Category Archives: Swim Spa

We are all accustomed to the idea of a swim spa or hot tub as a luxurious indulgence and a way to relax and unwind at home. However, that’s not the only way in which a swim spa can add something to your lifestyle. If you’re keen to get fit then a swim spa at home could help you to improve fitness levels, as well as overall health and wellbeing.

Jets and currents

The jets in the swim spa can be used to create a current that is ideal for helping to improve fitness. Set the strength of the current to one that suits how hard you want to train that day, from a relaxed pace, to a current that really makes you work. You can swim against the jets or – for something different or if you prefer to be upright – you can also opt to walk against the current to get a great workout.

Resistance training

Working out in the water provides resistance that will double the effectiveness of the exercise that you do. Thanks to this resistance you can see better results from your workout, achieving more with less effort because of the resistance of the water. Working out in a swim spa can not only make you fitter but also improve cardiovascular health too.

Low impact exercise

Working out is viewed as an essential way to get fitter but the reality is that it can take quite a toll on our bodies. Running or playing field sports, for example, can put a lot of pressure on joints and bones. When you’re working out in the water this isn’t the case. The buoyancy of the water provides a supported way to get much needed exercise, helping to improve fitness without any detrimental impact on the body. Across all demographics, working out in a swim spa is the best way to improve fitness levels without doing damage to the body as a result.

All the accessories

Many swim spas come with a range of accessories that you can use to work out in the water – and these are easy to purchase yourself if not. For example, you could use resistance bands or rowing equipment to find different ways to use the water to work out. Water weights are also very popular as they take much less of a toll on the body than lifting weights on dry land.

Getting more from your workout routines

For many people exercise can be a bit of a chore. You may be dreading going for that run or anticipating the discomfort of going to the gym. That’s often not the case when it comes to a water workout. A swim spa at home helps people to get fitter because it takes the dread out of the workout process. More comfortable workouts and a wider range of things to do make it much easier to get motivated.

To find the perfect swim spa to support your fitness journey, contact a member of our specialist team.

Swim spa or pool? This is often the question you’ll face if you’re looking for additional recreation or fitness amenities for your home or garden. Both can provide a fun space in which to play, as well as somewhere to cool off during the hotter months of the year. But which one is the right choice for you?

The pool

Bigger means better? Swimming pools have the advantage of being a larger size so if you have a big family and all are likely to want to use it at the same time, it might be the logical choice.

Pools may be more suited to children. Many of the benefits of a swim spa are focused on adult use, such as the opportunity to get fit and the use of the jets. So, if you’re looking for a watery space that’s specifically for the kids then the pool could be the one for you.

Maintenance and replacements. Pools are more common than swim spas so getting replacement parts tends to be cheaper and easier. You may also find that there is less maintenance to do as there are fewer moving parts when it comes to a pool.

The swim spa

Space efficiency. Swim spas require less room than a pool so if you’re short on space then the swim spa is obviously a better choice.

An intense workout. Despite the swim spa being smaller than the pool the workout you’ll get is no less intense – in fact it’s likely to be more so.  The water jets in the swim spa can be set to ensure much higher resistance so that you can do shorter workouts that achieve more.

Dual purpose. If you have a swim spa at home then you also have a hot tub – which is not something that can be said of a pool. So, on the days when you just want to chill out in a cloud of bubbles, just switch on the jets and sink back into the water and relax.

Easier installation. Swim spas tend to be much easier and quicker to install than a pool thanks to the positioning and design. This is particularly so if you’re looking to have a swim spa or pool indoors – indoor pool construction can cause huge disruption. Plus, a swim spa can be cheaper too – an above ground swim spa is always a cheaper option than a pool but still offers all of these great benefits.

Great for socialising. Swim spas are just that bit more glamorous than a pool and ideal for socialising, as they are a more compact space and can be made to bubble.

Warm all year round. If you’re keen to be outside all year round then the swim spa might be the better choice, as the temperature is consistent throughout the year.

If the idea of a swim spa is appealing we have a wide range of options suitable for virtually every home. Contact The Hot Tub and Swim Spa Company today on 0208 300 4003 to find out more.

