Swim Spa Exercises
Swim spa exercises, from the current off to full power
The swim current is your gym's dial. With it off, you have warm water for walking, squats and stretches. Turn it up and you can jog against it, then swim. These are the exercises to try at each setting, and how they add up across a week.
Why exercising in water works
Water holds you up and pushes back. That lets you move freely while every movement meets resistance.
Standing in water up to your neck, your legs carry only about a tenth of your body weight.1
Minutes of moderate activity a week is the adult guideline, and water aerobics counts. Swimming counts as vigorous, where 75 minutes is enough.2
Days a week of strength work for all the major muscle groups, and working against resistance bands counts.2
For people with knee or hip osteoarthritis, a Cochrane review of 13 trials found that exercising in water brought small improvements in pain, disability and quality of life over programmes of up to 12 weeks.3 If you have a health condition, are pregnant or are new to exercise, talk to your GP or physiotherapist about what suits you before you start.
Current off. Warm, still water.
With the current off: walk, squat and stretch
Still water is the place to warm up, build strength and cool down. Work at a steady pace and use the water's resistance: the faster you move, the harder it pushes back.
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Water walking
Walk the length of the swim spa with long strides, swinging your arms. Walk backwards on the way back.
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Squats
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hold the edge if you like, and lower slowly as if sitting on a chair, then press back up.
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Leg swings
Hold the side and swing one leg forwards and back, then out to the side. Swap legs.
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Stretch on the seats
Use the seats and lounger to stretch your calves, hamstrings and shoulders while the massage jets ease tired muscles.
Gentle current. A light push to work against.
With a gentle current: jog and push
A gentle current turns walking into a workout. Face the swim jets and keep your body upright.
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Jogging on the spot
Face the current and jog, lifting your knees. Swing your arms as you would on land.
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Arm sweeps
Stand side-on to the current with your arms under the water and sweep them forwards and back.
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Side steps
Step sideways across the current and back, keeping your knees soft.
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Band work
Fix an exercise band at the end of the swim spa and do rows and chest presses against it.
Steady current. Enough to swim against.
With a steady current: swim at an easy pace
At a steady setting you can swim in place for as long as you like. Start with breaststroke or backstroke and find a pace you can hold.
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Steady breaststroke
Swim at a pace that holds your position in the middle of the lane, and breathe in a steady rhythm.
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Swim with a harness
A swimming harness tethered to the end lets you swim harder without drifting forward.
Strong current. Full training.
With a strong current: train
Turn the current up for front crawl and intervals. Alternate a hard minute with an easier minute, and finish with a few minutes of gentle swimming before you sit down to recover in the seats.
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Front crawl intervals
One minute hard, one minute easy, repeated, with the current set to match your hardest pace.
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Surf sport mode
On Outdoor Living swim spas you can angle the swim jets to create a vortex for a more playful, unpredictable session.
A swim spa built for this
Every Outdoor Living swim spa has three swim jets side by side, giving a wide, steady current you can turn up or down, and a surf sport mode. The Active Pro gives you a 4.5 m lane and six massage seats for recovery. The 13ft Active fits a smaller garden and has a full-body lounger.
If you train hard, the Jacuzzi® PowerPro™ J-19™ has fully adjustable PowerPro™ jets with a powerful, turbulence-free current. Compare them all on our swim spas for sale page, or read which swim spa is right for you.
Questions about swim spa exercise
Open a question to read the answer.
Can you exercise in a swim spa?
Yes. With the current off you can walk, squat and stretch in warm water. Turn the current up to jog against it, and higher again to swim in place for as long as you like.
What exercises can you do in a swim spa?
Water walking, squats, leg swings and stretches with the current off; jogging, arm sweeps, side steps and resistance band work against a gentle current; and swimming, from steady breaststroke to front crawl intervals, against a stronger current.
How do you swim in a swim spa?
Face the swim jets, set the current to a pace you can hold, and swim to keep your position in the middle of the lane. Turn the current up as you get stronger, or use a swimming harness to swim harder without drifting.
How much exercise should I do in a swim spa?
Adults are advised to do at least 150 minutes of moderate activity, such as water aerobics, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, such as swimming, each week, plus strength work on at least 2 days. You can spread that across short sessions through the week.
Sources
- Harrison R and Bulstrode S, Percentage weight-bearing during partial immersion in the hydrotherapy pool, Physiotherapy Practice, 1987.
- NHS, Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64, reviewed 22 May 2024.
- Cochrane, Aquatic exercise for people with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip, 23 March 2016.
Paul Margerison
Managing Director & Founder, Outdoor Living
A swim spa is far more than a place to swim. This guide shows how to use every setting of the current, so the whole family can get moving in warm water all year.