Here are 10 great swimming exercises you can do in your Canadian Spa Swim Spa
Simone AshtonA swim spa is the closest you’ll get to a private pool in a UK garden, and the swim current at the heart of it changes how you exercise in water entirely. Instead of swimming laps end-to-end like a traditional pool, you swim in place against an adjustable current, like a treadmill for swimming. Done right, that gives you genuine cardio, real technique work, and the joint-friendly resistance that makes water training so effective. Below are ten ways UK swim spa owners use their pool for swimming and exercise, with practical safety notes up front.
Before you start: a few sensible safety points
Swim spas typically run cooler than hot tubs (28–32°C is the usual exercise range), which makes them suitable for sustained activity in a way a hot tub is not. Even so:
- Hydrate before and during your session, warm water still raises your heart rate and core temperature.
- Never swim alone in any body of water at home, including a swim spa.
- Build up gradually. Start with shorter sessions and a lower current speed, work up over a few weeks.
- Speak to your GP before starting a new exercise routine if you have a cardiovascular condition or take medications that affect blood pressure or hydration. You shouldn't use a hot tub while pregnant.
- Stop immediately if you feel dizzy, breathless, or unwell.
10 swimming and exercise routines for your swim spa
1. Freestyle against the current
The classic swim spa workout: set the swim current to a comfortable pace and swim freestyle (front crawl) in place. Alternate between slow technique-focused swimming and faster intervals. Brilliant for cardiovascular fitness and refining stroke technique without turning at the wall.
2. Breaststroke
A naturally lower-impact stroke that works well at moderate current speeds. Great for shoulder mobility and a lower-intensity option on recovery days. Alternate slow and steady breaststroke with brief faster intervals.
3. Backstroke
Backstroke against the current is excellent for posture, upper-back engagement, and giving your shoulders a different range of motion than freestyle. The current keeps you in position so you can focus on form.
4. Butterfly
The most demanding stroke, and one of the best uses of a swim spa for serious swimmers. The continuous current means no rest at the wall, so even short butterfly intervals deliver a serious workout. Build up to this rather than starting with it.
5. Treading water
Move to a corner of the swim zone or reduce the current to a gentle flow, and tread water for 1–3 minutes at a time. Excellent core, leg and shoulder conditioning that you can drop in between swim intervals.
6. Scissor kicks
Hold the swim spa edge or a swim tether and kick your legs in a scissor motion against the water. Great for hip flexors, glutes and core. 30–60 seconds per set.
7. Side strokes
Swim in place using a sidestroke, alternating sides between sets. A lower-impact stroke that works the obliques and gives your dominant shoulder a break from freestyle.
8. Kickboard drills
Hold a kickboard out in front of you and kick against the current, your legs do all the work while your upper body rests. Cycle through different kick styles (flutter, dolphin, breaststroke) for a focused leg session.
9. Sprint intervals
Increase the swim current to your maximum sustainable speed and swim freestyle as hard as you can for 30–60 seconds, then drop to easy pace for 60–90 seconds of recovery. Repeat 6–10 times. One of the most effective workouts you can do in any pool.
10. Water aerobics-style routines
Lower the current and use the swim zone for aerobic-style movements, high-knee jogging in place, jumping jacks, cross-country ski steps, side-to-side hops. Plenty of free routines online suit a swim spa footprint, or follow a proper aqua fitness app.
The swim spa advantage over a traditional pool
For most UK gardens, a swim spa delivers more usable swim and exercise time than a traditional pool ever could:
- Year-round use, the heated, insulated swim spa is usable in January as well as July, while most UK garden pools are unheated and only really viable in summer.
- Endless swim length, the current means you don’t run out of pool. You can swim continuously for as long as you want.
- Smaller footprint, fits in gardens that wouldn’t accommodate a 25m lane pool.
- Dual purpose, selected models offer dual-temperature configurations with a separate warm zone for relaxation after the swim.
- Lower running cost than a heated outdoor pool, year-round.
