The Official Publication of the Aquatic Exercise Association
Your Perfect Pool!
By Sue Grosse
April/May 2003
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The water is just the temperature you like it. Chemical
balance is correct. The pool area is free from drafts,
but well ventilated. The space is well lit, but without
water glare. Soft music plays in the background. A
shower is near by. You can swim whenever you want.
Travel distance is nonexistent. Where is this ideal
aquatic venue? Your house! Home indoor pools are increasingly
becoming the ideal personal aquatic environment.
Whether for personal fitness, therapy or business,
the great variety of pool structures available allows
individuals to customize a home pool to their own
specifications. The home pool has been a staple of
home recreation for many years. Outdoor pools dominate
the market; but outdoor pools are weather dependent.
Indoor pools have the advantage of year round use.
However, cost and indoor space have been limiting
factors. Now, there are indoor pools that can be built
practically anywhere; a basement, sunroom, porch,
or garage can easily be converted into an aquatic
area for lap swim, exercise or therapy. Eighty-five
to ninety percent of current pool customers buy for
recreation and for health reasons; the other ten to
fifteen percent are athletes (Weitzell, 2002).
Design of a Personal Pool
Current
Personal pools are available with still water, as
well as with capability to have moving water - a current.
There are differences in the way speed of moving
water is gauged. Some manufacturers measure it in
number of gallons moved per minute. Some say it's
not speed that is important; it is volume - how much
water you are moving. The point is that the current
can be easily adjusted from zero to the rush of a
swift river current, depending on your choice or comfort
level. Propulsion systems may include jets, propeller
at the front and/or paddlewheel at the back.
Type of current and how that current is generated
determines water condition. On some, the water on
the sides is calm, so the exerciser can move out of
the current to rest. This is a safety factor. Some
have lower jets (nozzle type) with some adjustability.
They can be directed to position the current under
the exerciser, giving him greater buoyancy. If exercisers
pull or walk harder on one side or the other they
may move out of the stream of flow. Adjustable jets,
if available, can help with this.
Lap swimming
Size has become a non-issue. Today's personal pool
can be designed with water current generation. Space
is not needed to swim laps. The swimmer swims against
a current, literally staying in place. Therefore the
pool does not have to be much longer than a body length.
Width only needs to be sufficient enough to allow
for swimming a full variety of strokes.
Aquatic Exercise
Personal pools aren't only for lap swimming. Depth
of water varies with design. Several depth choices,
including underwater platforms and/or benches are
available. This makes the personal pool ideal for
aquatic exercise. The variable depth design allows
you to exercise standing in water from waist to shoulder
depth or sitting in water up to shoulder depth. Some
pools also have grab bars which enable prone and/or
supine exercise similar to that done grasping a pool
gutter or noodle.
Aquatic Therapy
A personal pool is the perfect solution for aquatic
therapy. Water temperature can be easily controlled,
as can environmental lighting and sound. Two people
can comfortably fit in the water area, both standing
on the bottom or therapist standing/sitting on a side
ledge and client centered in the main area of the
pool. Without current the personal pool becomes the
ideal venue for relaxation therapy and Ai Chi. An
indoor pool can be designed to fit your space and
needs.
Accessibility
Accessibility to the pool depends upon space available.
If the pool can be set into the ground, access is
easily managed over the low ground side. If the pool
cannot be set into the ground the access must be over
the side using steps, a lift or bar.
Maintenance
As with all pools, personal cleanliness greatly influences
maintenance. A soap shower before swimming, wearing
a cap to keep loose hair out of the water, and covering
the pool helps maintain chemical balance, and reduces
cleaning demands. Make sure that your filtration system
can handle the use you intend to keep your pool running
with ease. Check bather load specifications and do
not exceed them. Some industry experts suggest for
indoor units you will want a solid cover, however
soft corners that roll to the side are practical where
space is limited. Reduction or avoidance of natural
light directly onto the water will help reduce algae
buildup. Adequate ventilation, without drafts will
keep the rest of the home free of pool odor. Ventilation
is also important to maintain air quality for all
users and particularly important for users with respiratory
conditions.
