12. John Quincy Adams was obsessive about his daily routine, not least his insistence on swimming naked at 5am each morning
As we’ve seen, John Quincy Adams was groomed for greatness from an early age. And so it’s hardly surprising he inherited his father’s obsession with seeing his sons go on to greatness. But this was by no means the sixth President of the United States’ only quirk. Famously, he was also obsessed with naked swimming. In fact, Adams is often credited with being the founder of the ‘skinning dipping’ movement, even if he was several decades ahead of his time.
Adams was obsessed with routine. He wrote in his journal every day, without fail, between the ages of 12 and 80. He also woke and rose at the same time each day. And then, when he was serving as President, he made a habit of rising before dawn and going to the Potomac River to swim. Moreover, he would always swim unclothed, even if there were people around. On one occasion, an enterprising female journalist hoping to get an interview with the President took his clothes, promising to return them only when he agreed to speak with her.
