If you are interested in investing in your long-term health and fitness, a swim spa may be the place to start. A swim spa combines the therapeutic relaxation benefits of a hot tub and also the full-body workout of swimming. Terrific for anyone, but particularly for seniors and people recovering from joint surgery, a swim spa helps tone muscles and improve strength. The supportive buoyancy and resistance of the water combine to provide an extremely beneficial form of low-impact exercise that is even more effective than simply swimming laps. Ready to start moving and up your fitness game? Read on to see how a swim spa can help you stay fit and healthy.

 

Establish a Fitness Plan

• Goals: Before you even get started, it is important to ask yourself what you want to accomplish. Lose weight? Gain flexibility? Create muscle tone? Boost strength? Start small, but do set yourself some goals. 
• Track it: Get a notebook or journal and write down what you hope to accomplish. Set your start date and a date in the future when you would like to see some changes.
• Get it on the calendar: It is well known that people are more successful in achieving their goals when they actually schedule their workouts on the calendar. Make it a priority. Write it down.
• Gather equipment: What equipment will you need in your exercise program? Kickboards, foam dumbbells, ankle weights, rowing kit, and hand paddles can all aid you in your fitness goals and add variety to your workout. 
• Plan your workout: It is essential to have a plan of action. In your notebook, jot down which exercises you want to do to strengthen various areas of your body. Plan out your sequence of activities and familiarize yourself with them.

 

Specific Strength Exercises

Now that you have an idea of what fitness goals you want to accomplish and have assembled your equipment it is time to plan the activities you will perform to achieve your mission. Most athletes have certain routines to target specific areas of their bodies. Select a few exercises for each body area. Start with 10 repetitions of each exercise and increase both reps and sets as you gain strength. Check out our helpful blog post for 10 suggested exercises to start with.

 

• Upper body: Use those water dumbbells to perform bicep curls. Water push-ups will strengthen chest muscles. Rowing exercises will define the muscles in your shoulders and back. Using hand paddles in push/pull motions is great for toning arm muscles.
• Lower body: There are an abundance of aquatic lower body exercises to strengthen and tone the legs. Knee lifts, heel lifts, squats, leg extensions, lunges, hip adduction/abductions, and jogging/bicycling in place are all excellent.
• Core strengthening: Stronger abdominal muscles are essential to back health. Exercises designed to strengthen your core also improve balance and stability. Stomach crunches, core rotations using dumbbells, swimming with a kickboard, and leg pikes are all effective. Strengthen your core and everything else will work better!

 

Aerobics for Cardiovascular Health

There is more to total health and fitness than simply strengthening muscles. Your swim spa was designed to improve your cardiovascular health. Round out your routine with these aerobic exercises for total body health.

• Swimming: Swimming against the current of water provides the same benefit as swimming laps in a regular pool. Start with gentle resistance and work up to a stronger force as you get used to it. 
• Rowing: Swim spas also have rowing attachments that provide not just cardio exercise but increase endurance. There is no better exercise for improving shoulder strength.
• Running: Running or jogging in place is a perfect cardio exercise and also strengthens quads. You can run against the current for greater effectiveness.

 

Switch It Up

After trying some of the more traditional forms of exercise, mentioned above, in your swim spa, you may decide that they are not for you. Or perhaps for variety, you desire to switch up your routine with a form of exercise that is a major departure from what you have been doing. We’ve got some more great ideas for how your swim spa can help you keep fit and healthy.

 

• Aquatic Dance: If you love music, consider adding it to your exercise routine in the form of aquatic dance. Aquatic dance is simply doing various dance routines to music in warm water. It is especially beneficial to those who have had any sort of joint surgery, as the warmth and buoyancy of the water are supportive and easy on the joints. Aquatic dance can improve strength and flexibility and burns around 300 calories an hour. If the pace of a regular aerobics or dance class is too rigorous for you, aquatic dance may fit the bill perfectly. It is usually performed at a slower pace and takes advantage of all the resistance the water provides. You may find you enjoy it more than any type of exercise you have ever done!
• Partner Up: If you are bored working out on your own, or wish you could find a bit more motivation, try exercising with a friend in your swim spa. Exercising with a workout partner can be supportive, encourage you to try new techniques or exercises, and help you perfect your form. Best of all, if you plan to work out with a partner, it is much more difficult to make excuses not to perform your routine. In addition, the encouragement of your workout buddy can provide the motivation you are struggling to find on your own.

 

In Conclusion

Your mental health and your physical condition both profit from regular exercise. Fortunately, it is possible to meet your fitness goals at home in your own backyard with a swim spa. Combine strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and some added fun variations for a customized full-body workout. We hope you enjoy all the ways a swim spa can help you stay fit and healthy! 

There is a reason the popularity of swim spas has risen in recent years. Easy installation, maintenance, and affordability are just the tip of the iceberg. You can extend your swimming season and get all the benefits of a gym membership and not leave your home. Aqua Pools is here to answer all your swim spa questions and to provide all the supplies you might need.