratory infections, as well as general health. It also takes care of the psyche: removes stress, gives self-confidence, improves the quality of sleep and raises physical and mental alertness.

Associate professor of terminology at the University of Oulu, has studied the physiological effects of open swimming and cold. According to Huttonian, those who practice open swimming get viral infections less often than others, because regular and continuous exposure to cold strengthens the body's defense system and thus improves immunity.