Swimming and lifeguard training is a sport for everyone. Regardless of age, gender or fitness level, you can easily get fit in the water – even faster than running.
Swimming and lifeguard training is an underrated sport
The assumption that running or cycling is the fastest and most effective way to increase fitness persists. Swimming and lifeguard training, on the other hand, is often seen as a retirement sport. But that is completely wrong! Because swimming and lifeguard training is ideal for losing a few kilos or giving your health a boost and are, therefore, the perfect sport to round off a regular fitness program.
That’s why Swimming and Lifeguard Training Is So Effective
Endurance training in the water improves your condition, strengthens the cardiovascular system, and strengthens your immune system. In the water, you train more muscles at the same time as in most other sports. As with running, you also strengthen your leg and butt muscles with water sports. But the arms, shoulders, chest, and back in particular benefit more from training in the pelvis than when jogging. The water-resistance and the adaptation of the body to the water temperature also burn calories and boost the metabolism. At the same time, doing laps is healthier, because hardly any other sport is so easy on the joints. The strain on ligaments and joints is almost 90 percent less than on land. Swimming and lifeguard training, for example, is, therefore, an ideal sport for people who are overweight. Endurance sports in the water are also beneficial for desk workers, as the movement can relieve tension in the neck and neck muscles. The rhythmic movement and the apparent weightlessness in the water also cause a reduction in stress hormones and general relaxation for many people.
This is how swimming and lifeguard training becomes your sport
If you haven’t swum a lot before, it’s a good idea to take it easy in the water first. The muscles take a while to warm up. Once you have gotten used to the water and the lanes are flowing smoothly, it is advisable to set goals so that the sport does not degenerate into just tile swimming. This is where interval training comes in handy. For example, if you have set yourself a certain number of lanes, you can always add a fast lane after a few slow lanes. Because you progress quite quickly when training in the water, you will soon be able to easily do a few more fast lanes.
Breaststroke: It depends on the right technique
The classic breaststroke is still the most common of all swimming and lifeguard training styles. And it doesn’t have to be leisurely. The right technique is crucial for speed. This is also important, by the way, so that you don’t get back pain in the long run. You should lie as horizontally as possible in the water and only lift your head out of the water to breathe. Reason: If you keep your head out of the water while swimming and lifeguard training, your neck muscles can tense up. The movements of the arms and legs are coordinated with each other. Open your arms shoulder-width apart just below the surface and then bring them back together in a circular path in front of your chest. Be careful not to pull your arms back too far. In this phase, you breathe in. You perform the leg kick a little later than your arms. To do this, pull your heels about hip-width towards your bottom, and then turn those outwards and swing them in a circular path until you stretch. The soles of the feet and the lower legs press, not the instep. Exhale as you kick.
Freestyle swimming: This is important
Freestyle swimming is the swimming style that requires the most strength and stamina, and it can be just as effective at improving it with regular training. The technique is also crucial for freestyle swimming in order to avoid incorrect loading and not to bother fellow swimmers. When swimming freestyle, the arms and legs are moved alternately towards each other. Your legs are banging straight up and down with your ankles relaxed as you pull yourself through the water in front of your head with your arms after the dive. You should put your hands and forearms against the direction of swimming for as long as possible. You breathe in through your mouth by turning your head slightly to the side. Breathe out through your mouth underwater. Link your breathing to movement in the water. It is particularly important so that you can last longer distances.
Backstroke: That’s what matters
When doing a backstroke, you lie in a stretched-out position in the water. In this swimming style, too, the arms and legs are moved alternately towards each other. You kick up and down from the hips with your legs almost fully stretched and your ankles relaxed, generate forward movement with the upward stroke and stabilize your position in the water. Your arms dive in well above your head, then pull strongly but controlled toward your thighs. Hold your hands and forearms against the direction of swimming for a long time, as you would when swimming freestyle.
The right equipment for swimming
Except for close-fitting swimming trunks or a bathing suit, you hardly need any equipment for the first lanes. After that, however, it is recommended that you buy swimming goggles. Ideally, you can try them on in the store. A swim cap is great for controlling your hair and gliding through the water faster. If you are one of those people who find water in your ears uncomfortable, you can use special earplugs. To monitor your training progress, we recommend a digital swimming trainer on your wrist. It automatically counts the lengths covered, the number of strokes you swim, and the efficiency of your training. The digital swimming partner helps you to keep motivated. To train mobility in the ankles, you can train with fins from time to time. Advanced swimmers swear by the so-called pullboy and paddles as a training device to improve their swimming technique. The Pullboy is clamped between the thighs so that the hips get more buoyancy and the position in the water stabilizes. With the paddles, you can enlarge the palm and thus the drive area. Because this requires more effort, you can also train your arm muscles intensively with the paddles.
Swimming and lifeguard training with assistance
In order to keep the fun of the effective sport, pain is of course not conducive. If you want to make sure you’re mastering the technique correctly, you can contact a certified swimming and lifeguard training coach who will give you feedback. In group or individual lessons, the technique of the different swimming styles is worked on in detail. And once you’ve mastered them, nothing stands in the way of your all-around fitness. Learn more