I also now think that pool chemicals could be to blame for my poor performance at pool-based sports and poor tolerance of cold water. I used to think "I'm rubbish at swimming and dynamic" and "I can't stand the cold". This doesn't make sense, because I never used to have problems with stamina and cold resistance.
A few years ago I used to work outdoors doing heavy work in sub-zero temperatures. Sometimes I would be carrying heavy boxes for the whole day. I would be handling ice and freezing water with my bare hands. I never had any trouble with exhaustion or shivering. When I was a kid I would go in cold water quite happily. The problem seems to have started over the last few years, since I started going swimming regularly. It started before I started freediving, so I don't think it could be caused by apnea. Most of the swimming sessions were very leisurely, so I don't think it was overtraining. The only thing I can think of that could have caused it is exposure to chemicals.
My performance in the pool is very bad compared to land-based activities. I get desperately out of breath and can't do much. In the gym I can do all normal things without problems. My dry static PB is 5:45, and I have done 5:00+ many times. In the pool I can do 30m front crawl on the surface. Even a dynamic of 40m with fins often leaves me exhausted. This doesn't make sense.
I also have very poor cold tolerance and shiver constantly in the pool, unless I have my 5mm opencell suit on.
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Lucia
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