When I talk to people about swimming for fitness, I tend to get one of two excuses -- either, "I'm a terrible! swimmer," to which I reply, "Practice!" or they say, "It's just so boring, with no music and nothing to watch." This one, I totally get -- I keep myself interested by timing my laps, but I can absolutely understand where people find lap swimming a bit dull.

But that excuse will fly no more.

There are a multitude of waterproof cases and waterproof iPods on the market, many allowing swimmers to go as deep as 10 feet without endangering the iPod or sacrificing sound quality. The one that seemed to keep popping up as I did my research was the iSH2 Natalie Coughlin Signature Series Waterproof Headset by H2O Audio.

Fit Gadgets: Underwater iPod(click thumbnails to view gallery)

H2O Audio is by no means the only company offering waterproof options for mp3 players, but they are often acknowledged as leaders in the field, and they definitely know what they're doing. This particular waterproof headset is compatible with the 2nd and 3rd Generation iPod Shuffle and comes with goggle clips and two sets of silicon earbuds that seal out water.

If you're not wearing swim goggles, there is an optional neckband, which is really cool because, if you think about it, these don't just come in handy for lap swimming. Think about other places you might need a waterproof iPod -- waterskiing, triathlon, running or biking in the rain, or participating in snow sports, just to start.

The iSH2 Waterproof Headset is available at H2O Audio for $79.99. They have waterproof headphones available for just about every iPod, so check it out -- you could be swimming to the music in no time!