Working out at home has never been more accessible!
With people spending more time at home than ever before, creating a space to stay fit while also promoting relaxation is essential.
A swim spa is your perfect solution if you’re looking for a way to enjoy exercise year-round and have a space to escape your busy lifestyle and unwind. In this article, we will take a closer look at swim spas and everything they have to offer, from the health benefits to the impact they can have on your home and overall lifestyle.
What Is a Swim Spa?
A swim spa perfectly combines a pool and a hot tub, creating one unit that does it all, but it’s more than just a pool with a hot tub attached at one end.
Swim spas are compact, saving your space while giving you a full swimming experience.
The water is heated to the ideal temperature to keep it from freezing during the winter months and provides exceptional benefits to support your body in exercise and healing – all year round.
With high-powered jets to create a powerful current, you’ll be able to push yourself to your limits, swimming in place as you fight the water current.
After your swim, you can float back and relax in one of the many hot tub seats lined with jets. Have your exhausted muscles massaged under their gentle pressure and give your body the much-needed release it needs after a strenuous workout!
The 4 Health Benefits of Swim Spas
Swim spas can offer unique benefits because they provide intense exercise options while incorporating a full body massage anytime you need it.
Here are some of the most notable benefits you’ll experience:
1. Cardiovascular Health
Swimming is a great way to build cardiovascular strength without placing unnecessary strain on your joints, as you would while running.
By adjusting the current’s strength, you can create a swim that aligns with your current abilities, making swim spas an ideal option for both casual swimmers and professional swimmers alike.
Having the ability to change the intensity of the current is one of the many aspects that make swim spas unique. Essentially, your swim spa will be able to grow with you, challenging you throughout every swim and helping you become stronger than you could from a traditional lap pool.
2. Increased Flexibility
Working out in a swim spa helps warm your muscles throughout your entire session. This helps loosen your muscles and improves your flexibility and range of motion.
Better flexibility will help reduce the risk of injury as you work out, protecting you from any damage and helping you get a more effective workout.
3. Joint Protection
The buoyancy of the water in a swim spa will reduce the impact your body experiences during a workout.
This makes it an ideal option for those who have mobility issues, injuries, or simply want a gentle way to exercise.
Exercising in a swim spa will give you a way to do a more intense workout while reducing inflammation and pain that may be caused by the same exercises outside of the water.
4. Burn More Calories
Working out in a swim spa will help you burn more calories for two main reasons.
The first is because your body has to fight the resistance of the water, making your body work harder than it would outside of it. This also strengthens smaller muscles in your body, burning additional calories.
Secondly, working out in hot water makes your heart beat faster and makes your body work harder to bring your temperature back to its natural resting state. This will help you burn more calories in less time and by exerting less energy.
The Best Swim Spa Exercises
Swim spas are for more than just swimming and lounging.
All of our Jacuzzi® Swim Spas include a soft stride mat on the floor, ensuring you’ll be able to get a strong grip while you move through any type of exercise you want.
Here are some of the exercises you can do in your swim spa:
1. Squats
Swim spas are the perfect way to build up some lower body strength while offering support to your joints with each motion.
You’ll experience the push of resistance as you sit back into a squat while also improving your stability as you work to keep your balance against the movement of the water.
2. Flutter Kicks
Flutter kicks are a great lower ab exercise and an easy way to build your strength.
Hold your body above one of the hot tub seats to do this exercise, and kick your legs up and down. The water resistance will add an additional challenge, strengthening your abs with less work.
3. Yoga
Flowing through a yoga session in your swim spa is a unique way to build strength, release muscles, and improve your balance.
The warm water of the swim spa will give you better mobility, easing your muscles deeper into each pose.
While the buoyancy of the water will help support your body weight in each pose, you’ll be working harder to move from one pose to the next as your body pushes through the water. You’ll also strengthen smaller muscles in your ankles, helping you increase your stability long-term.
