New Delhi, Oct. 11 -- 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.

For those who want to make swimming a part of their pre-existing routine, there are many tips on how to do that in a story I wrote for Lounge last year, titled Making a...