Lifeguards

I’m fourteen and a girl. I’m not the best swimmer but I was one of my highschool JV team’s top freestylers. I play waterpolo so I can tread. Its just that I have asthma and swollen knees. I have tried to tread with a 10 lb brick and could only do it for about 1 min. I can take the brick from the bottom though, that’s pretty simple. I don’t know if the class is hard. Can someone help me?

Yes, the class is hard. It’s meant to be because you are not just being trained to save someone from drowning but to also keep yourself from drowning. You don’t have to be extremely physically strong if you have good technique, but you do need to be a very strong swimmer (not necessarily a fast swimmer). The diving brick you are picking up is supposed to be about the same mass as a body in the water. During lifeguard training you are going to be asked to hold a person with one arm and carry them for 25 yards or more with just your legs and one arm. Treading water with the brick is the very beginning of what it’s like to save a person.

I’ve known lifeguards and swimers and water polo players who have done fine in spite of having with asthma. The swollen knees you should ask a medical professional about. It’s typical for beast strokers to get sore knees, but not someone swimming crawl (BTW crawl and freestyle are not the same thing).

When you tread water with the brick put the brick up high on your chest directly above your body’s center of bouyancy. Even if the instructor tells you to lift the brick over your head, keep it directly over your center of bouyancy. Keep a good center of bouyancy by keep your cest inflated and taking quick short breaths. Finally you say you know how to tread from water polo, but does that mean you are doing an alternating whip kick like the goalie? The alternating whip is what you should be doing.

Oh, if your instructor doesn’t mind there’s a trick to the treading with brick. Keep the brick above your center of bouyancy, tuck it right up under your chin and then arch your back as if you are going to start a back float. In that position, if you are careful, you can hold the brick against your chest with your chin and skull with your arms to give yourself a rest.

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I took the course this weekend, and I wanted to know how long it will take until my cards come in the mail. My training was throught the American Red Cross.

Cards usually take about a month to receive. This time of year is there most busy time of the year because everyone is getting their certifications for summer. Almost all places will higher you without your actual card. I have never ran into a place that doesnt. They just require you to bring them the card when you receive it in the mail and sometimes they may ask you who you got your certification from so they can check with them. You can just ask the place that you are looking to work and they can tell you.

for the written part of the red cross test

First aid
How to react to specific situations
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Emergency action plans

I have lifeguard cert. in one month. I am very strong in the pool when it comes to body strength. My problem is getting my breathing under control. I have to swim 300yd continuously, but I am really struggling with my breathing and I’m hoping to find a workout plan for the next month that will help me build my lung strength to be able to complete the 300yds.

Thank you!

Most of your breathing problems seem to originate from the fact that you have very little endurance as a distance swimmer. Don’t take offence but most fall into this category. Also, it is helpful for beginning swimmers to really "pace" out distance swims. Simply taking your time will improve your breathing. One of the best things you can do prior to this 300 is to swim. The more efficient you can become, the less energy you will expend, and the less oxygen your body will need. However, breathing is "key" for maintaining energy levels throughout a long distance swim. To build up your lung capacity, and "need" for oxygen try and start with a series of short distance swims. Say 1 length or 25 yards. During this lengths focus on controlling your breathing, start with 1 breath every other stroke. ( head face down in the water to avoid taking unnecessary breaths). Try completing multiple lengths at a pace you feel comfortable with. As you become stronger, increase the distance, increase the speed, or strokes between breaths. When you have to swim that 300, do not.. and I repeat.. DO NOT force yourself to take less breaths. Listen to your body. Especially early on in the 300yd, you may feel energized at first but if you neglect to breath you will pay for it later. Just set a rhythm you can maintain, and stick to it. It is not a sprint. Although 300 yards may seem a little daunting at first, a little training will go a long way to making it a much more enjoyable, I hope this helped.

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