Christina Mantoura-Gough, Author at The Hot Tub and Swim Spa Company

How to improve your skin by using your steam room regularly

Posted on 14 December 2017 - 16:50 by Christina Mantoura-Gough

For many years, steam has shown to be good to your skin as it opens up your pores letting out toxins and impurities. Did you know you can maximise your time in a steam room to get the most for your skin? Consistency is the key to improving the health of your skin with steam. If you were to use your steam room roughly 3 times a week for 15 minutes per session, the health of your skin will improve significantly.

Shower well before use

The first step to take before stepping into your steam room is to shower. This removes a large percentage of oils and impurities from your skin. You should also make sure your make up and facial creams have been effectively removed (if you are wearing any), and ideally try to avoid using lotions or creams on your skin prior to steaming. This is because make up, oil and creams will clog your pores, subsequently making your steam session less effective.

Dry well before us

Now you have showered, before entering your steam room, make sure your body is dry. If your skin is wet, it doesn’t sweat as well, which is necessary to get the most out of your session.

Enjoy your session

Having showered and dried, now you need to ensure you stay in the steam room for 15 minutes. This exposes your skin to the unique environment for a good amount of time to reap the benefits.

Shower well after use

Now you’ve enjoyed your 15-minute session in your steam room, it is time to take a cool shower. This is to cool your body down and hydrate it after your steam session, getting rid of all impurities that were flushed out of your skin by the steam. Make sure you drink plenty of water for 24 hours after your steam, and moisture your skin regularly for maximum results. To find out more or talk to a member of our team call 0208 300 4003 or go to our website

Make the most out of your pool workout by following these tips

Posted on 7 December 2017 - 11:23 by Christina Mantoura-Gough

Water is by far one of the best fitness tools out there, plus working out is more fun when your splashing around in your own pool. Aquatic exercise can burn fat and they’re healing too, easing arthritis and fibromyalgia. These dynamic workout tips will transform your body and wake up your workouts.

Up your pool game

It is generally assumed ‘swimming’ is simply going back and forth in water unless you are aware of your options. You can make your pool workout as dynamic and fun as you like, you could include interval challenges, or even muscle sculpting exercises.

Get your whole body working

Because water is resistant, moving through it without sinking requires you to use every major muscle group in your body, especially your core. A great way to work your muscle from multiple angles is to switch up your strokes during workouts. The freestyle stroke is generally the easiest stroke to master and yields a return of burning 322 calories in 30 minutes, which is just pipped to the post by the butterfly yielding 354 calories.

To get your core and hip flexors going you should try the backstroke as it requires your torso to be tightened and your hips to be in line with your body. If you want your legs to be firmer, try the breaststroke requiring bigger, powerful kicks than any other strokes meaning your inner and outer thigh muscles are at work.

Keep an eye on your form

If your form is slightly adjusted, it can hugely impact your body as your swim through water. To be speedier you need to stay streamlined and efficient meaning you need to be continuously engaging your big muscles and pulling your ribs in almost as if you’re trying to close them together. You will also need to make sure your head, neck and belly button are aligned on one horizontal place with hips, knees and feet. Finally keep your hands fully extended, keep your fingers closed and wrists straightened. No matter what stroke you do if you maintain this three-point form checklist your body will remain a firm unit moving with maximum fluidity.

Incorporate intervals

When working out in your pool, think of it as you would any fun interval workout. If you were to do a 30-minute routine, try spending 5 minutes warming up with an easy pace, then incorporating intervals of 20 minutes. Perhaps you could go by time, alternating ten 90 second sprints with 30 seconds of rest in between. Or perhaps distance, sprinting one length and recover as you come back. Or perhaps increase your effort each lap, take the first interval at an easy pace, second at a moderate pace and third at a hard pace with a repetition three times and a final push.

Think beyond laps

Using the pool frame is a great way to sculpt your body. For example, pushing yourself up the edge of the pool deck 20 times, getting out of the water deeply strengthens your anterior shoulders and triceps. For a speedy interval twist swim to the end of your pool, cross your hands over your chest and kick vertically all while keeping your head above water. Aim to do this for three sets of 5 minutes. You can also incorporate power moves, including in the shallow end running and doing squats.

