How to Increase Endurance as a Lifeguard
Lifeguarding requires all kinds of skills — both physical and mental — like strength, power, and endurance, to name a few. For lifeguards who spend several hours on shifts, endurance is key. Not only do you have to be in tip-top shape to move with agility and strength, but you have to be able to do that at any hour of the day. Looking to improve your endurance? Start here.
What is endurance?
First things first, what’s endurance? Sometimes known as stamina, endurance is defined as: the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions.
It probably comes as no surprise that lifeguarding requires a tremendous amount of endurance, just like any water sport that keeps you going for hours on end.
How do you develop endurance?
For starters, it’s something you can acquire and hone over time. That’s great news! The key is to push yourself outside of your comfort zone, with the caveat that it needs to be done strategically and thoughtfully. You can’t push yourself to the point of harm, but you need to be exercising harder each time. Otherwise, you’ll plateau in your current state.
For example, if you’re working toward a marathon, you need to be advancing farther distance-wise as you progress in your running journey.
How do you improve endurance?
Developing endurance is step 1. The next step is improving it, which takes time. Part of improving it is continuing to push yourself, which is how you developed your endurance in the first place!
In addition to that, it’s important to cross-train and mix it up. Make sure to vary your workout routines so that you’re using different muscles and breathing patterns. Your fitness will transfer from one type of exercise to another, but it’s critical that you continue to push yourself in different areas to fortify that endurance.
One of the most invaluable skills for lifeguards is endurance — so that you can think and act with strength and agility throughout the day. Some days are longer than others, so it’s important you start building up your endurance so you’re ready for anything that comes your way.
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