Open water swimming
Australia has plenty of beautiful beaches, lakes and rivers, so it makes sense to swim in the great outdoors.
Open-water swimming can take you further afield. Forget following the black line - you could be swimming through surf waves or racing around the Christiansborg Castle in the canals of downtown Copenhagen.
Open-water swimming offers challenges that have tempted many pool swimmers around the world to cross over, Australia's Grant Hackett and Melissa Gorman included. "Part of the challenge - and fun - is you don't know what you'll get," says Greg Towle, head open-water coach for Swimming Australia. "It's you against the environment and conditions."
Swimming is a whole-body exercise, with your weight supported by water, making it a low-impact activity that's easy on joints. The support of the water also means swimming doesn't bulk up muscles. Swimming is an excellent way to develop cardiovascular fitness. Evidence shows regular swimming can increase lung volume and help develop good breathing techniques.
