Turn the pool into a gym with these cardio exercises

Water is denser than air, which is why an aqua exercise programme feels like a powerful, double-duty exercise

- Pulasta Dhar

Swimming is not just an excellent accessory to a good lifting routine, it can also be done as a self-contained full body exercise, one that works as a great replacement for the treadmill and other cardio activity. A swim workout also has recovery and rehabilitation advantages, which makes it a really good addition to any fitness regimen. Strictly speaking, you can't compare a pool to a gym, but the fact is that swimming forces one to be creative. As a result, you can mimic some of your favourite exercises during a regular lifting session in the pool. Even though weights might not be used in most of them, the added layer of challenge will come in the form of water resistance.

"Because it is denser than air, water provides 12% to 14% more resistance. Even when you're doing cardio exercises like jogging in water, you're working against more resistance than if you were on land. Because of the resistance factor, a water exercise is a double-duty workout—cardio and strength training. This may be why many studies have found increases in lean body mass in people participating in an aqua exercise program," states a Harvard Health article titled, Advantages of water-based exercise.