8 Benefits of Swim Spas
April 12, 2021 at 06:57 PM
What is a swim spa? Should you consider one for your backyard? We’ll take a look at swim spas and their benefits to help you decide if a swim spa is the right backyard pool option for you.
What is a Swim Spa? The Basics
Swim spas are an alternative to traditional pools and spas. Like hot tubs, swim spas are self-contained, so all the pumps, filters and heating elements are part of the unit — no additional equipment required! However, like swimming pools, swim spas are designed with swimming in mind.
With powerful jets on one side, swim spas produce a swim current, allowing users to swim continuously in one place. When these jets are turned on, it creates an endless pool effect so swimmers can backstroke, butterfly or freestyle as long as they want.
Swim spas are a popular option for people who enjoy pool exercises and swimming workouts. However, most swim spas are split into two sections, with a pool on one side and a hot tub with jets and seating on the other end, so users can get a workout in, and then relax.
Don’t let the word “spa” fool you: the water temperature is adjustable to serve a wide range of uses. Additionally, there are several models and types. You can have an in-ground swim spa or an above-ground swim spa, and you can even choose an indoor or outdoor model.
8 Benefits of Swim Spas
Let’s move on to some of the most significant benefits of swim spas.
1. Less Space:
You don’t need a lot of room to swim laps with swim spas, so they are generally much smaller than traditional swimming pools.
2. Multi-Functional:
Most swim spas provide a space for continuous swimming exercise, hot tub relaxation and entertainment.
3. Year-Round Use:
Because the water is heated, swim spas are meant to be used throughout the entire year. (For this reason, most swim spa owners invest in an automatic pool cover, so they can easily keep their swim spa protected and accessible year-round).
4. Ideal Exercise Environment:
Aquatic exercises are low-impact and great for any fitness level, and swim spas provide space for just that. The buoyancy of water is an excellent choice for people with chronic pain to remain active, improve flexibility, increase balance and enjoy all the other well-known benefits of exercise.
5. Unparalleled Swim Training:
Whether you’re training for a triathlon or competitive swimming, swim training is essential. However, training in public pools, gyms and aquatic centers may not be an option. Swim spas allow swimmers to practice their crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and more from the comfort of their backyard — just adjust the water temperature as you like and start swimming.
6. Warm Water & Aquatic Therapy:
You can easily heat up the water temperature of swim spas for therapeutic purposes. Combine this with a water-based aquatic therapy routine, and swim spas can help people struggling with chronic pain.
7. Relaxation:
Don’t forget about the spa part of the swim spa. Most swim spas include massaging jets and other features found in traditional hot tubs, so you can turn up the temperature and use your swim spa to ease tension and relax after a long day (or high-power swimming workout).
8. Entertainment:
Like any pool or spa, a swim spa is a great space to hang out with friends and family. Splash around or relax and catch up. Swim spas offer many of the same benefits of regular pools and spas.
What’s the Best Swim Spa for Me?
Ultimately, the best swim spa for you comes down to personal preference. You can have one custom built or order a prefabricated swim spa. There are so many options that it’s best to look around a bit to see which features you want and need most.
Once you decide on a model, be sure to add an automatic pool cover for your swim spa to keep it protected throughout the year. Plus, an auto pool cover can help you control operational costs by trapping heat.