Everything I will say in the article below is mostly my opinion; the true answer of the best form of cardio is the one that you can consistently stick with. However, I am heavily biased towards ranking swimming as the best form of cardio.
Swimming is incredibly low impact compared to other forms of cardio such as running. The low impact of swimming makes it more accessible to those with chronic joint pain. The buoyancy of the water allows for significant impact reduction.
However, the water also creates resistance, meaning that you can exercise and experience similar benefits to resistance training. This has led many athletes to utilize training for cardiovascular and therapeutic reasons (i.e. rehabbing ligament and muscle tears). This means that swimming is incredibly versatile, sustainable, and provides a myriad of benefits beyond just the cardiovascular benefits.
Sure, there are other forms of cardio where you could more efficiently burn calories. However the sustainability and therapeutic aspects of swimming make it one of the most holistic exercises you could perform. Staying fit and active for longer is more important for health and longevity, which are most people's goals when it comes to doing cardio.
In short, swimming may not be the most efficient form of cardio, but its low impact and therapeutic benefits minimize injury related complications and overall improve your health more-so than most forms of cardio. If you have the luxury of living near a pool, I highly recommend you take advantage of it. Good luck!
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