Hello, fellow lovers of icy water! Here is your official notice: our season of winter swimming together at U Žida begins again at 9 am on Saturday 4 October 2025.
Since there is practically nothing left to improve about what we do, everything will be just as it was last year, and the year before, and so on.
We swim from the beginning of April to the end of March, every Monday and Wednesday at 4 pm and every Saturday at 9 am. We never skip a session, and Christmas and New Year's Eve make no difference: whatever day they fall on, the schedule stands.
After swimming, we run. Not everyone, but anyone who wants to and is able to join always has company. It is one of the best ways to warm up after a swim, and running is good for general fitness too. And yes, that includes people who have not run for twenty years and decide it is time to do something about it. We will wait for you.
This is a group activity with a great many advantages and a few very simple rules. If you take part in sport, you will be used to that. If not, please understand that some rules are necessary to preserve the event as it is. If following them is a problem for you, please do not come swimming with us. 1. No alcohol before or during the swim, or immediately afterwards by the water. This is an alcohol-free zone. 2. Nobody enters the water even a minute before the session begins. 3. Winter swimming is without headwear, except for silicone swimming caps.
Our friends at Beskydský ledoborec in Frýdlant nad Ostravicí open their season a week earlier, on 27 September. Anyone who enjoys swimming there and cannot wait to get started will not want to miss it. I hope plenty of us from Otužilci FM will go again. Their approach, combining cold-water practice with exercise and functional breathing, is inspiring. During the season they meet on Sundays at 10 am and Thursdays at 5 pm, so if our times do not work for you, you can join them. They are only 10 km upstream.
You can find everything you want to know about cold-water swimming here on the website, or call, write and ask me. We have plenty of time to prepare.
A warm invitation to you all: come along for the opening swim. Above all, I hope you enjoy the cold water and being part of our group.
Otakar Zemek
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