Can You Really Swim in a Swim Spa?

When you first heard about a swim spa, it’s okay if you thought, “that has to be fake.” 

They don’t sound real, do they? “It’s like a hot tub you can swim in, without reaching the other side.” 

That doesn’t make any sense, does it? And yet that’s exactly what a swim spa is and what it allows you to do. 

Because it sounds so strange, that’s why we decided to write this article. We want to explain how you can swim in a swim spa and how it works and why it might be right for you. 

Hydropool was one of the first companies to develop swim spa technology, out of our headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario, back in the 1980s. So we have been making swim spas for a long time now, and we are used to every type of question about them. 

Hopefully, by the end of this article, you’ll have a better idea of whether a swim spa is right for you. 

 

 

Can You Swim in a Swim Spa? 

Yes!

• A swim is built to create a current that you swim against. 
• They are about eight feet wide and at least 12 feet long, so that you have sufficient space to swim in them. 
• The current is created either by either jets, or in some cases a propeller, at the front of the swim spa, which pushes water to the far end, where it is captured by vents and then returned to be sent back again, in a continuous chain of water. 

 

How Do You Swim in a Swim Spa? 

This depends on the type of swim spa you buy. 

• Some swim spas require tethers. A tether is a strap that holds you in place in the water, and allows you to swim in place into the current. 
• Other swim spas generate sufficient force in their current that they don’t require a tether (you can swim in any Hydropool swim spa without a tether). In these, what you have to watch for is both how powerful the current is and how stable it is. Some people like swimming into white water and others don’t. Both kinds of swim spas are available in the marketplace. 

Should You Swim in a Swim Spa? 

Well, we are biased, but we think yes. Harvard University thinks you should certainly swim and who are we to argue with them? 

Is Swimming the Only Thing You Can Do in a Swim Spa? 

No. All sorts of workouts are possible in a swim spa. So can you work out in a swim spa? Yes, you can. Special equipment is available that will allow you to do different kinds of exercises. 

You can row, walk, run, do aerobic workouts, lift weights, use special water-designed tools for strength training and one swim spa company even sells a stationary bicycle that you can ride in the pool. 

Workouts include both:

• Strength training
• Cardiovascular/aerobic workouts

Hydropool has an entire 21-Day Challenge, which goes through a wide range of workouts that are possible.

Can You Walk in a Swim Spa? 

Yes. Swim spas are deep enough that walking in them will result in an aerobic workout. Running in place is also possible. Here’s a great video that covers everything you can do in a swim spa:

How Fast Can You Go in a Swim Spa? 

That depends more on your ability than the swim spa! There are top-level swim spas designed for elite athletes and there are ones designed for families more as play pools (Hydropool sells the Hydropool 13-foot FFP for Family Fun Pool for example).

Hydropool’s Executive collection features a dial-in swim speed. The swim current ranges from zero to 10 km/h (0 – 6.2 mph) with ten-speed levels.

So you can get a swim spa with an adjustable range, or you can get one with a set range if you know your capabilities and your preferred swim speed. 

How Do I Know Which Swim Spa is Right for Me? 

One option is to buy a swim spa that allows you to swim at different speeds. This is so people of varying abilities can use the swim spa. 

Another option is to go and test yourself in the swim spa before you buy it. A good dealer will let you try before you buy and we encourage this!

What is Swimming in a Swim Spa Like?

Here’s a four-part series of videos that show you what it’s like to progress through the levels of a Hydropool swim spa:

• What it’s like to swim at levels 1-3: 
   
• What it’s like to swim at levels 4-5: 
• What it’s like to swim at levels 6-7: 
• What it’s like to swim at levels 8-10: 

Do You Have to Work Out in a Swim Spa? 

No! If you don’t want to work out at all, swim spas are great for post-workout recovery. In most of them, you can get a similar level of massage to a hot tub.  

How Can You Swim in a Swim Spa? 

We know that a swim spa sounds strange when you first hear about it. We know it’s a unique invention, because at Hydropool we were one of the early developers of the technology. 

A swim spa works by generating a current that you can swim against. You can work out in it or use it to aid in post-workout recovery. Other than that, it’s a big hot tub, capable of hosting parties, family and friends and completely capable of giving you the feeling of being able to be on vacation in your own backyard. 

We hope this article explained to you how a swim spa works and how you can swim in one. But don’t take our word for it. We’d encourage you to head to a local dealer to try it out for yourself. You can find one here.