Fitness without the Pain

Pounding the streets will get you fit but do you ever think about the cartilage in your knees?

A swim spa combines the benefits of a swimming pool, spa and hot tub in a single package. It offers opportunities for exercise, relaxation and therapy.

Take a look at the sports injury statistics below then tell me water doesn't make sense.

• 65% of runners suffer at least one injury a year and miss ten percent of training through injury.
• 85% of badminton players are injured every year
• Squash players suffer 14 injuries for every thousand hours of exercise.*

This is a lot of money on the operating table for surgeons across America.

Swimming is the form of exercise that is least likely to give you mobility problems in later life. Water supports the body and takes the pressure off joints and bones. Warm water eases stiffness. Water is a cushion if you fall.

And its fun!

_{*Injuries in Recreational Adult Fitness Activities,' The American Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 21 (3), pp. 461-467, 1993}

The Space Saving and Cost Effective Alternative to Swimming Pools

Swim spas are getting more and more popular as cost and space efficent ways to get safe and effective exercise, no matter where you are starting from fitness-wise.

A top of the range, above ground swim spa, is around 16 feet long, 9 feet wide and up to six feet deep and costs between $30,000 and $40,000. The cheaper models are smaller but still usable and weigh in at around half that figure.

Special lightweight portable pumps are available to turn existing spas into swim spas- providing they are big enough to allow swimming in place. These cost around $3,000 to $4,000.

For Fitness Training

Swim Fit

For anyone who wants to improve fitness, swim spas provide an alternative to jogging or gym training. They allow for serious work outs without the hazards of traffic or the inconveniences of crowded gyms. There is no sweating, showering, travelling or queuing to take away from the pleasure of a workout. They even outperform conventional swimming pools when it comes to endurance training as there is no need to turn around at the end of each lap.

After your work out, many swim spas offer the best features of a hot tub for pure relaxation

Aquatic Gyms

Injuries from water based training are much rarer than those suffered during land based activities where joints are routinely damaged by high impact exercises and muscles can be torn or skin blistered.

Swimming spa systems are versatile and easily adjustable to suit the needs of the individual. They can be used for anything from triathlon training or aerobics to very gentle water walking on an underwater treadmill.The addition of weights, webbed gloves, ankle tethers and rowing machines can turn a spa into an aquatic gym.

Swim Spas for Therapy and Rehabilitation

Advantages

The great advantage of exercising in water is that joints and muscles suffer much less stress and damage than is often suffered during jogging or running. They can be excellent therapy for people recovering from sports injuries and can provide complete rehab programs including treadmill and graduated walking programs. Bear in mind, though, to get the full benefits of hydrotherapy you need input from a trained therapist.

For some people, especially arthritis suffers, the obese and the very elderly, aquatic exercise is the only exercise option. A great plus for older people is that falls in water are rarely serious and this is a confidence booster for those with fragile bones. For anyone with very limited mobility, lifts are available to help them in and out of the water.

Benefits

Various scientific studies have concluded that even gentle swimming spa and pool work outs help with cardiovascular fitness, weight management, mobility, stiffness reduction, diabetes, depression, back pain, prenatal health and sleep problems- which is an impressive list.

Paddle-wheels, Propellers and Jets

If you want a good swimming-in-place experience, the way the current is generated is important.

• Swim jets provide current by pumping water at high speed through nozzles. The nozzles can be adjusted to give a swimmer buoyancy and a more comfortable swim but jets often generate a lot of turbulence.
• Propellers generate a steadier current leaving the edges of the pool clear of turbulence.
• Paddle wheels provide a steady, turbulence-free current that is both broad and deep.

Whichever system you choose, make sure the current speed is enough for your needs. Very strong swimmers can require up to eight miles an hour for a good work out.

Choosing a Swim Spa

Types of Swim Spa

Some swim spas are strictly for exercise. Most offer exercise plus a place to relax.

Those swim spas that offer to double as a hot tub may not always deliver such a good experience as a purpose built hot tub. A swim spa with attached hot tub offers the best of both worlds.

Points to look for

• How many seats?
• What is the overall size and effective swimming area?
• Is the swim area big enough for the exercise that you want?
• Attachment points for aquatic gym work outs?
• Enough flat bottom space for underwater treadmills or aqua bikes?
• Are massage jets included?
• Is there an ozonator (which helps purify the water)?
• Is the current generated by swim jets, propeller or paddle-wheel?
• What comes under the warranty- structure, pumps, heaters?
• Fibreglass or acrylic liners? Well constructed fibreglass can be as good as acrylic but cheaper fibreglass is always suspect.

Installation

Local spa stores will install- at a price- but if you buy in kit form from an online supplier you will need to allow time for the assembly or find installers (and pay them). There are also extras like steps and decking to think about.

The installation of an above ground swim spa is rated as straightforward for someone with good DIY skills and a full tool set but time consuming- maybe spreading over several weekends.

If you decide to set the pool in-ground and pay a contractor, your costs could climb rapidly. It is worth phoning round and finding an installer willing to give a price for the work before going ahead with a purchase.