4. Push-ups
Swim spas offer the perfect space for those who are just beginning to add pushups into their routine or would like some added protection during this exercise.
The water will help reduce the pressure on the shoulders, and support the body, helping you maintain proper form throughout each push.
Use the edges of the hot tub to rest your hands on, and ease down into an angled push-up. As you get stronger, you can move your hands to lower surfaces in the swim spa to decrease the incline of your body and increase the effort needed to push yourself back up.
5. Jogging
While jogging in water may seem strange, it protects your joints from the impact they would usually face from a jog.
For this exercise, set the strength of the water current to match your desired pace, then jog against it. You’ll be able to have a quality jog as the water keeps your body in place, while strengthening muscles as you push against the resistance each time you lift your legs.
6. Rowing
Many swim spas come with a way to attach resistance bands, giving you an easy way to incorporate strength-based workouts into your exercise routine.
Once you’ve attached your resistance bands, lean back and pull the band towards your ribs with both hands at the same time, mimicking the motion of rowing a boat.
7. Lifting
If you enjoy lifting weights, you can invest in some water weights, giving you a way to strengthen your body with weighted exercises.
During a lifting session in your swim spa, you’ll move the weights in and out of the water for many of your exercises. This will give you a harder workout as you fight the resistance of the water against your weights. You’ll also build stability as the water influences how the weights move, helping you work out more muscles than a traditional lifting session would.
Swim Spa Accessories
Your swim spa offers a one-of-a-kind workout space, and with the right accessories, you can elevate your entire backyard experience, both inside and outside the water.
Here are some of our favorite swim spa accessories.
Steps
Getting in and out of your swim spa shouldn’t be a challenge. Including a set of steps is essential, and with a range of colors and styles, you’ll be able to find one that matches your spa perfectly.
Bluetooth Speakers
Whether you’re working out or unwinding after a long day at work, a BlueTooth speaker can set the mood and elevate your experience.
Outdoor Umbrella
Sun can damage your water and reduce the chlorine in it quickly. Including a large outdoor umbrella like our ProLast Umbrella will help maintain your water’s chemistry, saving you money and time.
With a heavy base and large overhang, you’ll be able to enjoy your spa in the shade while also adding some additional privacy.
Cover
A well-fitting cover will help you maintain the heat in your spa, reducing energy costs and making maintenance easy by protecting your water from the elements.
Pair this with a cover lift system, and opening and closing your cover will be easy.
Swim Spa Saftey
Spa safety is essential and should be taken seriously, both when you’re using the spa and when you’re not. Swim spas have created a different way to use your spa, creating some unique safety considerations that may not be necessary when using a spa strictly for relaxation purposes.
Hydrate
Your body will sweat when exposed to heat, and it’s important to rehydrate afterward.
Swim spas have changed how you should hydrate during use. Because you’re working out in them, sweating more than you would when used for relaxation, you’ll need to ensure you’re rehydrating during and after your session.
It’ll be important to monitor yourself for any dizziness or extreme energy level changes.
Stretch
Stretching before any workout is an important part of any exercise routine.
This will help you minimize any risk of injury and prepares your body for the challenge it’s going to be experiencing.
Stretching in your swim spa before any exercise is easy because the water is already warming your muscles, making them easier to move and releasing any tension that may cause injury.
Keep Covered When Not In Use
Not only will this help minimize the heating costs of your swim spa, but it will also provide an added layer of protection for any children or animals nearby.
Keeping your spa covered will serve as a natural deterrent while also making it difficult for children to open it and easy to notice if they try.
Swim Spas In Southern California
Are you ready to upgrade your backyard and live a healthier lifestyle?
With four locations throughout Southern California, Aqua Paradise provides a top-tier selection of Jacuzzi® Swim Spas in San Diego, Rancho Bernardo, Carlsbad, and Mission Viejo.
Our experts can help you discover the swim spa of your dreams. Contact us, or visit your local Aqua Paradise Dealership to explore your options today.
