Exercising in water is a great way to get fit and lose weight. Adding some resistance with a swim tether can help you achieve your goals even faster. Learn more in this article.
Plunge pools and swim spas are not only a great place for relaxing and entertaining, they can also be your best training tool to stay in shape in the privacy of your own home.
Whether you’ve been into aquafitness for a while or just starting, a fitness tether system can be a great addition to your training program, helping take your fitness to the next level.
In this article and video, we’ll explain how to use the fitness tether system, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced swimmer.
An aquatic fitness tether system is designed to give you extra resistance and a more challenging workout when exercising in water.
Swim tethers consist of a sturdy carbon fibre pole (similar to a giant fishing rod) an elastic cord or ‘tether’, and a harness that is worn around your waist.
They work in a similar way to resistance bands you might use at the gym.
The tether pole is attached to the shell or perimeter of your swim spa, plunge pool or swimming pool using a pole socket. The resistance rope is then attached to the pole and the harness is connected to your waist.
The harness has an adjustable and flexible belt that enables you to exercise at your own pace and gently pulls you back so you won’t reach the end of the pool. If you are a beginner swimmer this will help you stay afloat while exercising and will also benefit stronger swimmers by keeping them in a fixed position.
*It’s important to note: If you currently own a swim spa or plunge pool that it may already have the socket pre-installed from the factory. On most swim spas retrofitting a pole socket is not possible. This is because there is no recess for the socket and it will sit above the shell or collide with the framing.
If you are planning on purchasing an aquatic fitness tether system, please confirm with your retailer if the pole socket is included on your model.
At home aqua fitness
There are two common types of swimming tethers: foot tethers and resistance belts. These are used for resistance training, and allow you to move at any pace while staying in place to build strength.
Foot Tether
The foot tether is strapped to one of your ankles and follows behind you as you kick. This is great for strong swimmers but can be harder for beginners as it may affect your normal kicking patterns.
Resistance belt or harness
A resistance belt or harness is strapped around your waist, and the tether falls behind you while you're swimming. This helps to keep you in place without restricting your natural leg and foot movement as you kick to stay afloat.
If used correctly, swimming tethers can benefit the major muscle groups used for swimming and aquafitness. The key benefits of a swimming tether are repetition and resistance, which allow you to control how hard you are working.
Using a swimming tether helps you develop "muscle memory," which is the ability to repeat a pattern of muscle use. This type of training is beneficial for many people, as water-based workouts have less impact on your joints and help to build muscle strength quickly.
If you're not into swimming, the tether is also good for vertical water workouts such as water jogging and walking. It can help keep you elevated and adds extra resistance, so you work harder and keep your heart rate up.
Resistance training in a pool
As mentioned above, swim tethers have a pole that attaches to the shell or perimeter of your pool. The resistance rope is then attached to the pole and the harness is connected to your waist.
The system is ideal if you own a pool or plunge pool without the swim jets that a swim spa is known for. It adds another dimension to your aquafitness programme, giving you the resistance you get with inbuilt swim jets – without having to upgrade to a swim spa.
There are three easy steps on how to use a swim pole.
If you are interested in trying the swim tether in a plunge pool or swim spa you can visit one of our showrooms to give it a go for yourself.
We hope this article has helped you understand what a swim tether system is, how it works, and how it can take your aquatic fitness to the next level. If you are keen to purchase a swim tether system you can find these by following the link below to Spa Store – our preferred provided of spa, pool and swim spa accessories.
If you are looking for more information on swim fitness, you can check out our other articles here.
As always, if you need any more help or advice, feel free to drop into your local Spa World Showroom.
You can also contact our customer care team via our website. We are happy to help.
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