3 Reasons Lifeguarding Class Will Change the Way You Think About lifeguarding
Lifeguarding is one of the most popular sports and many people like it, at least as a leisure activity. Especially in summer, when the hot weather encourages us to cool off in a lake, reservoir or pool. In winter, the various indoor pools and wellness hotels come into question, or those who like cold water therapy will definitely take advantage of the frozen lakes.
Swimming is not only fun, but also has many health benefits and keeps you fit. First, one of the main benefits of lifeguarding class is that it works many muscles. In addition, almost anyone can do it, regardless of body weight, as it puts less strain on the joints compared to other sports. Neither age nor physical condition limits swimming. This movement can also be performed by those who suffer from musculoskeletal pain and cannot run because of this. But you have to follow the correct technique, because breaststroke with your head up, for example, is not good for your body.
Why should you swim? 8 benefits that will make your life better
Below, we list 8 benefits of swimming that will make you want to jump into the pool today.
1. Better sleep
The benefits of lifeguarding class, which is an aerobic physical activity, can be seen in many areas of life. Numerous studies have shown that sleep is no exception. A shorter, 16-week study was conducted on, for example, sedentary elderly people suffering from insomnia. The group that did regular aerobic physical activity, including swimming, had better results in terms of sleep length and quality, as well as overall vitality.
At the same time, swimming, like other sports, can help reduce stress, and high stress can have a negative effect on sleep. The best part is that you can only experience this effect when you are working out. I’m sure you feel that you sleep better after training and problems are less overwhelming. [1 – 2]
If you want to immerse yourself in the topic, be sure to read How to fall asleep quickly? Try these simple tips for better sleep.
2. Losing weight is easier
Most people probably know that swimming can help burn a pretty serious amount of calories. However, few people know that it can be just as effective as running, which for many is boring and perhaps less attractive.
If you think the same about running, our following article may convince you otherwise: Is running boring? We will tell you how you can like it and how you can continuously improve
Of course, it’s only natural that everyone likes different physical activities. However, if your goal is to lose a few pounds, lifeguarding class swimming can be not only fun, but also an effective way to do so. To move from theory to practice, it is best to illustrate the calorie-burning benefits of swimming with a concrete example. The MET values (Metabolic equivalence) can help us in this, thanks to which we can calculate approximate values ourselves. It expresses the energy used during the given physical activity compared to rest.
One MET represents the difficulty of doing nothing for one hour. So, for example, if the MET value is 3, it means that during the given activity we burn 3 times more calories than if we were just lying on the couch. This means that, for example, a 70 kg man burns 70 kcal while lying on the couch for an hour (MET = 1). However, if you did MET 10 physical activity, you would burn 700 kcal, which is already a decent amount. [3]
For swimming, the values can be found in the table below, which illustrates the example of an average 65 kg woman and an average 80 kg man. If you want to customize them and find out approximately how many calories you’ll burn, here’s the calculation:
As you can see in the table, the calorie consumption during lifeguard depends on the specific type of swimming. However, other factors must be taken into account, not only body weight and duration, but also intensity. These factors affect the total amount of calories burned, so they should only be understood as guidelines, not set in stone. All values refer to one hour of continuous activity at the given intensity.
If you want to diversify your swimming training and thereby even support calorie burning, try HIIT. Alternatively, you can swim every 5th workout at 80% of maximum intensity. Of course, you also have to keep in mind how well you can swim and what your health is like.
Also Read About: These are 8 Benefits of Lifeguard swimming for Physical and Mental Health
3. Makes you more flexible
It’s true that lifeguard and swimming doesn’t stretch your muscles like yoga or Pilates, but it’s still a great way to stretch. The maximum range of motion during swimming can effectively stretch tight muscles, which thus become more flexible. It is also important from a health point of view – for example, for people with upper crossed syndrome. This occurs when the upper fibers of the pectoral muscles and trapezius shorten, while the intrascapular muscles weaken. Regular lifeguard and swimming can help solve this and contribute to better posture and mobility of the affected joints. [5]
