Unlocking the Benefits of a Lifeguard Certificate
A lifeguard certificate is a document that verifies that an individual has completed the required training and passed the necessary assessments to be qualified to work as a lifeguard and ensure the safety of swimmers in aquatic environments.
Whether you use the ease in the water for relaxation or you regularly swim to train your fitness and muscle strength – there are few sports as versatile as swimming. The sport offers a complete body workout, where you can regulate the intensity of the workouts yourself.
Fill in the swimming training sessions according to your preference: relaxed or demanding, alone or with friends, for fun or as competition preparation.
We give you an overview of the benefits of swimming for health and introduce the most important swimming techniques.
Lifeguard and Swimming sport – Healthy training for every age
If you want to train both your strength and your condition, but at the same time want to spare your joints, swimming is the ideal sport for you. Swimming is an all-round sport, where you can determine the intensity during the training yourself.
Health benefits of swimming
Good swimming skills are not only vital, but also provide an effective full-body workout. As versatile as the sport is, so are the health benefits:
Strengthening of the circulatory system: Swimming stimulates the blood circulation and strengthens the cardiovascular system, which has a positive effect on the immune system. Regular training gradually strengthens the heart. In addition, your lung capacity is increased.
A lifeguard certificate is a valuable credential that demonstrates an individual’s competence in water safety and lifesaving skills, and is often required by employers hiring lifeguards for public or private swimming facilities.
Strengthening the muscles: When swimming, your body has to resist the water, which strengthens muscles. Moreover, swimming uses almost all muscles, which can also cause muscle pain in places you didn’t even know you had muscles there.
Increasing fitness and improving lung function: As with other fitness sports, the respiratory muscles are trained when swimming. The breathing volume increases, which has a positive effect on your condition.
Relief of the spine, joints and ligaments: Under water, gravity is not as strong as on land, making a swimmer “lighter”. This relieves the joints, tendons and ligaments during swimming. The trunk muscles are strengthened and cramps in the neck, shoulders and back disappear.
Reduction of stress: The smooth movements and the almost floating feeling in the water are seen by many people as relaxing. When swimming, you can leave behind the possible burden of everyday life and concentrate solely on training. Endorphins are released during exercise, which creates a feeling of happiness in many people.
Other reasons for swimming
Do you want to start swimming training as soon as possible? No problem: The equipment you need for swimming is very well organized and is already present in most households: You only need a bathing suit, bikini or swimming trunks, bath slippers and well-fitting swimming goggles to get started.
You can also purchase a bath cap for good hygiene and better care of your hair. This is also mandatory in some countries, but not in the Netherlands. Another great advantage of swimming is that it is suitable for every age group, fitness level and training goal .
You can also combine swimming with other sports if you are looking for more variety:
Supplement to other sports: e.g. for improving fitness
Compensation with other sports: e.g. for the regeneration phase in sports with a higher load/intensity
Prerequisite for water sports such as diving or surfing
Swimming as a sport for children and adults
Swimming is suitable for all ages and it is never too late to learn and practice as a sport.
The weightless movement in the water provides a lot of fun for children : Babies and toddlers can therefore already gain first experiences with the element of water when they get used to the water . There are also several positive effects on development in older children:
Promotion of motor skills while learning swimming techniques
Improve coordination through different movements
Support a healthy posture by strengthening the muscles
Increasing self-awareness and improving social skills through membership in the swimming club.
At the same time, the joint-relieving sport is also ideal for older people . Light training strengthens strength and condition without putting too much strain on the back, joints or tendons. Blood circulation is improved and metabolism is stimulated. This is a great benefit for the immune system. Seniors also benefit from the sense of community at the swimming club.
The right swimming course
If you want your child to learn to swim or if you want to improve your skills yourself, it is wise to start with a visit to a swimming lesson . You should pay attention to the following conditions:
Professional, trained swimming instructor (view certificate if necessary)
The duration of the course is long enough (between 10 and 20 hours)
Duration of the lesson units (usually 20 to 45 minutes)
Regularity of the course (at least 1 to 2 times a week)
When you have mastered the basics of swimming, you can also visit constructive courses at many swimming clubs . For children and youth, swimming lessons can not only ensure that they enjoy leisure swimming, but also that they are triggered for competitive swimming.
Swimming sport for beginners
Don’t ask too much of yourself during the first swimming training: Even if you feel light in the water and the movements go smoothly, swimming is a great effort for the muscles, blood circulation and lungs. Therefore, divide your swimming training into short time periods. Concentrate on learning proper technique and increase fitness .
For example, train three times a week for 20 minutes or twice a week for 30 minutes and increase the intensity of the training sessions over time. Especially as a beginner, it is often difficult to independently estimate your own condition or performance level.
Professional guidance can be found at almost every swimming club. They can also explain to you what an effective swimming training can look like.