Use your workout as active recovery

If you swim every day, not only are you training every day but you’re also letting your joints recover from yesterday’s workout.

To find out more or chat to a member of our team call us on 0208 300 4003.

Swim spa benefits through all seasons

Posted on 5 December 2017 - 10:24 by Christina Mantoura-Gough

The swim spa is the perfect piece of at-home luxury for any household, whether you’re looking for fitness, relaxation or just somewhere to have family fun. And swim spas are not just for summer either – they have benefits for the entire household all year round. Here are some of the greatest benefits that your own swim spa could offer.

The opportunity to exercise at home

If swimming is what you love to do – or you’re looking for a new way to work out and keep mentally and physically fit – the swim spa at home is the ideal choice, all year round. Swimming is fantastic exercise and can help to improve fitness, to strengthen muscles and to enable you to develop stamina. Your body is approximately 90% supported by the buoyancy of the water so it isn’t subjected to the same pressure as with other higher impact sports.

A better fit for smaller spaces

Did you know that it’s more cost effective and more space efficient to install a swim spa than to opt for a larger pool? You can swim laps in a swim spa in a compact area without the need to make turns, and at the same time, you don’t need a huge space to fit a pool. Simply set the resistance to the pace at which you want to swim and you’ll be able to exercise against the water jets in the swim spa to the speed and resistance that work for you. Sizes start from just twelve feet long!

Overcoming motivation issues

Particularly during the winter months, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to stay active. Getting motivated to get up and out of the house to a public swimming pool isn’t easy when it’s cold and dark. With a swim spa at home you don’t face any of these problems. Simply get up, get in to the pool and you’re good to go. You can save time and do better with your fitness goals when you have a swim spa at home, at your complete convenience as the self-cleaning technology means that the heated swim spa is ready to use straight away at any time.

Simplicity of installation

One of the biggest benefits of installing a swim spa is that it doesn’t require major works and you can choose from either above ground or in-ground options. A good quality swim spa is usually made of fiberglass, layers of insulation and acrylic, which makes it long-lasting and hard wearing as well as a very easy option for a home pool that will be ready to use in no time at all. Delivery and installation often only takes two days.

Your own home spa

Whether it’s during the heat of the summer or the cooler winter months there are many benefits to having a swim spa at home. The hot water jets are ideal for massaging the stress out of aching muscles and the warmth of the water is perfect for leaving behind winter chills and keeping cozy on darker days. Remember you can increase the temperature to suit all climates; even up to hot tub temperature for Christmas!

Somewhere to relax and unwind – all year round

If you have an outdoor pool or hot tub then during the winter months all you can do is cover it and hope for the best. With a swim spa that’s not the case, as you can position it where it can be used all year round. So, whether you’re looking for a way to wind down after the madness of Christmas or cool off after a hot summer day, the home swim spa is the perfect place in which to do it, whatever the weather.

Get in touch with The Hot Tub and Swim Spa Company today by calling us on 0208 300 4003 to request more information about our range of Swim Spas.

What makes Traditional Saunas unique?

Posted on 1 December 2017 - 16:31 by Christina Mantoura-Gough

At this time of year there’s a lot to be said for getting warm – that’s why hot tubs, steam rooms and saunas all tend to be at their most popular. But what is it about the traditional Finnish saunas that makes them so unique?

What is a traditional sauna?

The Finns are some of the most renowned sauna enthusiasts in the world. Whether it’s the cold climate in Finland, or the national love for a natural lifestyle, this is one country where the sauna has always been popular. A traditional sauna offers a wonderful hot and dry heat. This sweet, dry heat is delivered in a wood lined room or hut that has been heated up by a wood fire or most commonly, an electric sauna stove with sauna stones. These are the kinds of saunas you may have encountered if you’ve been to a health club or spa (although often the stove is hidden in commercial environments for safety). Sauna users sit inside on wooden benches and enjoy the social and health benefits of the rising heat.

Why is the traditional Finnish sauna unique?

Switching up the atmosphere

A traditional Finnish sauna has ‘sauna rocks,’ which are placed inside the sauna and retain heat from the wood or electric stove, radiating it out into the room. Periodically, water can be splashed onto these rocks, temporarily raising the humidity in the sauna to a higher point. This has a number of benefits, including promoting better circulation and having an invigorating effect on the body.

