With all the successes of the Dutch swimmers , you are also thinking about starting it yourself. Swimming is a good sport to build up your fitness, it puts a low load on your joints and trains your entire body. With these tips we help you to get off to a good start with Lifeguard certification.
Swimming is not the easiest sport to start with. You may not need a lot of gear, but it’s very different from most other sports. You are not running and jumping on solid ground and you have to regulate your entire breathing differently. So don’t worry if you’re already out of breath after your first job. These tips will help you progress quickly and improve your swimming skills.
Why do I have to swim?
As you may know, swimming is considered one of the best sports for your entire body. You use almost all the muscles of your body and it is strength training and cardio training in one. It is a sport where you have little impact on your joints and is therefore used in recovery from injuries .
What do I need to swim?
You don’t need a lot of gear to go swimming. A swimsuit/bathing suit and you’re basically done. If you go more often and want to swim faster, then swimming goggles and a swimming cap are also recommended. The swimming goggles ensure that you do not get any problems with your eyes and that you can continue to see your surroundings better. Your swimming cap makes you more streamlined and also ensures that you lose less body heat. You won’t be bothered by that much in a swimming pool, but if you go swimming in open water you will definitely notice that.
The first strokes
Swimming is a fairly specialized movement. In the beginning you will be tired quickly and need to rest more often. In the beginning it is especially important that you feel comfortable in the water. Make sure you can find your balance and that you get your breathing under control.
You don’t have to swim for very long in the beginning either. If you are tired, you should rest for a while. For some this is after a job, for others after half an hour. If you want to keep it up, it is important to pay close attention and not overlook yourself. Master one of the tricks first and then move on to the next.
Different strokes
When swimming you can use all kinds of different strokes. There are a few that are most used. These are also the strokes that are used in various competitions, namely: breaststroke, freestyle, butterfly and backstroke. Below I give you a brief explanation of each stroke.
breaststroke
This is the first trick that everyone actually learns. The advantage of the breaststroke is that you stay with your head above water and therefore do not have any problems with your breathing while swimming. You also do not have to wear swimming goggles. A good explanation of the breaststroke is in the videos below.
It’s an easy way to swim, but definitely not the fastest. If you want to participate in your first triathlon or another swimming competition, it is a good idea to learn another one, such as the freestyle.
Freestyle
The next stroke is one you see most in competitive swimming: the freestyle. This is one of the most efficient and fastest way to swim. This is one of the swimming strokes that you probably want to be good at if you plan to compete.
Because in the freestyle you are a lot with your face in the water, breathing is a lot more difficult than in the breaststroke. You exhale while your head is still under the water and inhale again when you tilt your head to the side. In the beginning this takes a lot of getting used to. Later I will tell you more about the different ways of breathing, first the techniques of the freestyle are listed below.
butterfly stroke
I personally find the butterfly stroke one of the most difficult. It takes a lot of your timing to coordinate everything properly. It is the fastest shot after the freestyle and it looks very spectacular. It’s also one of the most tiring strokes, but once you’ve mastered the technique it’s great fun to swim one or two laps with the butterfly stroke.
Backstroke
Finally, we have the backstroke. Unlike the rest of the strokes, you do this one (how surprisingly) on your back. It is a stroke that is also sometimes used to rest during long distance swimming.
Unfortunately, if you swim on your back, you won’t see much of what’s coming, so it’s not recommended if you’re swimming in a large group in open water.
