13 Pictures Of People Ice Swimming

As the winter season comes to an end, people in Poland, Russia, Germany, and China decide to go for a dip in icy lakes.

1. Poland

Ice swimmers enjoy a bath in the cold water of the Zegrzynski lake in Nieporet near Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, March 17, 2013.

Image by Alik Keplicz / AP

2.

The temperature was 32 Fahrenheit.

Image by Alik Keplicz / AP

3.

Two-thumbs up!

Image by Alik Keplicz / AP

4. Russia

A Russian man swims in the icy water during an ice swimmer’s festivity in St.Petersburg, on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. The temperature in St. Petersburg was around 27 Fahrenheit.

Image by Dmitry Lovetsky / AP

5.

Russian people dressed as Santa Claus take a swim in an ice-hole in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk on December 30, 2012.

Image by VALERY TITIEVSKY / Getty Images

6. Germany

A swimmer with a crown and trident enjoys the cold water during a traditional ice swimming session on December 23, 2012 in Lanke, which is north of Berlin.

Image by JOHANNES EISELE / Getty Images

7.

German swimmer prepares a hole in the icy surface of a lake.

Image by JOHANNES EISELE / Getty Images

8.

Winter swimmers make the hole bigger.

Image by JOHANNES EISELE / Getty Images

9.

Note that there are more spectators than swimmers.

Image by JOHANNES EISELE / Getty Images

10.

Looks fun?

Image by JOHANNES EISELE / Getty Images

11. China

A Chinese ice swimmer takes his daily swim in the frozen Houhai Lake in Beijing on December 9, 2012.

Image by MARK RALSTON / Getty Images

12.

A Chinese ice swimmer is watched by passersby after his daily swim when it is 28 Fahrenheit.

Image by MARK RALSTON / Getty Images

13.

Winter swimming is especially popular amongst the elderly as it is believed to improve circulation and benefit health, and also said to increase the level of mental awareness, release stress, remove aches and pains, increase vitality and keep skin looking younger.

Image by MARK RALSTON / Getty Images