How Bob Visualised his Pool and his Trimmer Waist
"Every night, when I go home, I let the dog out, I get changed, and I swim," Bob T. reports. It's been a long road for him, including almost a decade of research before committing to his Endless Pools Original model. It's been worth it, he feels now. "I'm down five belt notches since swimming. I'm very happy with the pool."
Pre-Planning, Lots of It
Bob is nothing if not thorough. Before installing his Endless Pools model in 2016, he recounts, "I researched this type of product since 2008, to be exact. I looked at Michael Phelps, H2X, and others. I just kept coming back to the Endless Pool. I can't speak highly enough of the pool.
"I spent at least one night a week, reading on different pools. I watched every video you guys put out looking for anything that looked off. I couldn’t find anything."
Bob and his wife, Julie, used our Demonstration Pool program to take a test swim in a nearby Endless Pool. While he was thinking, "This is really cool," Julie was wondering if she could out-swim the current. "'I know how fast this puppy dog can go,'" he recalls her saying. "I put my thumb on 'Faster' and I just held it down. It didn't take long." As the current pushed her into the back wall, Bob recounts, "She was just laughing her a** off!"
Bob and Julie planned to install an Endless Pools Original model here, just 5.5m from their house. "If I'm coming out my back door, and it's cold out, I don’t want to go far," Bob reasoned. He did extensive site planning before installing the pool himself.
Bob's DIY Installation Process
"My garden is stupid big – 78.6m across my back fence," Bob notes. For all that space, they selected a garden pool site just 5.5m from the house. "If I'm coming out my back door, and it's cold out, I don’t want to go far."
Bob installed his Original Series pool himself. Endless Pools provides detailed instructions in print and video formats, as well as unlimited phone and email access to our Customer Service team for consultation.
Before he started, Bob says, "I read [the instructions] multiple times. I built everything myself. I had no idea how to do the tile; I learned how to do that. I had no idea how to do the brickwork; I learned how to do that."
The dog approves! Bob installed this completed Original pool himself. He and his wife, Julie, chose our insulated Bi-fold Cover (raised, left). By moving the stairs to the center, he can access the pool with the cover half-closed; it's a smart way to retain heat for winter swimming! Scroll down once more….
The 12-Month Pool Season
"We went with the Bi-fold Cover," which they find useful for to maintain a year-round pool season. "In the summer, it's easy to drop the temperature. I prop [the ends of the Bi-fold Cover] open and let the breeze go through. In winter, I open it halfway" to help retain heat.
To swim outdoors in winter, Bob planned ahead; he insulated the Endless Pools cabinet and selected an insulated cover so the heater can do less work. "We swam while it was snowing. It was cool," Bob says thoughtfully. "It's hard to describe."
The choice of the Bi-Fold Cover inspired one change from his original plan. The access steps moved from the rear of the pool to the middle. "I can swim in this thing without opening it all the way with steps going up the center."
The compact Endless Pools Original model is affordable to heat. The ability to insulate the cabinet and use an insulated cover (and keeping it half-closed while swimming) puts winter swimming within reach! "I get in it every day," Bob now says. "I'm down five belt notches … That's the only thing I changed – I swim every night."
Swimming with Results
"We have a ball with it. I get in it every day. I swim right now a solid half hour; it's 730 strokes to do a half hour. Then I rest a little bit, then I swim another 10 to 15 minutes.
"I'm down 5 belt notches since swimming. I've got quite a few more to go, in my opinion, but it's nice. That's the only thing I changed – I swim every night."
"Every day, I’m in it. I enjoy it. I really do. I'm very happy with the pool."