Your swim spa will last a lot longer – and provide a fantastic experience every time you use it – if you look after it properly. If you haven’t owned a swim spa before then there is some cleaning and maintenance involved. Of course, if you invest in a Hot Tub and Swim Spa Company swim spa you get the benefit of self-cleaning technology and you have option to let us take care of all the ongoing maintenance. However, if you decide to handle everything on your own then there are a few things to consider.

Every four months

Empty and refill the system – water needs to be emptied below the skimmer every four months and the system purged. You’ll then need to refill the swim spa with water and the correct balance of water treatment products.

Testing the water quality – it’s crucial to frequently test the quality of the water in the swim spa and add scale treatments or antibacterials.

General cleaning – to keep the swim spa looking as good as new, it’s recommended that you give everything a good clean, three or four times a year. So, wipe down the cover, the pillows and strainer baskets and give the shell a thorough clean with a specialist cleaner. You might also want to treat the neck pillows with a vinyl protector to restore shine.

Quick MOT – check the heating, as well as pumps, filtration system, lighting systems and jet function.

Once a year

Emptying the swim spa – the entire system will need to be drained, purged and then refilled with the right balance of water treatment products.

Cleaning – once a year your swim spa needs a total deep clean, which includes cleaning the shell and using a scale treatment on it, draining water and flushing the entire swim spa through with a sanitiser and descaler. The removable hydrotherapy jets will also need to be taken out and cleaned, as will the jet housings, which should also be descaled.

Testing – it’s a good idea to pressure test your swim spa annually to ensure that there are no leaks. You should also carry out a general MOT of all the essential parts, including pumps, filtration system, lighting system and jet function.

Restore and replace – you may buy a new filter to add to the filtration system of the valve and the hot tub cover may need to be restored or replaced, depending on its condition.

If this seems like a lot of work then it might be worth thinking about the swim spa that you buy. We offer a range of self-cleaning spas that do a lot of the less interesting cleaning tasks for you so that you don’t have to add those to your list. Plus the Hot Tub and Swim Spa Company offers routine servicing and maintenance packages that cover all of the above. And we can also deal with requirements for repairs, replacements and leak analysis – contact us for more information by calling 0208 300 4003 today.

Swimming is one of the most popular sporting activities for many good reasons. Just two and a half hours of regular aerobic physical activity per week – such as swimming – can reduce the risk of chronic illness and make you fitter. And when it comes to fitness, swimming is one of the most effective sports for everyone, whether you’re already super fit or you have a few health issues. FastLane technology means that anyone can enjoy the benefits of swimming at home to get fitter and enjoy a healthier life.

FastLane works in most pool sizes

You don’t need an Olympic sized pool to get the fitness benefits of swimming with FastLane. The technology is designed to produce a current that you can adjust to the speed at which you want to swim. The current provides resistance to swim against that means you don’t need a large area to swim a long distance. The different settings allow anyone to get a great workout from FastLane, whether you’re an athlete in training or a complete beginner.

A more economical way to enjoy the fitness benefits of swimming

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in America, those who swim regularly can cut the risk of death and disease by up to half. But you don’t need to spend your life savings installing a full size pool to get these fantastic health and fitness benefits. FastLane is both space saving and cost effective – a Hydraulic Power Unit and submerged hydraulic motor are the two main additions to your pool to turn it into a serious fitness asset. There is no construction required and FastLane can be installed in water as shallow as 99cm.

Supported fitness for everyone

The FastLane poolside Swim Unit provides a calm current against which to move, using innovative technology to provide a smoother swim. It allows anyone to get into the pool and start getting fit, whether you’re learning or you’re confident in the water. One of the major benefits of swimming is that it’s supported exercise so there is less physical impact on the body than running or aerobics. So, if you’re nervous about getting fit and looking for a low impact but aerobic way to do it, swimming is the ideal option.

The benefits of swimming at home

Installing FastLane at home turns your pool into an opportunity to lose weight and get fit whenever you have the time. You’ll be able to teach your kids to swim and to learn how to be safe in the water – and get them started on a path to fitness too. Plus, swimming has many therapeutic benefits and can help to provide relief from pain caused by chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis. If 2018 is the year that you want to start taking fitness seriously then FastLane offers a budget-friendly and simple way to make the most of a home pool, whatever size. Contact one of The Hot Tub and Swim Spa team to find out how we can help.

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.

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.

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?

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.