You will certainly need a qualified electrician to wire in high voltage models and may need to satisfy local building regulations which can also add to the final price. Outdoor swim spas might need security covers or fencing for safety reasons

Once installed, running costs for a swim spa are a lot less than a swimming pool- as little as 35 dollars a month in eco-friendly, well insulated models.

If you are worried about the environmental impact of your spa or just want to save money, you should think about solar pool heating. It's cheap and it works:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Pool--Spa-and-Hot-Tub-Solar-Heating-Systems

SwimEx with Paddle-wheel

There are no seats, built in TVs or LEDs here- this is a swim spa designed purely for exercise. The bottom is entirely flat with a skid-free surface and nothing to hit arms or legs against. The current is supplied by a paddle-wheel and is adjustable by air transmission controls.

The liner is fibreglass moulded in a single piece for strength and durability. An ozone generator is standard, reducing maintenance and chemical use.The whole thing can be shipped as a finished unit or assembled on site.

The paddle-wheel system ensures a steady current with little turbulence and offers a smooth, quiet and trouble-free swim.

SwimEx's well designed web site has all the information you need to make space planning decisions including full specifications for architects and builders. They also offer a free DVD.

The 400 OS model starts at $27,000. The 480-S home OS starts at $40,000, is deeper and has a greater current depth. Prices exclude taxes and installation.

One of the more expensive choices but the paddle-wheel and floor space makes it a good buy for someone who plans to swim or train a lot.

http://www.swimex.com/home/pools/400os.html

Endless Pool Swim Spa

This is one of the best known companies. Starting at around $20,000 dollars for a bare bones, fourteen feet model the Endless Pool Swim Spa is the mid-range model all the others need to beat.

The website has a free DVD which covers features, installation and optional extras. You can check all the prices in this detailed price list.

http://www.endlesspools.com/whatis/what_pricelist.html

Some of these options are, of course, pretty essential, like covers and side panels (though you could make these yourself) but if you sit down and do some math there shouldn't be any nasty surprises, price-wise.You either install yourself, pay someone local or make use of Endless Pools' factory trained installers, who for a fixed price (just call them), should have you swimming in a couple of days. There is a ten year warranty on the acrylic shell.

Customer review:

http://www.hot-tub-reviews.com/endless-pool-swim-spa-review.htm

Bradford Spas

These are top of the range, custom built, stainless steel and ceramic tile-lined swim spas from a company with twenty years experience in the spa manufacturing business. They supply health professionals and home users with beautiful and durable pools but you should expect a sizable price tag.

http://www.bradfordeurospa.com/swimspas/swim%20spas.html

Customer Review here:

http://www.hot-tub-reviews.com/bradford-swim-spa-review.htm

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Swim Master Spas

With prices starting from $17,500 for a fully equipped, no extras necessary package, Swim Master Spas come with impressive specifications and seating for 6 in the larger sizes.The 2 thousand gallon models are approximately 14 feet long by 8 feet wide with a depth of four and a half feet. They come equipped with impressive arrays of pumps, pulsators and roto jets. Acrylic liners in a wide range of colours with fibreglass shells make them a pretty good deal, on paper at least..

Package for under $18,000

http://www.affordablespas.com/specials.shtml

Aquaswim

Prices depend on package chosen but start at around $20,000 for a 14 feet model with standard set up

.http://www.swimspapools.com/

Price guides here
http://www.swimspapools.com/consumerprices.htm

Concrete Swim Spas

Tiled, concrete pools and spas often cost no more than in-ground acrylic pools or spas but offer advantages like greater control over design and the ability to tailor a spa to a tight space. If you like the look of tiled or plastered pools why not get a price from a local builder? Or try the custom spa builder here: http://www.anthonysylvan.com/spas-opt-swimspa.asp

Swim jets, like the Badu Stream below, are available to be let into pool sides or over-the-wall jets can be used.

The disadvantage of concrete hot tubs- like the lack of moulded seating to secure you against the buffeting action of hydro-jets, are less of an issue with swim spas.

Convert an Existing Spa or Enhance a Small Swimming Pool with Swim Jets

Badu Stream and Exerswim

Powerful over-the wall or built in swim jets can create a swim-in-place experience in any pool or spa longer than 13 feet. Cheapest prices range from about $3,000 in-wall (excluding installation) to a little more than $4000 over-the wall.The Badu Stream over-the-wall model requires a 15 Amp 240 supply.

The Exerswim over-the wall model is powered by rechargable batteries and is completely portable. The propeller driven current is adjustable from 0 to 6 miles an hour. The price is approximately $4,000.

More on Swim Jets here: http://www.fiberliner.info/

Discount swim jets: swimming spa discount jets

http://www.aquatic-exercise-equipment.com/

The site above has every piece of equipment you could ever need for aquatic training or rehabilitation. It has lifts and hand rails for people with poor mobility. It has treadmills and step and twist gear for aerobics. It even has underwater bicycles.