Swimming is a technique to move unaided through water. This article concentrates on human swimming, a popular recreational activity and a competitive sport. There are many health benefits of swimming, but it also entails risks.

Diving refers to the sport acrobatically jumping or falling into water. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport, which is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a common recreational pastime in places where swimming is popular; sometimes the term jumping is used to disambiguate this activity from competitive diving.

While not a particularly popular participant sport, diving is one of the more popular Olympic sports with spectators. Successful competitors possess many of the same characteristics as gymnasts, including strength, flexibility, and kinaesthetic judgment.

Water polo is a team water sport, which can be best described as a combination of swimming, football (soccer), basketball, ice hockey, rugby and wrestling. A team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The goal of the game resembles that of football/soccer-to score as many goals as possible, each goal being worth one point.

A perfect water polo athlete can be best described as having the over-arm accuracy of a baseball pitcher, the vertical of a volleyball player, the toughness of a hockey player, the endurance of a cross-country skier and the strategy of a chess player. Of course, to find a player of this ability is difficult.

Synchronized swimming
A hybrid of swimming, gymnastics, and ballet, synchronized swimming involves competitors (either individuals, duets or teams) combining strength, endurance, flexibility, grace and artistry with exceptional breath control while upside down underwater.

Synchronized swimming is an Olympic sport open to women since 1984. Olympic and World Championship competition is not open to men, but other international and National competitions allow male competitors. Both USA Synchro and Synchro Canada allow men to compete along with the girls.

Competitors point to the strength, flexibility, and aerobic endurance required to perform difficult routines.

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