Finnish saunas use dry heat

Although it’s common practice to create steam by splashing water on the hot rocks in traditional saunas, overall it’s a dry heat that you enjoy. Humidity in this kind of sauna is low – somewhere between 10 to 15 % – which is very different to a steam room, for example, which has very high levels of humidity.

A sauna for frequent use

If the Finns are anything to go by then this kind of sauna is for very frequent use indeed. There are thought to be around 1.8 million saunas in Finland. That may not seem like a lot but when you consider that there are only around 5 million residents then the ratio of saunas to people shows just how popular they really are. So, if you’re looking for a sauna that is clearly effective and can be used often the traditional Finnish sauna is the one.

The health benefits of traditional Finnish saunas

This kind of sauna has a lot of health benefits, from the invigorating impact of the steam, to the relaxing effect of the heat. If you’re looking for a way to detoxify and cleanse the body then the traditional Finnish sauna is an obvious choice. There is more and more research papers proving that enjoying a regalr sauna can have endless health beenfits.

The traditional sauna as a social spot

Perhaps due to the dry heat, and the lack of opaque steam, this kind of sauna tends to be a popular place to socialise. You’ll find traditional more saunas in corporate offices, family homes, universities and health clubs all over the country where people are meeting, chatting and event doing business in the therapeutic heat.

For more information on the perfect traditional Finnish sauna for you please get in touch with The Hot Tub and Swim Spa Company today on 0208 300 4003.

Teach your children to swim at home with your very own swim spa

Posted on 14 November 2017 - 09:57 by Christina Mantoura-Gough

Learning to swim is something of a rite of passage, even for kids today in the digital driven world we inhabit. However, getting into the water for the first time can also be a frightening and unsettling experience and one that your children may not want to repeat if the whole thing is too traumatic. Teaching your children to swim at home with your own swim spa puts the entire situation within your control – if you want to make sure that you’re going to raise children who are happy and safe around water then it’s a great option.

Why teach your kids to swim at home with a swim spa?

Health & safety

Drowning is the biggest cause of accidental death in children under 5. This very unsettling number shows why it’s so important that you teach children how to swim as early as possible. Once the skill has been learned then your children can look after themselves around water and you know that you’ve done all you can to avoid your family being touched by that grim statistic.

Learning skills early

There’s plenty of research to suggest that the skills we pick up at an early age tend to be those that we excel at. So, whether you’re looking to encourage a champion swimmer in the family – or you just want your children to be comfortable around water – the earlier they are taught to swim, the better. A swim spa at home makes this a much easier task for everyone involved.

Fitness

Swimming is a fantastic workout – it is great cardiovascular exercise and can help with weight management and strength. It’s also a very useful activity for teaching coordination and tends to help support the development of the five senses. If you’re looking to get your little ones into good habits when it comes to fitness – and habits that they will enjoy enough to sustain – then a swim spa at home is an easy way to do it.

Mental health

Regular exercise has been proven to have a positive impact on mental health. It can relieve stress and help increase the quality of sleep, as well as boosting memory and mood. Encouraging children to incorporate regular exercise into daily routines at an early age starts good habits that will see them through tough times and challenges. The benefits of exercise such as swimming should not be underestimated – regular sessions can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, ADHD, and many other problems that more and more children tend to suffer from.

There are many benefits to getting children into the water and swimming as early as possible in life. However, it’s not always that simple if you’re trying to use a public pool. A swim spa at home means you don’t have to travel, organise schedules or pay to use the pool. You have 24/7 access to your own water where you can teach your children to swim as early as you want to. And when they’re not having lessons, the water provides plenty of fun times too.

Find the perfect swim spa for you by giving us a call on 0208 300 4003 or why not visit our showroom with your children to see which swim spa would be the best for you?

Could your hot tub help you to avoid a cold as winter sets in?

Posted on 14 November 2017 - 00:00 by Christina Mantoura-Gough

There’s no doubt that using a hot tub is a thoroughly pleasant and relaxing experience. However, could it do more than just make you feel good? Does the hot tub also help when it comes to winter colds and chills?

