Would you please explain the difference between hardly and rarely. I thought both were interchangeable.
It rarely/hardly snowed last year.
Nowadays, I hardly/rarely swim in the sea because it's cold.

In the fitness suite, a student was doing deadlifts. He repeatedly lifted a barbell from the floor, so he should bend over much. A swimming teacher carefully watched the student for a while. Then, he advised the student to place two thick disks on the floor and place the barbell on them. After following his advice, the student no longer needed to bend over much.  **