Using a Personal Pool
Lap swimming is probably the most traditional use
for a personal pool. A lap swimming work out in a
personal pool is more demanding than in a traditional
pool because there are no turns to make in the personal
pool. Swimming is continuous. In addition, the generated
current can be varied in intensity. By increasing
the flow of current the swimmer will have to pick
up the stroke pace. Decreasing the current allows
the swimmer to swim slower.
Adjusting the intensity, strength and duration of
the current should be easily accomplished without
leaving the water. In this pool adjustment controls
are on one end of the pool deck. All strokes are possible.
However, strokes with a glide (i.e. breast stroke,
elementary backstroke, sidestroke) use a slower current
speed, which allows time for the glide. A mat line
down the floor of the pool helps a swimmer move in
a straight line. In a supine position the swimmer
can focus on a point on the ceiling.
The potential for water exercise is unlimited. Water
walking/jogging can be done at any pace for any distance.
The personal pool can work like a treadmill, increasing
the current to provide a more difficult workout. By
turning off the current, the pool can be used for
more traditional water exercise. Equipment can be
added while standing or sitting at one of the side
ledges. For example - water mitts can be used with
or without the current to increase resistance and
help build strength.
Best of all, exercise to the music of choice in a
lighted environment suitable for your activity. Relax
to soft tones and subdued lighting or psych up with
loud rock and a strobe light. In your personal pool
you can change the mood and environment daily.
Personal pools are ideal for aquatic therapy. Clients
with chronic health needs can have a pool right in
their own home. The therapy can be a daily ritual
or as needed. The possibilities of doing life enhancing
aquatic activities in your own home are incredible.
Therapists can also travel to clients who have pools
in the same way personal trainers travel. Starting
a home-based aquatic therapy business has never been
easier.
Personal pools can be installed almost anywhere.
You could remodel an unused portion of your house
or add a room like a sun room (depending on climate).
Obviously, building a new home and being able to design
pool area features from scratch is the best scenario,
but remodeling or making an addition to your home,
while more time consuming, can be well worth the work.
For some families with a family member with a disability,
adding a personal pool to their home is a major improvement
in quality of life. They not only have the wellness
and therapy benefits of aquatic activity. They also
save on travel time and expense if an aquatic therapist
travels to them. Carryover valve increases when family
members are present and participate.
Safety
Safety in a personal pool is just as important as
safety in any other aquatic facility. An owner must
have an emergency action plan. Accidents can happen
anywhere. A phone in the pool area is a must.
Clear policies about swimmer cleanliness are important.
An adjacent toilet and shower area are not only a
convenience, but also a pool maintenance necessity.
Pool owners should know CPR and first aid. Pool rules
should be clear to all. A pool rules sign could include
pictures as well as the written words. This type of
sign would be useful if your clientele includes children
or persons who speak English as a second language.
Personal pools are not designed for head first entry
and NO DIVING should be allowed.
Costs
The best way to obtain information on costs of a personal
pool is to contact the manufacturer of the specific
pool under consideration. The pool in these photos
has a base cost of approximately $19,800.00*. Obviously,
structural modifications to the area housing the pool
will affect investment. Optional features can increase
costs, as can installation charges. Once installed,
use factors will affect maintenance costs, as well
as climate. A reputable manufacturer should be able
to provide referrals for contact regarding pool installation
and operation in a specific geographic area. There
are lots of options available: tile color, underwater
lights, with jets or without, handrails for vertical
exercise.
About This Pool
The pool in these pictures was built as part of a
new home. A cover helps maintain water temperature
and chemical balance. When not in use, the cover easily
rolls to one side. The 5' water depth is deeper than
average and was done at the request of the owner.
Additional matting has been placed on the pool bottom
and supplemental coping on top.
The pool area has been personalized with a wall mural,
painted prior to pool installation. Ventilation is
in the ceiling. Sliding glass doors limit access to
the pool area. A phone is easily accessible next to
the sauna. A bathroom with a shower is immediately
outside the pool room.
What does it feel like to get out of bed in the morning
and slip into one's own pool for a workout? Would
a home aquatic therapy business be better than traveling
to work? Better, how would it feel to come home to
a warm pool, dim lights, and a private Ai Chi session?
With a personal pool anyone can find out!
*Pricing as of October 2003
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