Lap pools are a great way to stay fit. Dating back to the Greek and Roman era, the first lap pools were rectangular in shape and built to train athletes and for nautical games. Lap pools for fitness gained popularity in the 1970s with the first fibreglass hydro spa in California.

Lap pools traditionally are rectangular in shape and 45 feet in length. Typically, the pools are marked with bottom stripes to help swimmers keep to a straight line and floating lane lines. Unlike normal swimming pools, the lap pools do not have water slides and are not heated beyond 80 degrees.

Lap pools and fitness go together

Lap swimming is a great workout. On an average, more than 450 calories are burnt in an hour of moderate intensity lap swimming session. The heavier the swimmer, the more the calories burnt. While a 150-pound person burns 400 calories, a 200-pound swimmer can burn up to 500 and more calories in an hour’s lap swim workout.

The advantage that swimming offers is that it is easy on joints being non-weight-bearing. Lap pools are ideal for people recovering from injuries or those struggling with back and joint pain issues. Being low impact, swimming does not add to the wear and tear of joints that are common in other aerobic, high-impact workouts. Swimming tones glutes, abs, back and arm muscles besides giving a great workout for lungs and the heart.

Swimming is also a great way of improving flexibility which is a serious concern, particularly in older adults. People with joint conditions including arthritis and osteoporosis are advised to take to swimming as a way to improve joint flexibility and fitness levels.

Other than swimming, lap pools are used for other water-based workouts, spas and aquatic therapies to promote wellness. Swim spas are a great way to stay fit year-round when they are installed indoors.

Latest trends in lap pools

Here are some latest lap pool and spa trends across the world.

Lap pools in hotels

Guests and travellers would like to stay fit during holidays as well with the rising consciousness on wellness. Hotels and resorts are keeping pace with this preference and incorporating lap pools for adults and kids alike. California’s Laguna Beach resort sports a lap pool adjacent to the sea with painted lane dividers.

A luxury resort in Shanghai, China combines spa and lap pool in an ultra-luxurious setting replete with skylights and illuminated water walls. Other than swimming laps, a full-fledged spa adds to the ultimate comfort.

In an Orlando resort, a 33-yard lap pool features floating lane lines to help swimmers get from end-to-end. An outdoor fifty-meter long Olympic-style lap pool with eight lanes is a treat for lap swimmers at a resort in Colorado. The pool also has pace clocks and backstroke flags. A luxury resort in Tucson has a lap pool with bottom stripes and floating lanes. Instructors provide lessons on swim workouts for the casual swimmers.

A hotel in Canada features a four-lane lap pool that is ozone-filtered besides having floor to ceiling windows that offer breathtaking views of the mountains.

Lap pools in residences

Luxury homes and residential towers are going in for lap pools in a big way. Some of the latest trends include a completely transparent lap pool in a private home in Canada. Featuring the view of the underside of the pool, both swimmers and other residents of the home can see each other.

Green homes with stunning views of the natural landscape or forests are an increasing trend. The lap pool that is adjacent to the patio with views to kill is ultimate in luxury in a home in El Salvador.

A home built out of shipping containers and a 40-foot lap pool that completely mirrors the house in perfect alignment are unique features of a home in Dallas. The lap pool is covered with a pergola to protect leaves and dust falling into it.

Luxury residential towers with separate lap pools for adults and kids are a hot trend of 2017. A luxury condo at Miami features a 75-feet lap pool for professional swimmers and a 25-feet pool for kids. An ultra-luxurious condo near the Hudson River Park features a lap pool that is half the size of the Olympic lap pool.

A 57-storied residential tower in Miami features five pools, one of which is an Olympic-sized lap pool for adults.

Lap pools in Australia

Swimming is a favourite hobby for Australians and the country has the most number of backyard swimming pools per capita in the world. More than one million households have swimming pools and owners believe the pools boost the value of the homes.

Resort-style lap pools and luxury pools are the latest trends in Australia. Thirty-feet long lap pools for serious swimmers integrated with a treadmill are the latest trends of 2017. Australians are also keen on blending the indoors and outdoors seamlessly and lap pools that accentuate the natural look of the home are in demand. Low maintenance self-cleaning lap pools are popular as is pool automation. Complete automation allows the control of chemicals, temperature and lighting and enables easy maintenance of pools that fit into busy lifestyles.

Landscaping around the lap pools, glass blade edges and infinity pools are also some highly popular trends across the world. Colour chip technologies that can impart vivid colours to the lap pools are also great add-ons.