Winter swimming and effects on Qigong

[laowai]

I am living in northern China and am really into winter swimming, The locals have told me that it balances the yin yang, but my Chinese level isn't good enough to understand how that works.... any ideas on that?

Another point in reference to Dr.Yang's "4 season qigong", is that when one lives around the equator or in an arid climate, does that mean, the person should only focus on the Summer,autumn (Heart and lung) exercises or should they still follow the yearly cycle routine.... ??

[yeniseri]

Modern society has been so sedentary that our muscles lose their adaptive power and so they start showing disuse symptoms earlier.
Winter swimming in a river is a little risky unless the river is far enough away from an industrial runoff. In winter, all water looks clear!

Otherwise, winter swimming is good. It is a great stimulant for those who relish warm water baths. In the Midwest and a few other areas, there is period between December 24 and January 20, where Polar Bear Club individuals go to the lake and immerse themselves in Lake Michigan's bounty as an awakening for the comin year, or just a way to do something different!