Benefit 1: Better sleep

If you’re coming down with a cold or the flu then what you need more than anything else is a good night’s sleep. Giving your body the time to rest, relax and fight off whatever it is that is affecting you will do you a lot of good. 20 – 30 minutes in the hot tub before you hit the hay is proven to help you relax and promote a better night’s sleep. With an uninterrupted night of high quality sleep you could reduce the impact of whatever it is you’re suffering from.

Benefit 2: Soothing aches and pains

Some symptoms of colds and flu are difficult to do anything about – such as the dreaded aches and pains. If your muscles are sore and you feel like you’ve been in a wrestling match because of your illness then some time in the hot tub could help you feel much better. The warmth of the water in the hot tub helps to boost blood circulation in the body, which can sooth muscles and help them to relax. The result for you is feeling generally better and much less achy.

Benefit 3: Reducing congestion

The congestion that comes with a bad cold is unpleasant. It can stop you sleeping, can affect the way you speak and eat, and generally makes normal, every day tasks seem far harder because your head feels like it’s bound up in cotton wool. The atmosphere of the hot tub can do a lot to help ease congested nasal passages and sinuses. The warm, steam filled air helps to reduce inflammation and congestion in the nasal passages so that it’s possible to breathe normally again.

Benefit 4: Heating your body up

When you use a hot tub it increases your body temperature. Some experts have suggested that this increase mildly mimics the course of a low grade fever. The impact this could have on a sick body – or one that is sickening – is to kick the immune system into action, which in turn means that you can start fighting off the cold or flu that’s attacking your system. So, a session in the hot tub when you start to feel unwell could help give the immune elements of your body the head start they need to start fighting back.

Although a hot tub can’t prevent you from getting a cold – there are few things on earth that can help you to do that – it could certainly help to reduce the severity of whatever is that is making you sick. And, at the very least, it will give you some relief from your symptoms and make you feel warm and much more relaxed.

If you’re ready to relax this winter and rejuvenate, get in touch with The Hot Tub and Swim Spa Company today on 0208 300 4003.

What is the optimum time to spend in your hot tub?

Posted on 7 November 2017 - 00:00 by Christina Mantoura-Gough

HP14-SCHT670 Lifestyle Image DSC_0095 - Copy

Have you ever thought about how long you spend in your hot tub? Let’s face it, a hot tub is such a relaxing experience that you might entirely lose track of how long you’re in there every time you get in. However, depending on the experience that you’re looking to have, there’s an optimum amount of time to spend in those warm, relaxing bubbles…

Type 2 diabetes therapy

Recent studies have shown that regular use of a hot tub can actually help those coping with Type 2 diabetes. How? Because the effects of the hot tub help to lower blood sugar. If this is the reason that you’re using your hot tub then the optimum time to spend in it is 30 minutes a day – that’s the amount of time that has been shown to work by all the studies. When you leave after 30 minutes make sure you stand up and get out slowly so you don’t ruin the effects of that wonderful soak.

Sleep therapy

No one is suggesting you go to sleep in the hot tub – in fact, please don’t do that. However, there is a lot of evidence to show that spending time in a hot tub can help to solve sleep issues. The increase in body temperature you’ll get from sitting in a hot tub, plus the weightlessness caused by the buoyancy of the bubbles and the water, can pave the way for a beautiful night’s sleep. If you’re looking to sleep deeper then try 20 minutes in the hot tub before bed and see if you don’t have a night full of sweet shut eye.

Hydrotherapy

Regular use of a hot tub can have a very therapeutic effect on every body. The warm water opens up blood vessels and reduces blood pressure while the impact of sitting in the water can help to take the pressure off joints. To get the full benefits of the hydrotherapy impact of the hot tub it is best used every day for somewhere between 15 and 30 minutes.

Pregnancy

Sitting in a hot tub can have all kinds of positive effects on the pregnant body, particularly if you’re suffering from a lot of aches and pains at whatever the stage you’re at. Weightlessness in the water can also be a huge relief if you’re really feeling the impact of carrying around the extra weight of a little human. The optimum time for pregnant women to use the hot tub is 20 minutes – 30 minutes maximum.

