400m Training

moosejoose

Hi im traing to renew my beach life guard and i have to be able to swim 400m in 8 minutes, got it the last time but only just, and im just wondering what ye think would be the best way to go about it? Swim short distences fast, long distances slow, 400m in one go, do it in bits?

Killgore Trout

moosejoose wrote: »

Hi im traing to renew my beach life guard and i have to be able to swim 400m in 8 minutes, got it the last time but only just, and im just wondering what ye think would be the best way to go about it? Swim short distences fast, long distances slow, 400m in one go, do it in bits?

Kind of all of the above. Getting your mileage up will improve stamina and strength. Breaking 400m down to 4 * 100m will help you work on your time and get a better idea of what pace you'll need to swim over your exam. 400M time trial will let you know how you're getting on with your target time.

How much training can you do weekly? When's the exam - Middle of May? So if you get working this week you'll have four or five weeks to get your time down if you're willing to get two or three sessions in weekly. Do you have access to a pool?

Can do up a plan for you if you like

jarmstrong001

What timed swims did you do to get the beach lifeguard award?
On this web page
http://www.iws.ie/lifeguard-page45491.html
it says
400 metres swim consisting of 200 metres Front Crawl and 200 metres Breast Stroke. (Time not more than 10 minutes.)
and
Candidate will run 400 metres along the beach to waters edge carrying a Can Buoy or Rescue Tube and Fins. Swim to a marker 100 metres from waist depth and return to shoreline within 8 minutes.
but this web page says
http://www.lifeguardsireland.com/blg_syllabus.pdf
D1 Timed Swim
• In swim wear, swim 400m in 8 minutes or less. The
200m time will also be recorded.
Goggles may be worn.

Was there a timed breaststroke swim in you beach lifeguard test?

Thanks
J Armstrong

Killgore Trout

You're looking at two different certifying bodies - the Irish water safety and the Royal Life Saving Society.

TBH in the case of the IWSA award think they'd be too bothered if you went for the 400M with front crawl only.

Third - you're not thinking about the TEST for the County council lifeguarding jobs? For that you must already have one of the above Beach lifeguard awards and do a timed swim - usually 75M - a tow 75M and methods and resus.

jarmstrong001

OK thanks. I have been looking into doing this test recently and was confused as to why there were 2 different requirements. Might stick with RLSS rather than try to learn the breaststroke!
Are both the qualifications equivalent and valid in Ireland and abroad?

J Armstrong

Covenline

You could try this

https://jobs.rnli.org.uk/assets/pdfs-blg/Fitness_Training_Programme.pdf

The RNLI expects its Lifeguards to be able to do a 400m swim in under 7.5. This is a programme designed to get you under 7.5