If you’re from Harbin in Northern China where they have cut a swimming pool shaped hole in the 1m thick ice covering the river, you would tell me that swimming in frigid water is an adrenaline rush or a “boon to one’s stamina.” Meanwhile, devotees of Iceland’s Blue Lagoon enjoy rather warmer climes (40 – 45°C) of the hot springs. One thing is for certain: varying degrees of water temperature can have major effects on your body.

While there can be serious health concerns on both sides of the spectrum, a little nudge in one direction or another can have a significant impact on your health. But it may not have as big an impact on your fat burn as you’d like.

When is The Pool Water Temperature Too Hot?

The 2012 London Olympic pool raised some questions when the summer heat caused the temperature inside to reach a sweltering 32°C.

When asked about the heat, the British and U.S. teams just “shrugged off” the worries. Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, and Tyler Clary took the slight temperature shift in stride. For speed swimming, slightly warmer temperatures are optimal.

Olympic racing and FINA events mandate a water temperature between 25 – 28°C, whereas synchronized swimming requires an 27°C pool.

For diving, they set the pool water temperature to a moderate 26°C.

When pool temperatures are warmer, it allows the athletes’ bodies to perform at maximum endurance without causing shocks to your system, although too warm can prove dangerous. If the water temperature is too hot, the trapping of body heat can cause muscle spasms, which in turn can be fatal as the swimmer doesn’t always realize this over-exertion is occurring.

In terms of Maintenance for your pool, cooler water is always best as bacteria thrive the closer the temperature gets to body temperature (37°C). Algal growth is a little more tricky to control with pool temperature as they thrive between 20-27°C. Although it is true that a green pool due to algal growth is very unlikely to harm any swimmers it is rather unsightly and undesirable hence the need for a decent, well maintained filtration system.