If you’re thinking of getting a swimming spa (or swim spa) for your backyard, it’s important to consider a number of factors and check out several different products on the market before deciding whether or not a swimming spa is the right choice for you. Here’s why.
What are the benefits of a swim spa?
A swim spa is basically a larger-scale spa that has enough room for you to swim in. Many homeowners are now attracted to the idea of a swim spa because of the relaxation and hydrotherapy benefits it offers, as well as the increased resistance that the spa jets add to the water, providing a more intensive swimming workout.
Spas offer many benefits to both physical and mental health and wellbeing, which is why they are becoming so popular in Australia. They can improve cardiovascular fitness and lower blood pressure, reduce stress and anxiety, assist with muscular aches and pains and speed up recovery from injuries, and have an intensely positive effect on the condition of the skin, leaving you looking and feeling healthy and rejuvenated.
Adding the option of swimming makes a swim spa extremely attractive, as it offers all the benefits of spa treatment plus the added health and fitness boost of the full-body workout provided by swimming. The spa jets add current to the water, meaning that your body will have to work harder to push against it. This is regarded by many people as adding yet another health benefit to the swim spa.
Swim spa price can be its advantage, too. Swimming spas also start at relatively affordable prices – a high-quality model will cost you on average between $15,000 and $30,000, with many cheaper alternatives available on the market in Australia.
Are there any drawbacks to swim spas?
Nothing in life is perfect, and swim spas are no exception. While there can be no doubt that they offer a large number of health benefits and will be a welcome addition to your lifestyle, they do come with a number of problems.
Firstly, as swim spas are designed predominantly for leisure and hydrotherapy, they are not as spacious and unobstructed as they may appear at first. They contain large seating areas, and while these may be highly beneficial for those who want to relax and enjoy the spa, they often mean that there is not nearly as much room for swimming as there is in a conventional pool, even if the dimensions initially appear comparable.
Swim spas are not particularly practical for those who are serious about swimming, as you constantly have to swim against the jets. While this may be an interesting and invigorating experience at first, it is not the best option for competitive and performance swimmers, who need to practice their times in water that offers the natural resistance that is found in competition pools, rather than the intense currents that can be caused by the jets in a spa.
Many people also view swimming itself as a relaxing pursuit, and indulge in it for leisure. The relaxing element of the sport is removed by constantly having to fight against the spa jets, changing the whole experience of your swim.
Additionally, a swim spa is not a sensible choice if you have young children. They may not be strong enough to swim against the jets – or they may not even be able to swim at all yet, in which case they will need to be taught in a regular pool where they can get used to feeling the natural resistance of the water. A child who is a weak swimmer or a non-swimmer could come to serious harm if they fell into a spa pool.
What’s the alternative to a swimming spa?
A popular alternative to a swim spa is to have a pool and spa combo installed in your backyard. This offers the best of both worlds – a regular swimming pool with a spa section attached as part of the design. The whole combo can be built into the ground just as a regular pool can, and offers you plenty of unobstructed space to swim, while still providing an area with large bench seats where you can relax and enjoy all the benefits of the hydrotherapy treatment supplied by the spa jets.
The beauty of a pool and spa combo is that it offers something for everyone. The serious swimmers in your family can take advantage of the pool space, while those wanting to unwind and rejuvenate, or needing to recover from a muscular injury, can relax in the spa. If you have children, the pool area offers a perfect space for you to have fun and spend quality time as a family without needing to worry about the kids getting caught in a current they are not strong enough to swim against.
The main problem with a pool and spa combo is the initial cost, which is approximately double that of having a swim spa installed. However, the benefits do not just extend to those associated with health and wellbeing. A pool and spa combo can be tailored to suit the shape of your backyard, and it provides a beautiful design feature which will increase the value of your home, making it a cost-effective option over time.
What Compass Pools Melbourne can offer
Compass Pools Melbourne does not currently offer swim spas, but we can provide a number of beautiful pool and spa combos which are proving hugely popular with customers throughout Australia.
A pool and spa combo from Compass Pools is a highly versatile option, as our designs can be tailored to suit the available space you have, and the finished product will look like one seamless construction while still offering all the benefits that come from having separate pool and spa areas. You can even personalise the appearance of your pool and spa combo further to suit your tastes and preferences with the many design options available from Compass Pools, including our stunning Bi-Luminate colour options which create a 3D effect in the water.
In addition, if your land is suitable, you can create an infinity pool, which looks as if it has no edge, enabling you to feel like part of your surroundings whether you’re swimming laps in the pool or relaxing in the spa! If you would like more information about our pool and spa combos and how we can accommodate your requirements, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – we’re looking forward to helping you achieve your dream swimming and relaxation area in your own backyard.
