The Basics of Swim Spas
For those that are not familiar with what the swim spa is, it's smaller than a standard swimming pool, but larger than your average hot tub. They come in various sizes and can range between 14 to 16 feet in length, 7 to 9 feet in width, and between 3 to 5 feet deep.
The swim spa works off a propulsion system designed to create currents of rushing water. Fitness enthusiasts really find this advantageous as they use it to swim against the current to help increase their fitness level.
There are many different types of swim spas available that also come with different speed ranges and they can be from 2.5 to 8 mph. For this reason, it is important to buy a good quality swim spa because you want to ensure that it has sufficient water flow to give the workout that one would expect when swimming against the current.
When you are doing your research of swim spas, you may come across different systems. There are jet propulsion models. With this model, the owner of the swim spa can direct the water through the jets, which can be adjusted for direction, speed and positioning.
In propeller powered swim spas, these models have propellers at the front of the spa that are safely installed behind a gate. The propeller sends a stream of water toward the back of the unit through the centre of the swim spa, which means the water at the edges stay fairly calm.
Paddle wheel systems is where a wheel is located at the back end of the spa and will draw the water through the unit. The current created from this type of model is wide and deep.
For individuals that are looking for a swim spa, they want to focus on making sure that the water distribution is uniform and there is a high rate of water circulation. They also want to be able to adjust the current and the flow speed. This way, those that are using it for fitness are able to regulate the flow of the water pressure to match what their present skills are in their fitness regime. As they progress in their fitness program, they can increase the resistance to bring their endurance and strength level up.
There are many purposes for buying a swim spa with the exercise benefits being one of the major ones. However, just as equally important is the swim spa's ability to help with rehab, as well as relaxation and socializing.
There has been a lot of great studies done that show that exercising in the swim spa really is effective. It is flexible in that it can offer a source of water entertainment no matter what the age of the individual is or their specific capabilities or limitations.
Aside from all of these great benefits, many people don't have the space for a standard swimming pool and the size of the swim spa makes it a perfect choice as it takes up far less space.