Lifeguard jobs require you to be strong, fit and able to swim. No matter what kind of lifeguard you decide to be (beach or pool), you need to start a training program. You have to be able to swim and swim well. Not only is your life at risk but also the victims you are privileged to save.
Lifeguard Apparel
Training programs start with the right clothing. Choosing the right lifeguard apparel can increase or decrease your speed. Both Men’s lifeguard boardshorts, or women’s lifeguard swimsuits can fall off in the waves, restrict arm movement, cause rashes, and become transparent over time. Baggy lifeguard apparel without draining pockets create drag and slow you down. That is why proper lifeguard apparel is dire.
Women’s Lifeguard Swimsuits
Our lifeguard store carries a variety of one piece and two-piece lifeguard swimsuits made for competitive women. They are made from top quality materials; and they fit right and stay on through the roughest conditions. The X-Back Elite a one-piece lifeguard swimsuit and the Surf Bikini a two-piece lifeguard swimsuit are both durable, outrageously comfortable, and are double lined with cute thin straps.
Men’s Lifeguard Boardshorts and Trunks
For those men who prefer board shorts our lifeguard boardshorts come with a rash free guarantee, have self-draining pockets and are made with ultra-soft nonabrasive material. The hottest trend for male lifeguards this year is the more efficient Watermen Short or boardshort liner worn under their lifeguard boardshorts. These boardshort liners, also known as compression shorts are made for the water, workouts and competitions. Watermen compression shorts help stabilize the joints and keep muscles warm, preventing muscle strain. Research shows that the compression shorts help decrease the heart rate and the lactic build up in athletes, therefore reducing the time it takes for muscles to repair themselves.
Note: Keeping your muscles warm before and after workouts or competitions is very important. Jumping in water with cold muscles can create all kinds of muscular problems. Remember cold muscles equal slower swim times and cramped muscles.
Male lifeguards, especially in winter often wear rashguards to help keep the upper body warm.
Physical Lifeguard Training
Swim Strokes
The two most commonly used strokes in competitions are the freestyle and breast stroke. You may choose any style stoke you feel most comfortable with, but the freestyle stroke known as the front crawl is the most common and is the fastest. Beginners who are uncomfortable in the water need to practice this stroke. The freestyle stroke burns around 500-700 calories an hour with moderate to high intensity.
Using the breaststroke in practice will build strength in your shoulders, legs, hamstrings, triceps, inner thighs, and builds strong chest muscles. This breaststroke is performed while you are on your chest, and you swim without moving your trunk. This breaststroke burns approximately 720 calories in an hour.
Developing Your Own Technique
Your personal technique can improve your time, and increases your endurance. Simple improvements can be made just by changing the position of your hands and feet. Your swim stroke should be pulled straight back as you roll on your side, and take a breath, and your elbow should come straight up by your ear as it reenters the water. You want to extend and glide as much as you can with each stroke. Make sure you stretch your body out and roll slightly as you reach forward. Using a pair of lifeguard fins will teach you to use your upper leg and glut muscles, creating a more powerful kick rather than using just your knee and foot. Swim fins also help by increasing the flexibility of your ankles. You should also use swimmer’s snorkel, so that you can focus on body rotation and arm strokes with ease.
Do not hold your breath under water while swimming. Instead practice bilateral breathing. You can do this by exhaling when your face enters the water, and blowing out through your mouth.
Note: It is important that the air is blown out slowly, exhaling too fast might obstruct the next inhalation, causing hyperventilation.
Warm-ups
Always remember to do warm up exercises and stretch your joints, and muscles before you enter the water. Three sets of 8 full body squats will warm up hips, legs and back. Rotating the arms forward and backwards in both small and large circles will loosen up the shoulders and bring blood to the arms. Even doing a light jog will help increase oxygen to your muscles. And as always have plenty of fluids handy to keep your body well hydrated.
