• Wear goggles to keep the water from irritating your eyes. - Buy a swimsuit that fits properly.
• To acclimate to the pool, set a time limit instead of a certain number of laps. For example, on the first day, swim for a half
• hour with plenty of rest.
• To improve you workout, swim for the same amount of time, but increase the intensity. For example, if you start with 10 laps for 30 minutes, work towards 15 laps in that same half
• hour for an ultimate goal of swimming the entire half-hour.
• Freestyle is a power stroke, and the best one for rotation, flexibility and building muscle.
• Like any exercise, you’ll get the most benefit from swimming three to five days a week.
• Consider taking a private lesson or take a swim clinic for “stroke analysis” to make sure you're doing the strokes correctly. This will ensure your workout will be more efficient and effective.

* Talk to your physician before starting an exercise program.

All around, swimming is the best exercise for recovering muscle loss, developing muscle tone, increasing strength – even building confidence.

Swimming also develops your flexibility and can accomplish all the cardiovascular and resistance training benefits of other exercises, according to Bridget O'Neill, aquatics coordinator, Athletic Club Northeast in Atlanta.

“Of special note, swimming is a non-weight bearing exercise, so no pressure is placed on the part of your body that’s recovering. Consequently, you can increase strength without causing further injury,” she says.

And, there’s more:

• Because water provides equal pressure, you can't favor one arm over another. This enables your body to build uniform muscle.
• Swimming adjusts to all levels. When you’re first recovering, you can do a low-key workout and still receive physical benefits.
• Because water is weightless, buoyancy gives you the ability to swim, despite a weak or injured part of your body.

If swimming laps still doesn’t appeal to you, consider taking a water aerobics class.

“It’s another excellent way to increase your cardiovascular fitness, endurance and strength without injury because it’s low impact and non-weight bearing,” O’Neill says.

People with all kinds of physical challenges take water aerobics because the classes focus on all the muscle groups, she adds.

Whether laps or aerobics, try a dip in the pool because, best of all, O’Neill emphasizes, the results are tremendous in a short period of time.