Most people already know that swimming is a great way to exercise. And I’m pretty sure that most people would agree that it’s also fun. So why don’t more people do it? Well for starters, not everyone has the finances or the space to put a pool in their back yard. However with a lap pool, both space and money become less of an issue.
Lap pools can be either short, about 5 or 6 feet where you swim against massaging jets of water, or full length. And no matter which one you want, you’ll get a workout that is almost perfect every time you use it.
The first way you’ll start to get healthy is through the cardiovascular workout. Your heart rate will increase, much like it would if you were running down the street, on a treadmill, or on a track. You’ll be burning calories and increasing your endurance at the same time. So it’s great for heart health and weight control as well.
But swimming has one huge advantages over running. Because it is low impact, you will not have the aching knees, feet, joints and back that many people feel after a lengthy run. There’s no constant pounding, yet you still get all the fitness benefits that running can provide.
Perhaps you’re looking to increase your strength as well as your overall health. Swimming does this also because the water provides resistance. It’s the same principle as weight lifting. The weights provide resistance. The only difference is with weights you control the amount of resistance. But in both cases, the resistance will tone your muscles. Olympic athletes realize this and many make swimming a regular part of their exercise program. You can too.
So what’s all this going to cost? Well it’s not cheap, but it’s not nearly as expensive as buying a traditional pool. And as for the space, if you get one of the smaller ones where you swim against the current, you can put it just about anywhere, even in your house. No more worries about bad weather interrupting your workout routine.
A full length in ground pool lap pool in your back yard however also has the advantage of giving you a place to entertain. An above ground model won’t be as attractive, but it does give you portability. If you decide to move to another location, you can always take it with you. Plus the size of a lap pool means they are easier to clean and maintain, and as less expensive to run than a traditional pool.
Put it all together and you have an almost perfect exercise machine. A lap pool gives you a low impact, cardiovascular workout with a reduced risk of injury. You get resistance training without spending money for cumbersome free weights. And it is low maintenance, reasonably priced, looks great, and won’t take up a lot of space. And best of all it’s fun. What more do you need from your exercise equipment?