Pairing exercise with recovery
The smartest way to use a dual-zone swim spa is exercise plus recovery in the same session. Swim or do a workout in the cooler swim zone, then move to the warmer zone (or to your hot tub if you’ve got both) for a 10–15 minute warm-water recovery soak. Many owners find that combination is one of the best things about owning a swim spa, and one of the reasons it gets used so much more reliably than a traditional pool.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should I set my swim spa at for exercise?
28–32°C is the typical exercise range, warm enough to be comfortable, cool enough for sustained activity. Drop a degree or two for high-intensity sessions; raise it slightly for stretch-heavy or recovery days.
How long should a swim spa workout be?
Most owners settle into 20–40 minute sessions, long enough for a real workout, short enough not to overdo it. Quality of the session matters far more than duration.
Can I really get a proper swim workout in a swim spa?
Yes. The continuous current eliminates the rest you’d get at the wall in a traditional pool, which actually makes a swim spa session more demanding minute-for-minute than lap swimming.
Is a swim spa suitable for technique work, not just cardio?
Particularly well-suited, in fact. Because you stay in one place, you can think about form, breathing and stroke mechanics in a way that’s hard when you’re constantly approaching a wall. Many owners find their stroke noticeably improves within a few weeks.
Are swim spas safe for older swimmers or those with mobility issues?
Often, yes, the warm water, controlled current and lack of impact make swim spa use suitable for many people who’d struggle with traditional pool training. As always, check with your GP before starting a new routine if you have specific health concerns.
The garden pool that actually gets used
The honest case for a swim spa over a traditional pool isn’t price or appearance, it’s usage. Heated, year-round, exercise-purposed and compact, it’s the piece of garden equipment that genuinely earns its keep. To explore the range, browse our swim spa collection or talk to our team about which model and current strength suits your garden, your fitness goals and how often you’d actually swim.
Swim spa settings for each type of session
| Session | Water temperature | Current setting |
|---|---|---|
| Technique and easy swimming | 28 to 30°C | Low to medium |
| Endurance swimming | 28 to 30°C | Medium, steady |
| Intervals | 28 to 30°C | Alternate high and low |
| Aqua jogging and resistance work | 28 to 32°C | Low to medium |
| Recovery in the seats | Warmer, if your spa has a separate spa zone | Current off, massage jets on |
A dual temperature swim spa such as the 20ft St Lawrence keeps the swim zone cooler and the spa zone warmer at the same time.
A four-week progression
| Week | Beginner | Intermediate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 sessions of 15 minutes: 2 minutes swimming, 1 minute rest, repeated | 3 sessions of 25 minutes: 5 minutes steady swimming, 1 minute rest, repeated |
| 2 | 3 sessions of 20 minutes: 3 minutes swimming, 1 minute rest | 3 sessions of 30 minutes, adding 6 short fast efforts |
| 3 | 3 sessions of 20 minutes: 4 minutes swimming, 1 minute rest; add aqua jogging | 4 sessions: two steady, one interval, one strength and mobility |
| 4 | 3 to 4 sessions of 25 minutes, mixing swimming and aqua jogging | 4 sessions, raising the current slightly on the steady swims |
Increase only one thing at a time: length, current or number of sessions. If you feel unusually tired or sore, repeat a week instead of moving on.
A sample weekly schedule
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | Technique swim, low current |
| Wednesday | Intervals |
| Friday | Aqua jogging and resistance moves |
| Sunday | Longer steady swim, then a few minutes in the seats |
| Other days | Rest, or a short relaxing soak |
Extra safety points
- Speak to your GP before starting if you have a health condition or have not exercised for a while. The NHS physical activity guidelines are a useful benchmark.
- Keep a drink of water by the spa. You still sweat in water.
- Never swim alone if you are new to it, and always supervise children.
- Stop if you feel dizzy, breathless or unwell.
Browse our full swim spa range to compare models.
Thinking about a swim spa?
See the swim spas we sell, or ask our team about servicing and parts.