If you want to avoid joining the gym in January and being predictably bored by spring, then getting fit in the pool may be just what you need.

The pool isn't just for swimming lengths - there are many other activities you can take part in such as
aqua fitness classes, aqua zumba, aqua jogging, aqua aerobics to name a few.

To help get you started Speedo's expert swim trainer and former Olympian Karen Pickering gives her tips on the benefits on why dipping a toe in water may just lead to a fitness routine you can
actually stick to:

• Swimming is cleansing, it clears the mind and prepares the body for the next challenge;

• If you swim regularly it can burn anywhere between 200-350 calories per half an hour;

• Studies show that half an hour of swimming can be just as effective as an hour's exercise on dry land;

• You use your whole body when you swim, which in turn means your heart pumps blood harder, making swimming a fantastic cardiovascular workout;

• This ‘weightless' feeling makes swimming the perfect recovery exercise for those overcoming injury,
thanks to the lack of impact on painful joints or muscles;

• Swimming also carries specific benefits for pregnant women, offering a great form of controlled and
non-strenuous exercise which helps ladies stay in shape without unnecessary strain which could
harm the baby.