Lifeguard training equips individuals with the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to safeguard lives, ensuring the safety and well-being of those enjoying aquatic environments.

Swimming seems to be getting more and more popular. More and more people are starting to swim because of all the benefits this workout has . But also because they want to do a triathlon, for example, or because it is a great sport to combine with fitness and/or running. 

As a swimmer, I think it's super nice to see that more and more people are starting with this sport. And that I also get more and more questions about swimming. Including the question if I have any tips for swimming faster. So hence this article.

In principle, you can also swim laps yourself without a trainer and without a schedule. But as soon as you really want to make progress, a number of things are important. The most important thing is your technique. I often get the question “What should I do to swim faster” .

 To which my standard answer is often: “ Swimming is a highly technical sport and your technique is the basis of your speed, so by all means work on your technique. ” And if you have mastered this, you can get started yourself with the tips below to swim faster!

5 tips to swim faster

1. Interval swim sessions

In line with making the sets, you can of course also vary your swimming speeds during these sets. Just like running, interval training is also very suitable for working on your speed in swimming. But just like in running, you don't necessarily have to do interval sets every training. 

Just try to grab an interval session every now and then. Interval training is heavier than 'normal' training and has more impact on your body than most people think. An occasional interval swim workout will definitely improve your speed.

Lifeguard training is a rigorous and comprehensive program that prepares individuals to be vigilant guardians of water safety, equipped with essential lifesaving skills and the ability to act swiftly and decisively in critical situations.

There are plenty of options in terms of variation. For example, swim the distances within a set alternately hard and soft. Or swim the first 2 max of every 4 lanes and the second 2 relaxed. You can also swim sets in a pyramid shape (start relaxed, work towards a maximum speed and decrease again until you finish relaxed). 

You can also organize sets in a constructive way, for example doing 4 x 4 jobs of which the first 4 can be done at 50% of you, the second 4 jobs at 60%, the third 4 at 70% and the last 4 at your maximum speed. The same can of course also be done in reverse.

For more ideas you can also take a look at the swimming schedule for beginners.

2. Technique

Keep working on your technique at all times. That is the basis of your speed. So it is not bad at all to cover much less meters than normal in a training because you focus on your technique. Keep practicing your technique yourself or take lessons. 

Lessons are given in almost every swimming pool and in almost every place where they have a swimming pool there is also a swimming club where you can register and take lessons at every level.

3. Efficiency exercises

Of course you want to make as many meters as possible with as little effort as possible. Of course your technique is the most important for this. But you can practice this yourself very well with efficiency exercises. 

For example, try to stay in streamline during the front crawl and only start pulling with your right arm once it has touched your left arm (we call that making up).

Another exercise that is often used for this is counting your strokes. Often you use more strokes than actually necessary. Try to get to the other side in fewer strokes each time! If you keep practicing this you will see that it works and you will swim more efficiently.

A third exercise is to swim with your fists instead of with your hands open and fingers stretched out. That way you don't go faster, but you feel very well what is happening and what the difference is. Feel what you are doing with your arms and then swim 'normally' again. You will see that afterwards you also get more speed from your regular stroke.

4. Work on parts

Most beginners actually only swim full stroke when they start swimming. But it is also good to train your arms, legs and posture separately. You may have a lot of trouble with the front crawl arms while swimming with your legs is actually quite good. It is good to be able to fully focus on that arm stroke without using your legs. 

You can do this with the help of a pull-boy or plank between your legs. The other way around is also possible, you use a board for your arms and only swim with your legs. Ultimately, the combination will also improve if you control the individual parts better.

Moreover, you always train your body within a certain zone, so that the range remains limited. If you increase your training range, i.e. train in different heart rate zones, you will eventually also increase your speed. 

So you need very heavy training such as interval training where you really go all the way and (almost) reach your maximum heart rate, but also training where you swim laps at a very relaxed pace and can still breathe calmly and have a steady heartbeat.

5. Combine swimming with core (stability) training

As with many other sports, your core is an important factor in swimming. With a strong back and belly, your position in the water is much better. And your posture is one of the most important things in swimming. 

The moment lying in the right position costs you less energy because you have a strong core, swimming in itself costs you much less energy and you can focus even better on the technique of, for example, your breathing, legs or arms . And in the end it is therefore easier to swim faster.