Swimming, as we all know, is one of the best exercises you can do for your body. Swimming laps provides you with a great cardiovascular workout, and helps to keep your muscles toned. Swimming works every muscle in your body, which can also help you to burn calories. For many people throughout the United States, swimming is simply the best way to stay in shape and have fun doing it.
Although swimming is a lot of fun and a great way to exercise, it can be quite a chore going down to the local pool. The hours will vary from pool to pool, meaning that there are only certain times of the day and the week that you can go. To make matters worse, the lanes are normally crowded, making it hard to get a proper workout. Crowded lanes can make swimming a chore, especially if there are a lot of people around who are doing nothing but standing in the water.
If you like swimming laps but hate going to your local pool, you should look into getting a lap pool for your home. Lap pools are a great addition to your home, with the only difference in a lap pool and residential pool being the size and shape. Instead of the traditional kidney shape that home pools are known for, lap pools are long and narrow, giving you plenty of room to swim laps.
With the shape being long and narrow, you can easily keep track of just how many laps you have swam. Lap pools are normally just a few feet deep, meaning that divers shouldn't invest in them. They are intended for those who love to swim laps, lacking toys such as diving boards and slides, as the water isn't deep enough. Even though they are intended for hardcore lap swimmers, they are still ideal to jump in on a hot day and just cool off.
Lap pools are below ground pools, as you may already know. They require a lot of digging for installation, and can cost quite a few bucks as well. The prices will vary from area to area, although most top out around $30,000. This is very expensive to say the least, although if you swim every day, you can easily make your money back if you count how much you spend going to the local pool.
If you simply don't have the money but want to swim laps at home, you should look into a swim spa. These spas resemble a hot tub of sorts, although you won't have to dig up any of your yard to install them. They work almost like a treadmill, using an adjustable current that pushes you back, so you keep swimming in virtually the same place. You can get quite a bit of exercise using a swim spa, and it doesn't take up a lot of room either.
Swim spas may be cheaper than lap pools, although they aren't cheaper than traditional below ground pools. They are still relatively new, and can be somewhat hard to find. More and more pool companies are including them though, so it may be just a matter of time before they come to your area. You should contact your local company if you are interested, as they can be nearly impossible to maintain yourself.
With a lap pool or swim spa, you can swim as many laps as you like at home. These types of pools are ideal for swimmers everywhere, and they can keep you as healthy as you like. If you are interested in a lap pool or swim spa, simply contact your local pool company and get the ball rolling - you'll be glad you did when you are swimming at home and not the local swimming hole.
Each year, about 1,000 children drown and another 4,000 are hospitalized for near-drowning, usually in a pool owned by their family. Over 60 percent of children who drown in pools are under age four.
These tragedies do not have to happen.
Poolside Fortifications
* Install a fence at least four to five feet high, with vertical slats no more than four inches apart to keep children from squeezing through. It should have no foot or handholds that can help a young child climb it.
* The fence should completely surround the pool, and prevent direct access from the house and yard.
* The gate of the fence should be self-closing and self-latching as well. Never prop open a pool gate.
* Gate latches should be higher than your children can reach. And the latch should open away from the water, so that small children cannot use their weight to push it open.
* If the house forms one side of the barrier, then doors should be protected with alarms that produce an audible sound when a door is unexpectedly opened.
* Steps and ladders leading from the ground to an above-ground pool should be secured and locked, or removed when the pool is not used.
* Remove shrubs or trees that obstruct your view of the pool from inside the house.
* The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends layers of protection, including fences, pool covers and alarm systems. To obtain barrier recommendations, go to their website and enter "pool barriers" in the Search box.
Poolside Precautions
* Keep a phone near the pool area. It is vital for emergencies, and you will not be tempted to desert a child to answer a phone in the house.
* Keep a strong, lightweight pole at least 12 feet long with a blunt end poolside.
* Invest in a ring buoy firmly attached to a long throwing rope.
* Put ladders on both ends of the pool.
* Do not leave objects such as tables or chairs near the fence, where children can use them to climb into the pool area.
* The water depth should be clearly marked on the pool deck and, if possible, above the water line of the pool wall.
* Indicate the break between the deep and shallow areas with a semi-permanent float line.
* Always completely remove the cover before using the pool or spa. Beware: light weight, floating solar-type pool/spa covers are not safety covers. A child can become trapped under this type of cover.
* A motorized pool cover operated by a switch that meets the standards of ASTM International adds to the protection of your children but should not replace the fence between your house and the pool.
You Can't Be Too Vigilant
Constant, vigilant supervision is the key to poolside safety when children are nearby.
* Never leave a child alone near any body of water ... even for an instant.
* Do not assume a child can swim just because he or she has had swimming lessons.
* Do not rely on inflatable toys or water wings to keep a child afloat. They are not life jackets.
* Do not bring tricycles or wheel toys into the pool area. Children could accidentally ride them into the water.
* Forbid horseplay. Pools are for swimming, not wrestling.
* During social gatherings, designate an adult to supervise children. Rotate the assignment so the watchers stay alert.
* If a child is missing, check the pool first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
* Remove toys from the pool area when not in use. Toys can attract young children into a pool.
* Make sure the drains and drain covers meet current standards.
* Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR. Baby-sitters and other caretakers should also know CPR.
* If you own a hot tub, many of these safety guidelines will apply.
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