Swimming is better than running for cardiovascular exercise because there is greater resistance in water than in the air. Both are forms of aerobic exercise (increasing your heart rate and promoting better cardiovascular health), but it takes more effort to kick in water than to take a step while running.

Swimming boosts your heart rate, strengthens and tones your upper and lower body muscles, and burns calories, all while remaining a low-impact form of exercise. Running tones your lower body, torches calories and, because it’s considered a weight-bearing workout, helps prevent bone loss, too.