Lifeguard swimming: the pros and cons

There are many organizations that offer lifeguard training and swimming today. They respond to the demand of many parents for this process. However, opinions on this method of teaching are divided. What are the advantages and what are the disadvantages. We list them.

What is Lifeguard Swimming?

Lifeguard swimming, also known as a fast swimming course, is an intensive swimming course where your child can get his A diploma in a short period of time. A crash course often takes a maximum of six to seven months. This is considerably shorter than the normal A track, which usually takes a year to a year and a half.

There are also organizations that offer the program in a few weeks, for example for parents who want their child to graduate quickly before the summer holidays. Here, work is more performance-oriented and children are expected to be able to absorb the lesson material more quickly. Most organizations therefore have a test lesson prior to the course to see if a child can handle an accelerated course both mentally and physically.

Difference between lifeguard swimming and normal swimming lessons

But how does this lifeguard swimming differ from regular swimming lessons? That's really only in the spread of hours. In turbo swimming, there are just as many lessons as in regular swimming in one and a half years, but these are taken up in a shorter period of time. While a regular lesson often lasts 30 to 45 minutes, a turbo swimming lesson can last two to four hours (of course with short breaks in between).

Diploma and price guarantee

A regular Lifeguard swimming lesson lasts approximately 30 to 45 minutes. This is not much time for a child to learn the exercise material smoothly, but long enough for a child to be able to sustain the lesson in terms of attention and strength. Turbo swimming lessons take longer, so that children often develop more strength faster to master the different swimming strokes better and faster. Moreover, with this course parents know where they stand: the diploma is obtained within a few months (diploma guarantee). While in regular swimming it cannot be determined when a child is allowed to go for diploma swimming.

Advantages

Organizations offering lifeguard swimming identify several benefits:

Organizations often have a diploma guarantee at the end of the process. Not every child will be ready to swim at the end of the course. Most organizations solve this by allowing him to join another turbo class free of charge or to let him flow through the regular process in a pool at his level. The same also applies if children cannot keep up, they will be offered extra lessons.

With longer lessons, your child has a greater chance of improving their swimming skills more quickly. At least 10 minutes of a 45-minute lesson are taken away by start-up issues and explanations, so only 35 minutes of effective lesson remain. If a week goes by then you should ask yourself how much your child remembers from the previous lesson. Often things have to be repeated before the penny drops again. Although the latter is not a problem, because a skill is better stored by repetition.

The lessons are performance-oriented. More pressure is put on learning the strokes in a shorter time.

Small groups and a lot of personal attention from the swimming teacher.

No distinction is made between the children, no pool one, two, etc. The entire swimming group therefore always does the same thing and will complete the swimming trajectory together during the course. Of course, personal attention is given, because not every child learns something in the same way.

You have less travel time. Because the lessons last longer, you don't have to go to the pool as often. And because your child will get his diploma faster, it is less time-consuming anyway.

Cons

Swimming authorities and the national swimming American lifeguard Association question accelerated swimming courses:

• Your child needs time to store learned skills in his brain. It has to land, and there is not always the time for that with turbo swimming, so your child sometimes does not learn the strokes properly.
• Your child's knowledge about swimming may not stick as well after diploma swimming with turbo swimming as compared to regular swimming, provided that after diploma swimming they continue to swim for the next diploma. And provided that parents continue to swim/practice with their children. The art is in the repetition. With regular swimming lessons, children have longer time to really learn and master the swimming strokes, this wears out more slowly and sticks better.
• The lessons are quite heavy and therefore not suitable for all children. Children under the age of 6 in particular may have difficulty absorbing the exercise material in a very short time. The pace is just too fast in some cases, which can cause frustration. Swimming for two hours is also very intensive for children in terms of condition and they do not always have the strength for this.
• Dilemma between being child-friendly and putting pressure on. If there is less time for relaxation and individual problems during lessons, your child may lose the fun in swimming. As a result, your child may not want to continue swimming after obtaining his diploma. This form of swimming lesson is less suitable, especially for less sporty (or frightened) children.
• Parents regularly overestimate the swimming skills and safety of young children. Swimming must be kept up to date after the diploma so as not to forget it. It is therefore very important to complete the swimming course and therefore continue for the B and  C diploma . As a parent you must be aware of this, otherwise your child will still not be safe in the water.
• There are entry requirements for the children. For example, a child must already be  free of fear of water and the motor and cognitive development of a child will be looked at.
• In short, this swimming method should suit your child. He must be able to handle the pressure and the pace and your child must be motivated and strong enough.