Weights
The use of weights will help make you stronger. Swimmers improve their performance and endurance by building muscle in their upper body. Remember powerful shoulders and arms propel you through the water. You do not need to use weights daily; remember your body requires rest days to allow the muscles to recover. It is important to develop your own weight strength program and aim to increase repetitions. At home or at the gym you can use standing dumbbells, resistance machines or exercise bands to build muscular strength and endurance.
Diet
A swimmer’s diet needs to combine protein and carbohydrates to ensure there is good muscular growth and endurance.
Pre-workout Meal
A great pre-workout meal is wheat toast with fruit, banana with a little cinnamon has been linked to stabilizing blood sugar, and improving brain function. If bananas aren’t your thing, try yogurt with a ½ a cup of trail mix, or even a yogurt and fruit smoothie
After Workout – Recovery Meal
When you are in recovery mode try grilled chicken with steamed veggies. If you must pan cook the veggies opt for olive oil instead of butter. Another option for those seafood lovers is salmon with sweet potato.
Whatever you choose to eat, just remember this is what will fuel you through to your optimal condition for what comes next, lifeguard certification and testing, which we will discuss in detail, in the next post.
Millions of visitors and locals hit the beaches, lakes, rivers and pools each year. But sometimes we need a little help, and there are lifeguards in place to do just that. No matter what kind of lifeguard you are, your one number task is not rescuing people, instead your main duty is to prevent and protect the public from getting into a dangerous situation in the first place. As a lifeguard, you are constantly looking for potential danger, and your job is to warn people before that danger becomes an issue.
Surveillance, Emergency Care, Maintenance Duties
Lifeguards are responsible for keeping swimmers’ safe, and must be able to intervene in dangerous situations. During lifeguard training, lifeguards learn to identify emergency situations quickly.
Lifeguards caution people against using unsafe areas, or using illegal conduct, such as drinking or fighting. That means as a lifeguard you must be able to remain calm in all situations, if you panic or show fear the victim or the trouble maker will know it.
Beach Lifeguards
Beach lifeguards will warn people about rip currents, remind parents that waves will knock their children down, and to keep your loved ones within view. Beach lifeguards must be proficient in using two-way radios for contact, and coordinate activities between the different emergency rescue units. Beach lifeguards also have to maintain daily information on weather and beach conditions.
Beach lifeguards are constantly scanning the water in a similar pattern as a pool lifeguard, but they have a much larger surface to cover, and can rarely see below the water, so it is important to keep the beach lifeguard vigilant. Most facilities frequently rotate beach lifeguards from station to station to help them stay fresh and alert, and to offer breaks from surveillance responsibilities. Beach lifeguards, as well as pool lifeguards must be distraction-free, that means no cell phones and other items that take their eyes off the water.
Pool Lifeguards
Pool lifeguards keep patrons’ safe around and in the pool, from reminding people to walk, so they avoid slip and fall injuries, to stopping rough housing. They also teach swim lessons, and encourage things like the buddy system to keep you safe. Beach lifeguards supervise the use of water slides, and diving boards (if applicable), as well as pool maintenance, such as checking the swimming pools chlorine and pH levels.
Pool lifeguards scan the water, just like beach lifeguards do, looking for swimmers in trouble. They are trained to make a scanning pattern, by sweeping their eyes side to side or up and down looking at sections of the zone they are responsible for. This scanning method will happen every 10 seconds. It is suggested that they change their posture, position, and pattern every five minutes to keep them aware.
Both Beach and Pool Lifeguards
Provide emergency care and treatment such as CPR, and or use equipment like using spine boards and rescue tubes, as required until the arrival of EMTs. This year in particular beach lifeguards have had to administer first aid for stingray stings, using portable stingray kits.
Both lifeguard types perform various maintenance duties, as directed, to maintain a clean and safe facility.
Both lifeguard types will prepare daily activity reports.
Now that you understand some of the day to day duties of a lifeguard, our next posts will cover what it takes to get through lifeguard training, followed by lifeguard certification and testing, and ending with what to expect at lifeguard tryouts. Once this series is complete, you will have all the information you need to make an advised decision on whether or not becoming a lifeguard is right for you.
