Exercise | Phoenix Landscaping Design & Pool Builders, Remodeling

January 15, 2020

It’s OK To Skip The Gym- Instead Jump Into Your UNIQUE Swimming Pool To Burn Calories

This looks a lot more relaxing and enjoyable than running 5 miles in the heat of a Phoenix summer. But it can burn just as many calories!

We all know that fitness is vital to our overall health and enjoyment of life. But there are days when you just can’t carve out the time to head to the gym. On those hectic days, don’t feel like you are letting yourself down or that you have to sacrifice your workout. Just head out to your UNIQUE swimming pool to burn some calories in a healthy and safe environment. And if you are not the owner of a fantastic custom swimming pool and spa from the UNIQUE Companies, just call 480-969-1911 to schedule a free consultation with a UNIQUE design pro. Or you can click here and fill out our online consultation request.

Swimming is an excellent form of cardio exercise. Cardio means that you are strengthening your heart, which will allow it to work more efficiently. Other benefits of cardio exercise include:

lowering your blood pressure
lowering bad cholesterol
increasing good cholesterol
regulating blood sugar
reduces asthma symptoms
reduces chronic pain
regulates weight
aids in sleep
strengthens immune system
and most people find it to be invigorating and a great way to avoid depression

The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate cardio or aerobic exercise each week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. It sounds like a lot, but five 30 minute sessions each week in your pool will have you covered.

Why Swimming In Your UNIQUE Swimming Pool Is A Great Choice

Even if the view from your pool is not quite as good as this one, swimming is still great exercise and is also found to improve your sleep and your mood!

Many activities are considered cardio exercise, but many of them can also be the cause of some serious injuries. Running, hiking, and dancing can all be the cause of foot and knee issues. Biking and climbing are also known to provide a great cardio workout, but they can result in serious or even life-threatening injuries and accidents. But swimming laps in your pool is about the safest form of exercise that you will ever find. This incredibly low impact activity is recommended for people with injuries who are rehabilitating, so you know that it is safe and stress-free for your joints and the rest of your body. Even patients with leg injuries who cannot support their own body weight can swim thanks to their buoyancy in the water.

Swimming- The Perfect Full Body Workout!

Swimming is one of the few activities that provide you with an actual full-body workout. You are using both your arms and legs as well as core muscles when you swim. And by swimming all four major strokes, freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly, you are eliminating long term routine motions and muscle memory. This variation gives you an even better total body workout. Unlike weight lifting, which will only add bulk to your muscles, swimming will increase muscle strength, flexibility, and range of motion for a better overall result.

What’s The Calorie Burn When An Hour In Your UNIQUE Swimming Pool?

Butterfly is a challenging stroke to master, but it is a great way to get the maximum calorie burn from your time in the water. And it exercises a unique set of muscles.

Let’s be honest, the overall thought of cardio and exercise in general is good, but you want to know the real numbers on your calorie burn. This result is what will help you fit into that new pair of shorts or that new swimming suit. And it will also dictate what kind of treat or cheat meal you can enjoy and realistically still lose a few pounds. Here are some numbers to think about that are determined based on a person of average health who weighs in at 150 pounds:

On average 400 calories are burned when swimming at moderate intensity
However, 700 calories are burned which turning the pace up to high intensity

To break things down a bit further, here are a few numbers based on the stroke that you are swimming:

Treading water = 233 calories burned in an hour
Backstroke = 305 calories burned in an hour
Breaststroke = 337 calories burned in an hour
Freestyle (light intensity) = 369 calories burned in an hour
Freestyle (moderate intensity) = 528 calories burned in an hour
Freestyle (high intensity) = 623 calories burned in an hour
Butterfly = 878 calories burned in an hour

To put these numbers in perspective, the average person burns 100 calories running a mile. So in the heat of the summer, would you rather run five miles or swim freestyle in your pool at a moderate rate for an hour? Even in a small pool, you can tread water for a single hour and burn more calories than a two-mile run. The choice sounds pretty simple. Get out and enjoy some exercise in your UNIQUE swimming pool without feeling guilty about missing a trip to the gym. And if you want to learn more about how to get a custom-designed UNIQUE swimming pool and spa for your outdoor living space, call 480-969-1911 to schedule a free consultation with a UNIQUE design pro. Or you can click here and fill out our online consultation request. And don’t forget to include a spa in your design. Relaxing in your new UNIQUE spa is a great way to soothe sore muscles after a trip to the gym.

January 9, 2020

Lap Pools – A UNIQUE Pool With A Purpose

Imagine owning a UNIQUE pool that was fun for the entire family AND provided you with a full body workout. Lap pools are the answer for anyone who hates the gym but understand the value of regular exercise.

In the Phoenix area, many homeowners are interested in a swimming pool because it provides a refreshing and relaxing retreat in the heat of the summer. However, that is not the only appeal that swimming pools offer. More and more health-conscious homeowners are looking to maximize their return on investment by building a UNIQUE lap pool or swim lane pool. These pools are typically rectangular in shape, making them perfect for swimming laps. But that is not to say that these pools don’t also meet the requirement for being the ideal place to relax in the comfort of the cool water on a hot August afternoon. To request a free consultation with a UNIQUE design professional to learn more about installing a lap pool in your backyard, call 480-969-1911 or click here for an online consultation request.

The UNIQUE Benefits Of A Lap Pool

Everyone will enjoy the benefits of a full-body workout in your new UNIQUE lap pool. There is no potential for joint injury, just safe and fun exercise

The shape of a lap pool makes them a perfect fit for most typical Phoenix backyards. The long but narrow shape is easy to locate in a shallow backyard. Or it can be placed along the side of your house if the backyard is reserved for grass and play space for children and pets. And as an added bonus, you will enjoy a very economical price because there are no waterfalls, slides, or other recreational features.

