If you’re going to the gym, it’s probably for one of two reasons. Losing weight, or putting on muscle. But regardless of what your goal is, a swim spa could be the perfect addition to your routine.
Combining the benefits of a swimming pool, a hot tub, and a fitness centre, a swim spa can help your muscles recover faster, help you lose weight, and supplement your workout with low-effort cardio for better overall fitness. Here’s how using a swim spa for muscle recovery and weight loss works:
The Science Behind Swim Spas
Swim spas are specially designed to produce a current you can swim against. So instead of swimming around in still water like a regular pool, you can swim in a swim spa endlessly in place, as fast or as slow as you want. They do this using a series of jets placed at the front of the spa, which you can control with either a touch screen or buttons, depending on the model of spa.
Think of it like a swimming treadmill. Most swim spas even feature adjustable jets, so you can set the strength of the jet depending on the kind of exercise you want to do. Set them high for resistance training, or low for hydrotherapy, allowing them to massage your muscles after the gym. Whether you want a good workout or just relax, your swim spa has you covered.
Understanding Water Resistance and Hydrotherapy
The reason swim spas work so well is because of water resistance. Water naturally provides resistance, which means every movement you make in a swim spa is a form of exercise. By adjusting the strength of the jets, you can change the water resistance to meet your goals.
The most obvious is for strength training or cardio. Swim against the currents for an excellent workout targeting every area of the body.
Alternatively, the jets can be turned down low for aquatic therapy. The warm water jets target muscles to promote relaxation, boost circulation, and aid in muscle recovery. In fact, using a swim spa for muscle recovery is one of the best benefits you can get out of it.
How Swim Spas Help with Weight Loss
Weight loss can feel like an uphill battle, but with a swim spa there are several ways to make the journey easier. As well as being right in your own backyard, you can use the water and jets to facilitate a range of simple exercises that burn fat. Here are a few ways you can lose weight with a swim spa.
Burn Calories with Low-Impact Exercise
Water workouts are an excellent way to burn calories without putting stress on your joints. Whether you’re swimming, jogging in place, or doing water aerobics, you’ll be engaging multiple muscle groups for a highly effective calorie burn.
Swim jet resistance training is the easiest low-impact exercise to start with. Just walking against the jets at any level is enough to build strength and endurance for most people, and will help you burn calories at an impressive rate.
Alternatively, aquatic cardio workouts such as water jogging and high-knee running will get your heart rate up quickly without putting strain on your joints.
Increase Metabolism Through Consistent Movement
Staying active in a swim spa, even for just 20–30 minutes a day, can help increase your metabolism. Consistent movement builds muscle mass, which naturally increases the number of calories your body burns at rest. You don’t even have to be focused on building muscle. As long as you exercise consistently in your swim spa, you’ll build muscle naturally as well.
Stay Active Without Joint Strain
Unlike running or gym workouts that can be hard on knees and hips, swim spa workouts are gentle. The buoyancy of water supports your body weight, allowing you to stay active even if you have arthritis, injuries, or chronic pain.
How Swim Spas Aid Muscle Recovery
If you’re an avid gym goer, a swim spa can help you recover faster after workouts by speeding up muscle recovery with aquatic therapy. In fact, there are many benefits of swim spas for fitness. Here’s how it works, plus a few ways you can incorporate a swim spa into your workout routine.
Warm Water and Circulation Benefits
Soaking in warm water after exercise helps widen blood vessels, improving circulation and speeding up the delivery of nutrients to tired muscles. This is great for everyone, but if you’re pushing yourself hard at the gym you may find even greater benefits.
Reduce Inflammation and Muscle Soreness
The combination of warm water and hydro-massage jets can reduce inflammation, minimise muscle soreness, and promote faster healing after workouts. This reduces the pain of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and ensures you can get back up and at it again as soon as possible.
Stretching and Gentle Rehab Exercises in Water
The resistance and support of water make it ideal for gentle stretching and rehab exercises. You can improve your flexibility, prevent stiffness, and accelerate recovery safely and comfortably. If you’re focused on building muscle again after an injury or illness, gentle exercises like water running or even using weights in the water can help you on the road to recovery.
Swim Spa Workouts for Fitness and Recovery
Swimming is just the beginning of workouts you can do in your swim spa. Many bodyweight exercises, cardio exercises, stretches, warmups and cool downs are made better by doing them in the swim spa. The added challenge of the jets, adjusted to your level, can dramatically increase the results achieved.
HIIT-Style Workouts in a Swim Spa
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) isn’t just for the gym. Short bursts of high-effort swimming, jogging, or resistance exercises followed by brief rest periods can dramatically boost fat loss and cardiovascular fitness.
Post-Workout Cooldown Techniques
Cooling down in a swim spa is as easy as switching to a gentle current and engaging in slow, steady movement. This helps gradually lower your heart rate and prevent muscle cramps.
Stretching and Mobility Exercises
Water-based stretching sessions are a fantastic way to improve flexibility and prevent injuries. Focus on gentle stretches for your back, hips, legs, and shoulders after every swim.
Swim Spa vs Traditional Pool or Gym
Obviously, swim spas aren’t for everyone. But there are a lot of good reasons to consider getting one. If you’re not swimming professionally and need a full-size pool to practice, a swim spa might just be for you. Here’s some swim spa benefits and why you should consider a swim spa for your home.
Swim Spa Benefits for Busy Lifestyles
For those with packed schedules, swim spas offer unmatched convenience. You can squeeze in a swim, resistance workout, or recovery soak whenever it suits you—no need to drive to the gym or maintain a large pool.
All-in-One Fitness and Recovery Solution
Swim spas combine cardio, strength training, and recovery hydrotherapy in one space. It’s a total wellness solution that supports weight loss, fitness, and mental wellbeing—all in your backyard.
Pool Fun Without the Space Requirements
The best part of swim spas is you can do almost anything you can in a regular pool but in a much smaller space.
Swim spas are smaller than traditional pools, fitting into many inner-city backyards with ease. They’re perfect for hanging out with the family on a hot day, relaxing in the warm waters during winter, and swimming all year round.
And because they’re smaller they need less maintenances to keep them up and running, costing you less in the long run.
Tips to Maximise Weight Loss and Recovery in a Swim Spa
To make the most of your swim spa, try these tips!
Set a Weekly Schedule
Consistency is key. Set a weekly plan for workouts, swims, and recovery sessions to keep your goals on track.- Combine with Healthy Eating
Exercise isn’t the only part of staying healthy. Pair your swim spa exercise with a balanced, nutritious diet to maximise weight loss and overall health benefits. - Track Your Progress and Stay Motivated
Keep a fitness journal or use a fitness app to track your swim spa workouts, weight loss, and strength gains. You’ll be able to see your progress over days and weeks, and it’ll help you to keep up the motivation throughout your fitness journey.
Is a Swim Spa Right for Your Health Goals?
If you’re looking for a versatile, low-impact, and highly effective way to lose weight, build strength, and recover faster, a swim spa could be your best investment. With proper maintenance, it can last the rest of your life and then some, and provide enjoyment for the whole family.
At JustSpas, we offer a wide range of Australian made swim spas with modern features. Browse our full range online today to get an idea of which features best meet your needs.
If you’re not sure which swim spa is right for you, get in touch with our team today. We’ll be able to answer all your questions and help you work out which swim spa is best for you.
