Pass the Junior Lifeguard Test!
Receive Endurance and Speed Training
Fix Bad Freestyle Technique
Learn Proper Breathing
Learn 100 Yard Race Strategy
Improve Touch Turns and Wall Push-Offs
Swimphi specializes in private lessons and classes tailored to help swimmers pass the Junior Lifeguard Test. Our approach emphasizes thorough training in swimming techniques and endurance, aiming to help participants meet the qualifying times for their age categories. We also offer coaching on crucial skills like effective breathing, turning, and race strategy. For the best results, we suggest beginning your training in December, which gives you a four-month period to prepare before the tests start in March and April.
Feel free to share this information with other families who might be interested in Junior Lifeguard preparation.
IMPORTANT - Don’t wait until the last minute! Every year, we see students join our program in March for an April test - leaving very little time for the necessary technical adjustments. To the right is a real example showing how much time we need to shave off in a very short period. Please sign up early. Worst case scenario, your child can pass the test now and then maintain their skills until the actual test.
Which is best for my child: Private Lessons or Group Classes? If your child needs improvement in freestyle technique or is 20 seconds or more off the test time, we strongly recommend starting with private lessons. Once they build a solid foundation, it’s a good idea to transition into group classes. For strong swimmers within 10 seconds of the qualifying time, group classes are an excellent fit.
Junior Lifeguard Private Lessons
Prerequisite: Swimmers must be able to swim 50 yards Freestyle without stopping.
Where: Burns Recreation Center, 1 LMU Drive MS 8500, Los Angeles, CA 90045. Directions, Parking and Pool access can be found here.
When: Private lessons are offered December through April on Sunday afternoons.
Ages: 8 years and up.
Equipment needed: Swim Suit, Goggles, and Swimming Cap (if you have long hair). Equipment recommendations can be found at our Shop.
Price: $60 per 30-minute class (billed monthly). Lessons are a recurring monthly membership and are billed at the beginning of each month (the first month is prorated). The price is calculated and billed for the number of classes that month. For example, your class is on a Monday and there are 5 Mondays in the month. Price of class x number of classes in that month = amount billed for that month.
Annual Registration Fee: There is a $35 annual registration fee per student collected at initial registration and annually on the anniversary month.
Junior Lifeguard Group Classes
Prerequisite: Swimmers must be able to swim 50 yards Freestyle without stopping.
Where: Burns Recreation Center, 1 LMU Drive MS 8500, Los Angeles, CA 90045. Directions, Parking and Pool access can be found here.
When: Classes are available from December through April on Sundays 4pm-5pm.
Ages: 8 years and up.
Equipment needed: Goggles, adult kickboard, adult pull buoy and silicon cap (if you have long hair). Equipment recommendations can be found at our Shop.
Price: $30.00 per 60-minute class (billed monthly). Lessons are a recurring monthly membership and are billed at the beginning of each month (the first month is prorated). The price is calculated and billed for the number of classes that month. For example, your class is on a Monday and there are 5 Mondays in the month. Price of class x number of classes in that month = amount billed for that month.
Annual Registration Fee: There is a $35 annual registration fee per student collected at initial registration and annually on the anniversary month.
The Comparison: Why Choose Swimphi?
Local City Programs (The "Yardage" Model)
High Student-Teacher Ratios: Often 15–20 students per instructor, meaning your child gets less than 2 minutes of individual attention.
"Distance Over Detail": Focuses on swimming laps to build volume, often overlooking the technical flaws that keep kids from hitting qualifying times.
One-Size-Fits-All: The class moves at the speed of the average swimmer; if your child is struggling with a specific turn or breathing rhythm, the class won't stop.
Seasonal Scheduling: Limited dates that often start too close to the test, leaving no room for error.
The Swimphi Advantage (The "Technique" Model)
One-on-One or Small Groups: 100% focused attention ensures that every stroke is monitored and corrected in real-time.
Data-Driven Progress: We focus on "shaving seconds" by fixing high-impact areas like wall push-offs, touch-turns, and race strategy.
Customized Pace: If your child is 20 seconds off, we prioritize power; if they are 5 seconds off, we prioritize efficiency and pacing.
Year-Round Prep: We recommend starting in December to build a stress-free foundation, rather than scrambling in March.
If there's a community where you'd like us to introduce this program, please let us know. You can reach out to us through our contact page. Thank you.
Junior Lifeguard Summer Camp
The Junior Lifeguard Program, hosted each summer by the LA County Fire Department’s Lifeguard Division, requires participants to pass a challenging swim test to qualify. For more information about the program and the latest details on eligibility and testing, please visit: https://fire.lacounty.gov/junior-lifeguard-program/
In order to become a JG, your child must complete a 100-yard pool swim test under:
1:50 minutes for 9-to-11-year-olds - C Group
1:40 minutes for 12-to-13-year-olds - B Group
1:30 minutes for 14-to-17-year-olds - A Group
JLG swim tests take place in March and April. We suggest that students begin training in December to ensure they have enough time to achieve the qualifying time. We also recommend your child to be ready by the first test date because the sooner a child passes, the more likely he or she will be assigned to his or her beach of choice.