The beach is full of people, tourists, locals, professionals, and true watermen. Tourists flood to the beach with cars and wagons piled high with ice chests, towels, chairs and huge umbrellas or shade tents. Tourists wear different clothes; they do different things and have different needs at the beach then the locals, professionals or true watermen. Tourists can be honeymooners, families full of kids, retirees, or tourist from different parts of the country or those from different counties. Each person is unique but they all have the same desires, a happy, safe, fun time at the beach. We have watched decades of people flock to the beach and in doing so have compiled a list of essentials for newbies and tourists heading to the beach.
1) Sunscreen
The number one essential is a great sunscreen. Sunscreen selections can be overwhelming. There are so many choices, UV factors, ingredients, spray-on vs. wipe-on, waterproof or not, and lotions vs. oils. Sunscreen can be a waste of money if it washes off immediately when you go in the water. Get a good sunscreen like SolRx. SolRX was voted best in its class. SolRX sunscreen is medical grade zinc based formula that goes on quick and will last 8 hours with one single application. SolRX sunscreen doesn’t clog the pores like some of the thick and greasy lotions and spray-ons. SolRX is recommended by dermatologists for those with acne or sensitive skin. It is both hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic. It protects baby soft skin as well as aging skin. It doesn’t run and burn the eyes when exposed to the water.
2) Retro Swim Trunks
So, you’re not into the classic board short, try retro swim trunks. Retro swim trunks offer 2 side-seam pockets with mesh gussets for stream lined water flow, so your pockets don’t fill with water and pull your trunks off. The mesh gussets also release air so you don’t get that big balloon look. There are different kinds of mesh liners, rough and brassy and the silky, soft Cool-Plus liners that take the Retro Swim trunks to the highest-level of comfort. The liners are ultra comfortable, supply super support and they wick away moisture, keeping you dry and high. The waist band is elastic and holds up in the waves.
3) Rashguards
Don’t take your kids to the beach in an old t-shirt. They fill with water and can drag your child down in the water. Cotton t-shirts stretch and tangle up in their legs make movement difficult. Sand slips in between the cotton woven fabric and causes terrible rashes on many parts of your child’s body. Rashguards are tightly woven, light weight, breathable, super quick drying beach shirts. Most provide UV protection and some give a rash free guarantee.
Kids also need other things such as swimsuits and hats. Check out the Jr. lifeguard selection of beach wear, it has everything needed to outfit children with top notch, high quality gear that is made to stay up, stay-on, and has UV protection built in.
4) Stingray Kit
There has been an influx of stingrays this year. Be sure to shuffle your feet while you are in the water. If stung get the person’s foot into very hot water immediately. Stingray kits are perfect and easy to use in such an emergency. The stingray kit contains everything you need to make sure the stung person goes without 6 hours of excruciating pain. The stingray kit is light weight and convenient to carry. Every parent should have one.
5) Hats
Besides a huge umbrella, you need shade to stop the sun from beating down on the top your head. A hat also helps block UV rays, as well as sand glare. We have a great selection of hats. They have a variety of comfortable baseball style hats with terrific beach logos. Check out the snapback, trucker and 5 panel style hats. If you want more protection try a Tonga hat, La Palapa hat or Guard Flex visor.
6) Sunglasses
Sunglasses are a personal choice. Make sure they wrap around your eyes and don’t leave areas in which the sun can sneak in and damage your eyes. Spend some money and get glasses that have both 400 UV protection and UVB protection. Polarized glasses reduce the glare coming off the asphalt, sand and water.
These essentials will ensure you have a fun, safe day at the beach. We strive to supply all beachgoers with the perfect gear for the beach.
Here is a list of beach and safety essentials put together by a professional lifeguard. To date, most of the “What to take to the beach?” lists say the same thing, that is why our lifeguards have come up with a comprehensive list we guarantee, you never thought of. And for your convenience, everything is easily found within our lifeguard store.
