Pools aren’t just for splashing in. Pools can provide a great workout with little strain as swimming is the only type of exercise that bears no impact on soft tissues and joints. Whether you swim laps, do water aerobics, enjoy synchronized swim or play a water sport, you can lose weight and tone your physique in the water. And as water provides buoyancy (you weigh 1/10th less in the water), you can exercise without harshly impacting your bones or joints. Instead, swimming opens joint spaces and increases range of motion up to 90 percent while providing resistance. This means that swimming easily works major muscle groups simultaneously.

If swimming laps, such as freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke or butterfly, isn’t your thing or gets boring after weeks in the water, explore other activities beyond swimming, like running, walking, doing leg raises, jumping and dancing in the water, as well as treading water. All help boost your cardiovascular fitness and tone your body with minimal strain.

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