If you are privileged enough to live near an outdoor body of water, expand your swimming horizons to include aquatic workouts in open water. The freedom of swimming without walls, lines, and chlorine is very uplifting. Add to that the fun of swimming in a beautiful outdoor environment, and you are set for a peak experience. For safety reasons, it is best to swim accompanied either by other swimmers or by watercraft enthusiasts such as canoeists, kayakers, rowboaters, or surfers.

If you plan to be out in the water for a long time or on a hot day, your watercraft chaperone can carry drinking water or electrolyte-replacement fluids. Swimming, like all other aerobic activities, causes the body to lose fluids. But because you are in a cool fluid environment, it is nearly impossible to notice the sweat you produce. Add to that fluids lost from saliva and nasal secretions, and you can understand why you need to hydrate even while surrounded by water.

Stay abreast of the current weather and water conditions that will affect your safety, such as tides, undertow, strong waves (even in big lakes), and temperature. Your local parks or recreation department may have valuable information about the water that you plan to swim in.