Prepare for Everything
1) Sting Rays
Every family needs to carry a Stingray Kit with them to the beach, which can be purchases at our lifeguard store. Lifeguards report hundreds of stingray stings all along the coast, thus are warning swimmers to beware of the stingrays when entering the water. Though sting rays are not aggressive, beachgoers are stung by accident more often than you can imagine. Stingray stings are one of the most common dive and beach-related injuries. And if you have ever experienced the sting, you know it needs to be taken care of immediately. The excruciating pain if left unattended will put down even the toughest individual for 6-8 hours.
What should you expect if stung?
The person feels an immediate, sharp, excruciating pain that peaks in 1-2 hours. The wound bleeds. The wounded area may become swollen and may turn blue or red. Lymph nodes may become swollen.
Serious symptoms:jo8
Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Chills
muscle cramps
tremors
paralysis
fainting
seizures
elevated heart rate
decreased blood pressure
Death may even occur, so fast action is needed. By using a Portable Ray RX Stingray Kit from our lifeguard store, you can stop symptoms before they start.
2) Drowning
Lifeguards always say, “Don’t drown your kids with standard heavy cotton t-shirts”, these tend to become heavy and bothersome while swimming. Instead we recommend Rashguards (Surf Shirts), they are light weight and breathable. Rashguards are used by lifeguards and the public against rashes caused by abrasions and nasty sunburns from extended exposure to the sun. Rashguards can be worn by themselves, or under a wetsuit.
3) Rashes
Combining sand, sun, and salt water with surfboards, life vests, or wetsuits create the perfect environment for beastly beach rash. Again, in the lifeguard store our Rashguards or surf shirts provide a barrier between the rash causing elements.
Our lifeguard store also has lower body rashguards. You can wear them under boardshorts, wetsuits or by themselves. At Original Watermen, we created the watermen short (our version of compressions shorts), where we offer a rash-free guarantee, as it is made with antimicrobial odor eliminating fabric.
4) Jelly Fish
Lifeguards deal with jelly fish stings daily. Jelly fish are unseen in the approaching wave; therefore, stings are a common. The tentacles trailing from the jellyfish body inject you with venom from small barbed stingers. Jellyfish stings vary greatly in severity. Getting stung results in immediate pain and red marks on the skin. Some jellyfish stings may cause illness and in rare cases jellyfish stings can cause death. Protection can be improved by putting on a rashguard life the ones we carry at our lifeguard store.
Jelly fish sting
First and foremost, seek emergency medical help if you feel you are having a severe allergic reaction, if the sting is from a box jellyfish or if the sting covers more than half an arm or leg.
What should you do once stung?
Get out of the water
Remove all tentacles by scraping the affected area with a credit card
Immerse the affected arm or leg immediately in hot water for at least twenty minutes
This is another instance where the sting ray kit from our lifeguard store can help, as it contains a self-contained heating system.
Rinse the area with vinegar for at least 30 seconds (If vinegar is not available make a paste of baking soda and water, and apply over the affected area)
5) Sun Danger
Of course, you need sun protection in and out of the water. At the lifeguard store we offer Solrx sunscreen. Solrx was voted best in its class, and lasts 8 hours with one single application, plus it stays on in the water. Solrx sunscreen is recommended by dermatologists and is both hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic.
Don’t forget your hats
We have a wide variety of hats in our lifeguard store. Not only do hats protect your face from the bad (UV) rays of the sun, but a hat also protects your eyes, ears and the top of your head from disease and skin cancer. Extended exposure to the sun’s UV rays has been linked to eye damage, including cataracts and macular degeneration.
How does the sun affect you?
UV rays radiate from the sun and come from many directions and are reflected from the ground, water, snow, sand and other bright surfaces. Sun damage to eyes occurs even on cloudy days as the sun’s rays pass through haze and thin clouds. Protect your eyes from UV rays by wearing a hat and sunglasses. In our lifeguard store, we have a quiver of hats, which offer you an array of options, for any day and any condition.
Now you have a complete list of essential equipment needed for a safe day at the beach, and all can be quickly found on our Original Watermen website and lifeguard store.
