Survival Swimming and Lifesaving practice takes place in a local pool and on Saltdean Beach. Sessions may last longer than the usual dip, so dress up warm and bring an extra change of clothes if you wish to get dry in the break.

The Free Lifesaving Society provides us with free training materials. Check out their website for detailed training instructions and lesson plans.

The more varied your experiences in the water, the better equipped and confident you will be in future. A strong, experienced swimmer who is well prepared is less likely to panic when things go wrong and can be in the position to help others.

Training Syllabus

Training includes water safety, personal survival, rescue skills, resistance training and fun exercises. You'll gain experience of swimming fully clothed, falling out of a canoe, climbing onto windsurfers, jumping in, diving and other fun.

Survival swimming sessions are based on the Dutch "Zwem ABC", which provides the best introduction into aquatic survival we have found so far. We've added a few bits to make it more fun and more challenging.

Lifesaving training consists of the best elements from British, Dutch and German lifesaving courses with a focus on realism rather than a rigid plan. It involves some theory and lots of practice in the water.

Awards and Certificates

We don't issue any awards, only a "Certificate of Survival" should you make it through our training in one piece.

If you wish to take a professional lifeguard exam we can get you fit for the course and then put you in touch with a local lifeguard organisation.