Relaxation and chill

Let’s be honest, the main reason most of us purchase a hot tub is because of the impact it has on making us take a step back and relax. Whether you’ve had a bad day or you’re just coming to the end of a very long week, some time in the hot tub can soothe both body and mind. The optimum time for a relaxing soak is 25-30 minutes. Any less and you might not get the full wonderfully relaxing effects.

Find out more about the benefits of hot tub use by getting in touch with The Hot Tub and Swim Spa Company today on 0208 300 4003.

What to look for when choosing a swim spa enclosure

Posted on 3 November 2017 - 00:00 by Christina Mantoura-Gough

Swim spas and hot tubs are great ways to bring both family and friends together, offering hours of fun including a place to relax. And with your swim spas, you may find it worth considering our range of enclosures that make your spa space more valuable.

Electronically controlled

One type of enclosure you’ll find is worth considering is one that is electronically controlled. These kinds of enclosures are really easy to use, and take as little as just a touch of a button to open and close. What this means for you is you can enjoy the best of both worlds, when the suns out, you can open your enclosure, enjoying the revitalising rays from the sun. But when the weather is dreary and wet, you can escape in your pool of warm water and forget the troubles around you by closing your enclosure.

Colour and design

When deciding on what enclosure is best for you, we’d recommend considering the different variations of colour, shapes and designs. Why not look for an enclosure that fits the aesthetics of your garden, for an organic and natural look.

Retractable enclosures

It is also worth mentioning, if you want more of an elaborate look, you could consider a fully retractable pool enclosure. As above you’ll have the option of having it either open or closed, making use of the swim spa versatility. We’d also recommend before finalising your decision consider what you have available to you, including budget.

We have faced many clients who when first bought a swim spa, did not consider adding an enclosure, which meant their fun was limited. After realising this and the other benefits that the swim spa offer, they didn’t want to lose any time throughout the year not being able to us it. Making the extra investment for an enclosure is a good one because it allows you to use your spa all year round.

Take a look at your full range of enclosures on our website, or call us on 0208 300 4003 to get your swim spa enclosure.

Could sauna use help you to stay positive during the winter months?

Posted on 23 October 2017 - 12:32 by Christina Mantoura-Gough

It is widely known that there are many medical benefits to regular sauna use, ranging from improved skin to greater fitness, aiding sleep and even reducing the risk of a heart attack, but something that is not as easily measurable is how saunas can have positive effects on the mind.

Saunas could help combat SAD

During the winter season, SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, affects around 1 in 15 people, making them feel anything from the â€œwinter bluesâ€ through to full depression which can stop people being able to function normally. Saunas could be at least part of the answer to some SAD sufferers, with their mood-boosting effects, so if you suffer from seasonal effects on your mood and wellbeing, could sauna use help you to stay positive during the winter months?

Psychological effects of saunas

Saunas can have a psychological impact on regular users, and this can relieve symptoms of stress and SAD, for example aiding sleep at night, improved alertness and energy levels, reducing anxiety, and increased positivity and happiness. All of these things can be attributed to sauna use and explained scientifically.

The scientific basis for saunas boosting positivity

The effects that saunas have on mood and positivity are undeniable, but there is a scientific explanation behind these. One reason is that the high temperatures of a sauna trigger the dilation of blood vessels around the body, which help to increase overall circulation as well as heart rate. This in turn causes hormones called melatonin and serotonin to be released, and these hormones improve mood and general positivity. These hormones can be boosted even more by following sauna use with jumping in a cold pool or shower, which decreases the bodyâ€™s temperature rapidly and triggers the release of these hormones even further.

Enhancing the benefits of sauna use

To enhance the benefits users get through sauna use, they can make sure that they use their home sauna regularly. This could be every day, or a few times per week, but regular use helps users to maintain the benefits of using their sauna as much as possible. It is much better to enjoy short sessions on a regular basis than it is to enjoy one long session per week â€“ it is not only safer, but your body can relax each day, clear your skin and airways, and relieve stress â€“ all of which can help you feel much better during the winter months.

Find out more about the physical and psychological benefits of sauna use by giving The Hot Tub and Swim Spa a call on 0208 300 4003, or browse our full and varied range of saunas today.

Older posts

Newer posts