Some of the earliest known lifeguard equipment has been around since the early 1900s. One of the most staple pieces of lifeguard equipment, the lifeguard rescue tube or can is a piece that in 1919 was called the Walters Torpedo buoy. It was named after its inventor, Henry Walters, a member of the Red Cross Volunteer Life Saving Corps.
Lifeguard Rescue Tubes/Cans/Buoys
Lifeguard rescue tubes sometimes call rescue cans or buoys are flotation devices that make water rescues easier. The essential marine rescue tube supports both the victim and rescuers weight during the rescue. Lifeguards are required to have their rescue tube within arms distance at all times. In an emergency, the lifeguard will grab their rescue tube and their rescue fins as they run to assist the victim.
No doubt the lifeguard rescue tube is one of the most famous pieces of lifeguard. The lifeguard rescue tube was used during World War II by the Germans. These rescue tubes or cans were scattered and tossed into the English Channel for downed Luftwaffe flyers. These rescue tubes saved many German airmen. The rescue tube has been modified over the years. It was redesigned back in 1960 and has been the fundamental lifesaving tool for conscious multiple victim rescues ever since. The rescue tubes are still the number one piece of lifeguard equipment used throughout the world.
Lifeguard Fins
Doubtful a day goes by that you see a lifeguard without this piece of lifeguard equipment; lifeguard fins are designed for greater propulsion through the water with minimal effort. Leonardo da Vinci was a true Watermen and thought the human feet were too small to be useful in water so toyed with the idea of a swim fin. But it was Benjamin Franklin who made a pair of wooden hand fins as a young boy. In 1914 the modern swim fins were invented by a Frenchmen Louis de Corlieu, a Lieutenant Commander in the French Navy. After leaving the Navy in 1924 he spent the next 9 years developing and perfecting two fins for the feet and two spoon shaped fins for the hands. He patented these two unique fins and when translated from French the fins were called, swimming and rescue propulsion devices.
The present day legendary fin is now constructed and shaped for maximum surf performance from dual density rubber with a soft rubber foot pocket and a stiff blade. Lifeguard rescue fins are non-marking and full-floating, and are hydro-dynamically designed for greater propulsion. Lifeguard fins typically have a shorter blade, grip for jetty rescues and floats well. Lifeguards have been known to run in deep sand with this fin. Duck Feet lifeguard fins are also highly acclaimed and a coveted fin since its inception from SEALS to the seasoned beach lifeguards.
Our favorite lifeguard swim fin here at Original Watermen is Da Fins lifeguard swim fin. It is one of the best fins for all beach lifeguard agencies. These fins will actually float and wash in, if lost in the water. Da Fins Work well with jetty rescues and cobble hopping.
Lifeguard Backboards
Finally, probably the most evolved piece of lifeguard equipment is the rescue lifeguard backboard. Its beginning in 1979 has progressed from a slab of wood with sinew leather straps to secure the injured victim, to a heavy-duty polyethylene shell, that is x-ray translucent. The early rescue backboards, or sometimes called spine boards were constructed of cheap, poorly sealed, porous wood. The inexpensive sheets of plywood also absorbed fluids, so with the rise of HIV and other infectious diseases, plastic and aluminum three-part composite boards were created.
Is your lifeguard equipment outdated and of poor or unacceptable quality? Or is your lifeguard equipment in need of replacement? If you answered yes to either of those questions, take some time to visit our lifeguard store, and update your lifeguard equipment. At Original Watermen, we carry everything you need, as we were created by lifeguards, for lifeguards.
Millions of visitors and locals hit the beaches, lakes, rivers and pools each year. But sometimes we need a little help, and there are lifeguards in place to do just that. No matter what kind of lifeguard you are, your one number task is not rescuing people, instead your main duty is to prevent and protect the public from getting into a dangerous situation in the first place. As a lifeguard, you are constantly looking for potential danger, and your job is to warn people before that danger becomes an issue.
3) Rashguards