While you might think that the most significant benefit of your lap pool is making uses of some wasted space in your yard, that is not even close to its highest value. The health benefits that you and your entire family will enjoy are, by far, the most significant advantage. It can be hard to find time to go to the gym for a workout. But once your UNIQUE lap pool is completed, all you need to do is step out the back door for a full-body workout. And everyone in the family can enjoy these benefits as well because swimming offers a tremendous no-impact workout and excellent cardio exercise for all ages.

Things To Consider When Designing Your UNIQUE Lap Pool

A ladder saves space in a lap pool and provides easy access.

Are you building your UNIQUE pool strictly to swim laps, or will it also be a fun place for the family to hang out? A lap pool does not require steps, and a ladder will save space and cost when building the pool. If your pool is going to do double duty, also think about adding some lighting and benches or a baja step for added fun. And either way you go, don’t forget to include an in-floor cleaning system to reduce the time needed for maintenance and cleaning.
Think about how great it would feel to soak in a spa after a good swim? You can add a custom spa to your UNIQUE lap pool for added enjoyment and relaxation.
Having easy access to your new lap pool is essential. Be sure that you are thinking about traffic patterns and added relaxation space. Standard decking is between 4 and 8 feet wide. But if you are planning to add a few lounge chairs, be sure to add a few feet to eliminate any traffic choke points. Remember, in the summertime, everyone will want to relax by the pool, even though it is designed to be a lap pool.
If you think that you are excited about your lap pool now, just think how much you will love it in 6 months. By that time, you will have established your new exercise routine, and it will be a habit, just like brushing your teeth or taking vitamins. And you will be enjoying your increased energy level and fitness thanks to your daily laps. So imagine how awful it would be to give up swimming for a few months because winter will eventually arrive. And unless you are willing to partake in a daily polar bear plunge, you should think about heating your lap pool for year-round enjoyment and health benefits. And also, check out a thermal blanket to help hold the heat in and keep your utility bills much more reasonable in the winter months.

To learn more about installing a lap pool in your Phoenix backyard, call 480-969-1911 today. A UNIQUE designer can answer all of your questions about these great pools and even make suggestions on location and features. Imagine yourself swimming laps daily in the privacy of your own backyard. No more trips to the gym or expensive membership fees, but you will still have the benefit of daily exercise and improved health thanks to your UNIQUE lap pool.

August 14, 2019

Enjoy The UNIQUE Health Benefits Of A Swimming Pool

Swimming pools offer more benefits than just a fun place to hang out with family and friends. There are many health benefits to swimming and water exercise.

Living in Arizona, we all know how refreshing it can be to jump into a swimming pool on a hot summer day. And it is also a great place to gather with friends and family for some fun and games. However, you might not be aware that there are the number of actual health benefits to owning a swimming pool. The first step is to contact a UNIQUE designer to learn more about designing and building your perfect pool to improve your health and to your enjoyment of your outdoor living space.

Swimming is a great form of aerobic exercise and one that you can still enjoy in the heat of our Phoenix summer. Let’s face it, even the most dedicated health conscious residents know that it can be tough to get our for a run when it is over 100 degrees. But a good swim offers many benefits:

Increases your heart rate
Provides a full body workout
Tones muscle
Build endurance
Builds strength

And possibly one of the greatest benefits to swimming is that it provides all of this without heavy stress from impact, like running or jogging.

Swimming and water aerobics offer a tremendous workout without the harsh impact to your joints. This is a great benefit for older adults and those who are rehabilitating from an injury.

Swimming Provides Rehabilitation After Injuries

Because swimming is considered to be a no impact form of exercise, it is often recommended during rehabilitation from injuries or surgery. There is far less stress places on muscles and joints than with other forms of exercise but it still provides the benefit of motion and an increased activity level. Many medical professionals also believe that swimming helps to reduce the pain associated with osteoarthritis and other joint stiffness.

Swimming Burns Calories Quickly

If you are looking for a low impact way to burn calories then swimming is your solution. To put it into perspective, a 160 pound person burns over 420 calories swimming for an hour. That same person would only burn about 300 calories walking for the same hour. And in the arid climate of Phoenix, spending an hour in a swimming pool is far more enjoyable than spending an hour walking on scorching pavement. Even working out indoors on an elliptical trainer would only burn around 350 calories, so swimming gets you far more calories burned per hour of exercise.

Other Amazing Health Benefits Of Swimming

Water aerobics provide a great full body workout in an impact free environment. Classes are also a great way to socialize and keep each other motivated to exercise.

Swimming has been found to reduce insomnia in older people. In many cases, older adults are not very active during the day, which can lead to difficulty sleeping. Swimming provides enough activity to allow for better sleep patterns and a boost in quality of life. Research has also found that swimming boosted the mood of participants in a 12 week study. Other studies have found that participants also reported feeling less stressed after just 30 minutes in the pool.

Swimming pools have been a great source of enjoyment for many decades. From a fun day of splashing around with family and friends to an afternoon of relaxation and floating, everyone loves to hang out in the pool. But only recently have scientists been interested in tracing and monitoring the health benefits associated with a swimming pool. In the most recent studies, swimming pools have been found to offer physical, psychological and emotional benefits. And the greatest part is that everyone from small children to pregnant women and senior citizens can enjoy these benefits together.

To learn more about designing and building your own UNIQUE swimming pool to increase your health and the fun that you are having in your own backyard, call 480-969-1911 to schedule a free consultation. A UNIQUE designer will visit your home, answer your questions about the design and build process and provide you with ideas for creating your perfect outdoor oasis and exercise space.