The Basics That Actually Matter
Most people show up to lifeguard training completely wrong. They pack everything except what they need and forget things like the sunscreen situation until they're already burning on the pool deck. Here is what you need to bring and what you need to have on your body when you walk in. Your swimsuit is non-negotiable. You will be in the water constantly—rescue drills, endurance swims, chain pulls, the whole routine. If you wear board shorts with a loose baggy fit, you will be fighting fabric the entire time. A jammers-style suit or a tight-fitting speedo keeps things out of your face and out of your way. I can tell you from experience that spending 45 minutes of a rescue simulation tugging at your waistband every time you do a breath hold under a tube is a good way to fail that portion of the test. Flip-flops are your only sane footwear. You will have hours on concrete, tile, the pool deck, sometimes sand if there is an outdoor component. Sneakers get soaked and never dry, sandals with straps get lost in the water, and going barefoot is a liability since broken glass and sharp debris are real problems around pool areas. Crocs get destroyed by chlorine. Rubber flip-flops with a back strap last forever and drain water instantly.
What To Wear To Lifeguard Training
A lightweight long-sleeve rash guard or UPF shirt over your swimsuit is one of those things people argue about but should just do. The sun is brutal when you're stationary and watching for an hour straight. Your shoulders will peel if you don't protect them. The shirt also doubles as a barrier against the rough pool surface during crawl strokes and floor rescues. Quick-dry material matters because a cotton shirt that soaks up pool water becomes heavy and chafes within twenty minutes. Shorts are straightforward. Athletic shorts, not baggy cargo shorts with pockets that fill with water and weigh five pounds by the end of the day. A simple pair of gym shorts that hit above the knee works fine. If the training center requires a specific uniform shirt, they usually hand that out on day one, but confirm before you show up.
Stuff You Will Regret Forgetting
Sunscreen is one item. But here is the thing nobody tells you: you need two kinds. One for your face and neck that stays on when you sweat, and one for your body that you reapply between drill rotations. Regular body sunscreen washes off in fifteen minutes of active swimming. I found this out the hard way at a municipal pool certification where the instructor made us run tower drills under direct sun for three straight hours. I used regular SPF 50 on my arms and ended up with burns on the exact lines where my swimsuit straps sat and exposed skin around them. After that I switched to a sports-grade stick for my face and a water-resistant lotion for my body, and the difference was immediately noticeable. A large towel and a second dry towel. You will sweat through one just standing in line for equipment. The second one is for drying off before you head home because sitting in wet gear for an hour after training makes you miserable and can cause rashes around your groin and under your arms from the chlorine mixing with sweat. Goggles are required for the swimming evaluation portion. A basic pair from any sporting goods store is fine. Don't bring cheap novelty goggles that fog up after three laps. The swim test usually involves a 500-yard continuous swim and you cannot afford to be swimming blind because your goggles fogged. I always keep a defog solution or even just a bit of saliva on the inside of the lenses before I put them on. It sounds gross but it works better than half the products sold at the pool.
Get the Full Details
A Nalgene-style water bottle. Training gets long. Six to eight hours depending on the course. You will sweat more than you realize. Dehydration sets in quietly and by the time you feel it you are already slower, more prone to cramping, and less alert for the land-based portions of the curriculum. Half a gallon minimum carried throughout the day. Refill it whenever there is a break.
Things People Bring That Are Useless
Books to read while waiting are common. Most certification courses are too tight for reading unless you count memorizing the AED steps, which they expect you to already know before you start. Bring a printed copy of the quizlet or study guide they recommended instead. Folding paper works better on a narrow tray table than a phone does when your hands are wet. A full change of street clothes can be worth it if the training runs late and you have somewhere to go afterward. But most people bring an entire outfit they never end up wearing because they are already showered and cleaned up by the time it is over. A clean t-shirt and shorts in a dry bag is sufficient. Leave the jeans at home. Laptop bags, large backpacks, anything bulky. Storage is usually minimal and you will be moving equipment around constantly. A small gym bag or duffel is easier to manage. If you need to carry training materials, a slim backpack that sits flat on a bench is fine. Stuff that sticks out catches on rescue tubes and mannequins.
One Detail Nobody Talks About
Ear protection if you are prone to swimmer's ear. The combination of chlorinated water, physical exertion, and repeated submersion during rescue drills creates the exact conditions for outer ear infections. I started using custom-molded silicone earplugs after my third training session ended with me unable to sleep because my ear canal was throbbing. They cost about sixty dollars online and last for years. Cheap foam plugs fall out during T-tests and rescue carries, so the molded kind are worth the upfront cost. Also, consider lip balm with SPF. Your lips crack faster than you expect when you are breathing hard through your mouth in cold water and then exposed to sun and wind on the tower. It sounds minor until it becomes a real problem halfway through a fourteen-hour certification course. The bottom line is that this training is physically demanding and the gear you wear affects your performance more than you think. Start with a tight swimsuit, flip-flops, a long-sleeve rash guard, sunscreen for face and body, goggles you actually trust, a big water bottle, and two towels. Everything else is optional but getting it right early saves you from having an uncomfortable second day.
