When it comes to fitness, there are few better ways to exercise than swimming. Water exercise stimulates both body and mind, providing you with a full-body workout that helps to improve cardiovascular health, enhance your flexibility, and build muscle. But not everyone can afford to have a full-length pool in their backyard or pay the expensive dues that come with a health club membership.

Meet the precision swimming pool spa, an innovative exercise solution that combines the relaxation of a hot tub with the benefits of a traditional swimming pool. This state-of-the-art spa is the ideal way to recover, relax, and perform, helping you maximize the benefits of your hot tub without excessive investment.

Keep reading to get the inside scoop on precision swimming spas, including features, benefits, layout options, and more.

What is a precision swimming spa?

Think of a typical swim spa but with maximum performance. Precision swimming spas offer a more focused, high-capability experience, combining the best features of a traditional hot tub with the exercise capabilities of a swimming pool. The main selling point of a precision swimming pool spa is its adjustable current, providing an endless swimming loop that allows swimmers to exercise in place. The term “precision” refers to the ability to create a consistent, controlled flow of water, mimicking that of a traditional pool or open water.

While traditional swim spas have a more recreational or hydrotherapeutic focus, precision swimming spas are designed with athletes and fitness enthusiasts in mind, helping provide an intense swim workout from the comfort of one’s own home. The variety of powerful and adjustable jets set these spas apart from the rest, allowing users to fine-tune the current for various skill levels and workout types, whether gentle laps or intense resistance training. 

How do these spas work?

At the heart of a precision swimming pool spa lies its water current system, utilizing high-powered swim jets to pump water at various speeds and forces that swimmers can swim against. Unlike traditional swimming pools, these spas allow users to stay in place, swimming against the current while remaining almost entirely stationary.

Features of precision swimming swim spas include:

• Adjustable Jets: These spas use advanced jet technology to rigorously control the flow and resistance of the water current. This feature differentiates precision swim spas from their more basic counterparts, accommodating the exercise needs of casual swim enthusiasts to high-level endurance athletes.
• Water Filtration and Circulation: Like any high-end hot tub, precision swimming spas, are equipped with high-quality filtration and circulation systems, ensuring clean, clear water, even while jets are in use. Many utilize multi-stage filtration processes, using both ozone and UV-C sanitation systems to eliminate harmful bacteria and chemicals.
• Swim-In-Place Technology: Thanks to a highly precise current, users can continuously swim without changing positions or taking breaks. This allows for longer, more consistent workouts, helping swimmers improve their technique, build endurance, and burn more calories.
• Hydrotherapy Features: When the water current is turned off, a precision swimming pool spa functions much like a traditional hot tub, with a variety of hydrotherapeutic jets with massage-like functions. These can help users target sore muscles, alleviate tension, and improve circulation, before or after a workout.

What are the benefits of precision swimming spas?

Year-Round Usage

Rain or shine, soak after soak, precision swimming spas allow you to comfortably exercise at any time of year. Unlike traditional swimming pools that are typically closed during the winter, your swim spa is available at your convenience, letting you work out whenever you please at any temperature you’d like.

Versatility

Precision swimming spas are truly the best of both worlds, helping you both relax and exercise without the large investment and space requirements of an outdoor pool. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a high-performance athlete, these spas allow you to customize the intensity of your workouts and engage in a variety of aquatic activities that maximize your health benefits. When you’re not looking to exercise, your swim spa functions as a perfectly normal hot tub, letting you unwind and relax with ease.

Low-Impact Exercise

Swimming is a low-impact activity, making it ideal for individuals of all ages and fitness levels.

An article from Harvard Health Publishing discusses how low-impact workouts tone more muscles and allow you to burn more calories than on land, all while remaining easier on your joints than typical workouts. The buoyancy of water also helps support your body, reducing the risk of impact injuries often associated with other types of exercise.

Ideal for Any Type of Athlete

Whether you’re looking to improve your swimming technique, cross-train during the off-season, or just burn some calories, precision swimming spas are the ideal way to boost your fitness at your convenience. Adjustable jets help accommodate the needs of any type of fitness enthusiast, even triathletes and competitive swimmers.

Compact Design

Precision swimming spas require minimal space, especially compared to traditional swimming pools. They can fit in a variety of areas within your living space, be it a patio, a small backyard nook, or a rooftop terrace. Lack of extensive space, maintenance, and infrastructure requirements make swim spas the ideal way to make the most of a compact area.