Swimming: which types it suits

Swimming is lengths up and down a lane in strokes like front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Most people start in a lesson group working on kicking and breathing, adding strokes as they move up the levels. Many indoor pools ask you to wear a swim cap, and lanes are often split by speed so everyone circles in the same direction. Open sessions let you swim at your own pace, and summer brings outdoor pools and open water into the picture.

Swimming suits people who like the rhythm of the same lane at the same time, and who enjoy polishing one small part of a stroke at a time. Since conversation and phones both stop at the water's edge, it's a favourite for people who like being properly alone for a while. Early-morning lesson groups often stay together for years, turning a handful of strangers in caps into something close to old colleagues.