If you're willing to brave the cold, winter swimming is possible too.

During his later years, he was known for his winter swimming activities.

Winter swimming is sometimes available at the ponds, which remain popular with users.

There are reportedly 141 winter swimming organisations across China with a membership of more than 200,000.

Also Jinan is a place of annual winter swimming festival.

Winter swimming can be dangerous to people who are not used to swimming in very cold water.

At winter ice fishing and winter swimming is possible.

In colder countries winter swimming may be synonymous with ice swimming.

Icebergs (icebergs.com.au), which was formed 84 years ago as a winter swimming club, gives visitors a sensational view.

It was not really cold enough for the members of the Perm "Walruses", the winter swimming club.

Winter swimming contributes to better general well-being.

Winter swimming is widely practiced in Jilin city.

"Winter swimming is more competitive," she said.

Mermaids Winter Swimming Club membership is $10, which includes $8 for insurance.

To cope with the sudden loss of body heat, we rely on a Zen-like secret: winter swimming is more spiritual than physiological.

I love my winter swimming buddies.

In early September last year, I sent an email inviting anyone who was interested to join me in a winter swimming club.

Consuming alcohol before winter swimming should be avoided because it speeds the onset and progression of hypothermia.

Members are mostly elders and are interested in early swimming and winter swimming.

Watch the experts at the world winter swimming championships on Lake Bled in Slovenia.

You don't need to be an elite swimmer to participate in the world winter swimming championships in Lapland next year.

Bonnie Frankel had really wanted to compete in sports her senior year, if not in fall track, at least in winter swimming.

However few know of the women's winter swimming club which meets weekly at the Bondi Icebergs' pool.

It was closed for 10 months and we are currently holding our winter swimming sessions at Dalton Leisure Centre.

Winter Swimming - the technique of winter swimming and its healing effect.

Some people swim there also in winter time (Ice swimming).

Some people roll in snow and go ice swimming; others take cool showers.

Ice swimming in the winter is a standard option, and many members partake.

Morzhi claim that there are enormous health benefits to ice swimming.

In winter, when the ice is not thick enough to support weight, ice swimming takes place.

In colder countries it may be synonymous with ice swimming, when the water is frozen over.

Finland is known for other weird competitions such as wife-carrying and ice swimming.

They love rules and like activities such as ice swimming, blowing the trombone or collecting stamps.

There is also a number of ice swimming and winter sauna locations around Tampere.

Ice swimming on the Epiphany is relatively new.

I had heard morzhi say that ice swimming is also a cure for depression and I can understand why.

Ample showers and cooling-down areas, and ice swimming in winter.

A related practice is ice swimming.

Ice swimming (avantouinti) on its own is especially popular in Estonia and Finland.

Compare cold water dousing with ice swimming.

For people looking for a detox with a distinctly Russian twist, ice swimming is for you.

Ivanov also advocated swimming in icy water, a belief that has been applied to the practice of ice swimming.

Other local attractions include snowmobile trips, reindeer sleigh rides, visits to a traditional Sami village and for the very brave nude ice swimming.

Jumping in freezing lakes, ice swimming, is an old Russian tradition that goes hand in hand with going to banya, a sauna-like bath.

There have been traditions of people ice swimming in the middle of winter on a lake for short stretches, sometimes as part of a Polar Bear Club.

During wintertime, Finns often run outdoors for either ice swimming or, in the absence of lake, just to roll around in the snow naked and then go back inside.

One way that the hole is maintained at regular ice swimming places is with a pump that forces the water to circulate under the hole, preventing ice from forming.

In Russia and other Eastern European countries where Eastern Orthodox Christianity is the prevalent religion ice swimming is connected with the celebration of the Epiphany.

In Finland, Northern Russia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia the ice swimming tradition has been connected with the sauna tradition.

Founder of the International Ice Swimming Association, Barkai resides in Cape Town, South Africa, where he moved to in 1966 and first experienced open water swimming.