Summer is a great time to get outside and be active. It’s also a good time for jumping into pools, rivers, oceans, ponds or whatever body of water you can find.
Swimming and paddling aren’t just refreshing — they can offer low-impact ways to get fit. The pull of gravity doesn’t feel as strong underwater, and water provides a lot of resistance. That lets you work hard without jolting your bones and joints.
So this summer, consider picking up a paddle or strapping on some goggles. Here are a few of our favorite water workouts from recent years.
1. Make lap swimming a workout.
There’s nothing wrong with getting into the water and simply swimming until you get tired. But if you have regular access to a lap pool, there are real benefits to taking your swimming game up a notch.
The best way to begin is with some swim-training fundamentals, like how to get more from your stroke and the importance of intervals. In this article, we break down the basic nomenclature (what’s the difference between a 1×200 and a 4×50 anyway?) and suggest a few simple workouts to get started.