学进去

When did you last see a polar bear? On a trip to a zoo, perhaps? If you had attended a winter activity in New York a few years ago, you would have seen a whole polar bear club. 1． That day, the air temperature was 3℃, and the water temperature was a little higher. The members of the Polar Bear Club at Coney Island, New York are usually about the age of 60. 2． First, they must get along well with everyone else in the group; this is very important because there are so many different kinds of people in the club. Polar Bears must also agree to swim outdoors at least twice a month from November through February.

Doctors don’t agree about the medical effects of cold-winter swimming. Some are worried about the dangers of a condition in which the body’s temperature drops so low that finally the heart stops. 3． Their research shows the difference between the air temperature and water temperature is much greater in summer than in winter.

4． They say that their favorite form of exercise is very good for the circulatory system(循环系统) because it forces the blood to move fast to keep the body warm. Cold-water swimmers usually turn bright red after a few minutes in the water. A person who turns blue probably has a very poor circulatory system and should not try cold-water swimming.

The main benefits of cold-water swimming are probably mental(精神的). 5． As one 70-year-old woman says, “When I go into water, I pour my troubles into the ocean and let them float away.”