Yeah, swimming is almost the perfect exercise when you get older. I have lower back issues, but even when it's bothering me, I can still go for a swim and feel great afterwards.
Regarding board shorts vs speedos. It helps to swim when the entire pool is reserved for lane swims since pretty much every man (all ages, all sizes) is wearing speedos. I couldn't do the briefs, but I wear the speedos that go down to your knees.
Couldn't agree more with swimming being relaxing and peaceful. It's generally quiet, and when you are gliding, it feels like flying.
That said, the two scenarios I've found where swimming was stressful was 1) the pool is really crowded and it's hard to get in a rhythm, and 2) open water swimming in a lake or ocean. You're swimming along and suddenly you enter a really weedy area or worse, you go past an underwater shelf and the water suddenly gets really deep. Ugh.
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