Photo by Hydropool Swim Spas | www.oregonhottubs.com
What if you could exercise right outside your door, surrounded by the trees in your yard, all while enjoying the therapeutic benefits of water? Swim spas offer such an option, and at only four feet deep and between 12-19 feet in length, they are a compact, versatile choice for adults and children alike who want to stay active and unwind right at home.
“Swim spas are segmented,” explains Dave Doornink of Oregon Hot Tub, “andthe pool side provides continuous water current, which acts as resistance for workouts that can satisfy beginners to elite athletes.” The other side is a hot tub, complete with jets, and in the popular DTfX Hydropool brand Oregon Hot Tub stocks, thermostats are separate, too — so you can get in a brisk swim, then rest your body in satisfying 102 degree water.
Here, Doornink, an industry expert, highlights five of the benefits that installing a swim spa can have on your well-being.
1. Decrease Stress
The power of exercise to reduce stress levels has been well-established; when that exercise takes place in water, people gain the added benefit of buoyancy, reducing pressureon sore joints. Soaking in a warm pool or hot tub also allows vasodilation to occur, or the widening of blood vessels, explains Doornink. “During times of stress,” he says, “chemicals increase a person’s heart rate and blood pressure. Vasodilation decreases some of those effects.” Greater blood flow boosts oxygen supplies andhelps to remove cell waste, all of which is good for reducing the impacts of stress on the body.
When swim spa owners are not doing the crawl stroke, they can invite friends and family over to float on rafts in a gentle current, or relax with the jets of the hot-tub while sitting under the stars.
2. Eases Weight Loss
Exercise in a swim spa is a wise use of your time, athletically-speaking. Working out in a pool provides a level of resistance that is present regardless of how hard someone works out. “The continuous current just adds to the resistance and helps people to burn calories,” says Doornink. People looking to slim down but who find exercise on land aggravates old injuries or certain medical conditions may well find their solution in the comforting suspension of water.
3. Offers Outdoor Therapy
Recent studies back up what nature enthusiasts have long understood — that spending time outside can decrease stress, along with symptoms of depression and anxiety, improve attention, generalized health, and even longevity. Relying on gymvisits alone means many opportunities to reap these powerful benefits will be missed. Add in some Vitamin D, and a swim spa can be a resource that supports both your body and mind.
4. Provides Pain Relief
Many rehabilitation centers rely on the use of water to bring relief to their patients and swim spa owners can experience the samebenefits at home. “Massage from jets helps the body relax,” Doornink says, “and movement of muscles and joints in warm waterloosens things up.” The weightlessness of water can provide relief for conditions that are characterized by stiffness, swelling, or pain, such as arthritis and fibromyalgia.
5. Improve Fitness
Swim spas can provide varied workouts all on their own — owners can alternate swim strokes and current speeds, and even include resistance bands for a rowing type workout. But these specialized pools can also be used to great effect in combination with workouts on land. The emphasis in today’s fitness industry, explains Doornink, is on balance and variation in routine. “A lot of literature and trainers will mention the benefits of ‘muscle confusion,’ or switching up your exercises. It’s important to do,” he says, “and incorporating a swim spa is a different experience for your muscles.”
