Swimming provides great benefit to an athlete willing to get their feet wet. Whether you are looking to spice up your workouts with some cross-training, get back into shape, or get some recreational exercise, swimming is a great option.
Low Impact
Swimming does not carry the same risks for injury as weight lifting, or participation in a contact sport such as basketball, football, or hockey. Swimming also provides similar cardiovascular exercise but none of the repetitive stress injuries on joints that long distance runners may suffer from.
Cardiovascular
Swimming requires constant air flow to the working muscles in the body. Doing laps in a pool or swimming in an open body of water makes swimming an aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise has been known to reduce the harmful effects of stress. Competitive swimmers often posses long and lean athletic physiques through their countless hours of aerobic muscle building work in the water.
Survival Skill
Even if you are not doing laps in an Olympic sized pool, it may be helpful one day to learn how to propel yourself through water or at least how to tread water to keep yourself afloat.
Rehabilitation
The pool is a great place to rehab from or regain fitness lost by injury. Activities such as water aerobics (usually performed in waist high water) or water weight-lifting, are low-impact and helpful to improve your overall fitness.
Sign up for a swimming class.