Swimmers and Swimming

ChicagoFit

ChicagoFit

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Chicago, IL
I'll admit it right up front: I'm no swimmer. I spent a year on my high school swim team, but that was back in the horse-and-buggy era. What I am is a runner, with a borderline paraphilia for running and for people who run. Strange fetish, I know.

Also, no one has ever called me an athlete, in any corner of the fitness world. Injuries, weight and age keep wrecking my running fantasies. GLP-1 can fix the weight, which might cut the injuries down a little. No rant. I will rise again and run.

Still, what I want to discuss here is swimming.

I'm contemplating an over-the-top purchase: a Swimspa for the backyard. MasterSpa, EndlessPools, Bullfrog... the manufacturer options seem endless. It's no small expense — >$10,000 for most basic starter models and >$100 a month in utilities/chems/upkeep. Even so, it's cheaper than a real pool, and in my cold region a swim spa makes winter swimming possible. Winter pool swimming otherwise isn't an option.

So, any Swimspa users/owners on the forum willing to share a few things with me?
 
Before putting that much money in, wouldn't it make sense to be sure you'll actually keep at it? Plenty of people drop $1-3k on a treadmill or other home gym gear and then never touch it again — my guess is that's true of most of those buys. Could you at least spend a few months swimming at a regular gym first?
 
I've had experience with inground swim spas.

You seem to have covered most points already, though I'd throw in cost — possibly a substantial one, since it varies with your heating method and timing.

Heating with electricity runs very high, and gas can also run high when the outside temperature drops very low.

Keeping a big swim spa warm through winter might tack on several hundred dollars a month, or even more.

just FYI
 
@Skidude gas never even crossed my mind as a possibility. Should I go ahead with it, I'd probably end up with a cover for the swim spa plus some kind of greenhouse-style enclosure. @Skidude one more thing I'm wondering about: the ups and downs of the different chemical options — bromide, salt, chlorine.

Maybe the expense itself would push me to actually use it. Treadmills, road-bikes, and a whole lot of exercise gear add up to one big money pit... but at least they don't crush dreams.
 
fatjacked said:

Before putting that much money in, wouldn't it make sense to be sure you'll actually keep at it? Plenty of people drop $1-3k on a treadmill or other home gym gear and then never touch it again — my guess is that's true of most of those buys. Could you at least spend a few months swimming at a regular gym first?
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@fatjacked that's a fair point. Should I go ahead, I'd want a model with a whirlpool section at one end. Realistically, how would I resist spending my time lounging in that whirlpool?
 
ChicagoFit said:

@Skidude gas never even crossed my mind as a possibility. Should I go ahead with it, I'd probably end up with a cover for the swim spa plus some kind of greenhouse-style enclosure. @Skidude one more thing I'm wondering about: the ups and downs of the different chemical options — bromide, salt, chlorine.

Maybe the expense itself would push me to actually use it. Treadmills, road-bikes, and a whole lot of exercise gear add up to one big money pit... but at least they don't crush dreams.
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Having a cover and an enclosure should definitely be beneficial

I'm not certain which choices are offered around Chicago; in this area the least expensive is natural gas, then propane, while electric ranks as the priciest option for heaters.

Regarding chemicals.

A saltwater system is often used unless the tub is built from natural stone or another material that salt can corrode.

A lot of spa dealers, from what I understand, rely on ozone or ionization, though that might depend on your specific build or location

In my own pool I use liquid chlorine (hypochlorite) along with pool RX





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Are there no YMCA pools in your area? I do lap swimming at my local Y. A swim spa was something I gave a try, but the pace and resistance never felt right to me. The harness wasn't to my liking either, and I'd rather set my own pace at the Y. A few times each week, I cover a mile.
 
Nothing to add on my end, but I feel I have to bring @swimmer into this discussion. Where are you, buddy?
 
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