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From triathletes in training to physical therapy patients, the indoor pool at Gaffney Fitness Center provides an alternative exercise for those looking to step off the treadmill.

"The pool is very well used. There's someone in there constantly," said Lauren Williams, aquatics program manager at Gaffney. "It's a great exercise -- you're using all of your muscles."

Throughout the day, members of the Fort Meade community can make a splash with a variety of exercises and programs including swimming lessons and recreational swim. During a majority of the day, the 25-meter pool is open for lap swimming.

Lessons for both children and adults of all skill levels are offered at the pool. Classes range from swimming basics to advanced stroke improvement and refinement.

Children's lessons are taught in groups through the Child, Youth and School Service's Schools of Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration and Skills. Adult classes, led by Gaffney instructors, are private and taught one-on-one.

The Parent and Tot program offers an opportunity for children ages 6 months to 3 years old to get used to the pool while their parents are in the water with them.

"It's basically getting the child comfortable with the water," Williams said. "They do a lot of singing, learning how to blow bubbles. And the parents are holding their child the whole time.

"It's just getting them comfortable in the water so they're ready when they're old enough to start swimming lessons."

Every day, swimmers can swim laps in the six-lane pool. Swimmers such as Petty Officer 1st Class Paul Dowd use the pool multiple times a week to work out. Dowd, who visits the pool for an hour at least twice each week, said swimming is a beneficial all-body workout.

"On that treadmill, you are working out your legs," Williams said. "In the pool, you're working your arms, you're working out your abs, you're working legs. You're working out a lot of different body parts."

Once swimmers build up their endurance to train in the pool, lap swimming can be a useful weight-loss tool. Williams said she has seen many swimmers struggling at first to complete only one lap, but over time develop endurance to swim multiple laps and lose weight.

Depending on an individual's swimming and workout background, it takes about a month or two to build proper endurance, said Williams.

While swimming laps is a useful for staying in shape or losing weight, patients at the Warrior Transition Unit and Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center use the pool to rehabilitate from injury or surgery.

An aqua ramp in the first lane allows swimmers to easily access the pool to aqua jog, lift water weights or stretch. The essential weightlessness allows them to build strength without straining.

"If you have ankle issues or knee issues and you can't go out and run on the treadmill, then swimming would be a great alternative," Williams said.

Dowd, who is recovering from knee surgery, said it hurts to run so swimming has been an effective way to build strength in his knee. Swimming, he said, also allows him to have a cardio element in his workout without straining his injury.

"I can't do pretty much anything else yet," Dowd said. "The pool is just fun and it lets me build up the strength around my knee without the impact and stress on it."