In Russia, the healing properties of cold water began to be applied, even before pairing procedures. Due to the harsh climate in Russia, people were forced to look for original hardening methods. According to Tacitus and Herodotus, the Scythians who lived on the lands of present southern Ukraine bathed their newborn children right in the cold water of the rivers, thus accustoming them from the first days of life to the harsh climate. The Yakuts, they rubbed their babies with snow and bathed in ice water, repeating this procedure several times a day. In the same way, newborns and tungus were treated.

They put the kids in the snow and doused with cold water, and then wrapped them in warm deer skins. But the ancient peoples did these procedures as a kind of religious rite. The customs, rites and traditions of the ancient peoples of Russia served as the basis for modern hardening. Over time, a whole system of physical education was formed, which included swimming in the winter and hardening by the forces of nature. Already in the middle of the seventeenth century, the concept of hydrotherapy appeared, which was the use of cold baths and showers, prolonged swimming in cold water. The sacred Hindu books, which were written 1800 years ago, say: "The flow of water is healing, the water cools the fever, healing from all diseases." Sages Hindus believed that swimming in winter gives men ten benefits: freshness, vigor, health, clarity of mind, physical strength, purity, beauty, youth, good skin color and the attention of beautiful women.

What is the healing property of winter swimming based on?

As a rule, after immersion in very cold water, a person is stressed, as a result of which a powerful adrenaline rush occurs. It is adrenaline that is responsible for adapting the human body to extreme situations. It speeds up the heartbeat, significantly reduces pain sensitivity, helps increase blood pressure and activates the immune system. In other words, if a person gets into a stressful situation, then he begins to fight for survival, using all his internal resources for this.

Once in ice water, the body immediately increases heat production, so it responds to cold shock. Thanks to winter swimming, the process of natural thermoregulation is awakened in the human body. Winter swimming also improves the circulatory system. When the "walrus" is immersed in cold water, its skin vessels begin to narrow sharply, and when leaving the water, on the contrary, expand.

At a time when the skin vessels are compressed, the blood goes to the internal organs. In this case, even the smallest capillaries are filled with blood. There is an opinion that such vascular gymnastics has a rejuvenating effect on the human body.

Consistency. Success is achieved only if hardening is carried out regularly for several months and years.

Gradualness. It is necessary to observe and gradually increase the duration of the procedure. In the first year, bathing time in cold water should not be more than 25 seconds. In subsequent years, you can increase the duration of the procedure to one minute. And only after five, three or more years - up to two minutes.

Warm up. Before starting the procedure, You need to do a warm-up or warm up in the steam room. Immersion should be sharp. Once in the water you need to make active movements. You should not plunge into the ice water with your head, because the head is very sensitive to cooling, in this case, it will be difficult to stay in ice water for the required time. After bathing, you must immediately wipe yourself with a dry towel, get dressed and warm up again using exercise or in the steam room.

Источник: https://sportschools.ru/page.php?name=winter_swimmer 

Перевод статьи: Омарова Анель