Bonnie Tsui

Bonnie Tsui's new book is Why We Swim.

From her Q&A with Matt Sutherland for Foreword Reviews:

Full blown aquaphobia isn’t all that common, but it seems just about everyone has a fear of drowning and sharks. Even so, people love to swim. Is danger part of the allure of swimming?

I think danger is part of the appeal of swimming for some people—to swim in open water is to accept the unknown. You don’t know what animals are swimming out there with you, or exactly what the water conditions will be from one moment to the next. You confront those fears, and realize you are capable of dealing with them. You relinquish some of the control that you’re accustomed to in the rest of your life. That can be freeing.

Setting aside insane swimmers like Lewis Pugh, who swam across the geographic North Pole in 29 degree water temps in a Speedo, cold water swimming is believed by many to have health benefits. Can you talk about the theory and science and anecdotal evidence behind the idea?

You don’t have to get into extreme cold water to feel those benefits! Getting into a regular swimming pool—typically kept at 80 degrees and below—has been shown to stimulate mobility and circulation, without pain, for arthritis patients. It has the same effect for...[read on]

Visit Bonnie Tsui's website.

--Marshal Zeringue