Mermaid Instructor Certifications

[Mythwoman]

Hey everyone! Ok, I did use the advanced search on this topic before posting but didn't find enough info that helped me other than discussions from 2015. It's 2018 now and I want to know what everyone thinks of www.worldofswimming.org Mermaid Instructor Certifications.

I know some are ok with it and others are not. Real quick, I'm not at all interested in Mermaid USA. I'm interested in being a professional mermaid for entertainment and for education such as endangered marine life and ocean conservation. But I'm also curious about teaching this to kids and adults, and teaching the fitness aspect since I'm a power yoga instructor looking to expand into mermaid fitness. I'm certified with First Aid/CPR/AED, and I'll be training for freediving next month, but haven't done any scuba lessons yet. I understand there's no real certification to be a mermaid but for teaching it as recreation or fitness I won't be comfortable unless I feel that I earned it.

Has anyone taken the Mermaid Instructor program with World of Swimming? What do you think?

Or... if your thoughts are No, what other training do you suggest for those of us wanting to teach recreational fun or mermaid fitness?

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Ask Raina. She's a pro at teaching kids how to mermaid. And she's written books about it too.
https://halifaxmermaids.weebly.com/h...a-mermaid.html

[Echidna]

since there are many different approaches to working as a mermaid, it's up to you what you consider necessary.

Generally, freediving, scuba and of course first aid training are a good start.
Finswimming to help with dolphin technique is another good investment.
If you plan on performing in a mermaid aquarium show, you better be a synchro swimmer with lots of dance and ballet training.

For teaching "mermaid fitness" and such, I'd say get a certification for regular fitness training/yoga/whatever you want to do, and then add your mermaid angle to it. It helps if you already are an experienced mermaid, of course.

The video of the swimming camp looks like fun, anyhow.

[PhaylennMurúch]

So here's the thing. This group claims "The Mermaiding Swimming association, MSA is a governor body for mermaiding sport and recreational swimming in United State of America and Europe." (this is taken directly from the website)

Thing is, they're not. They're not a governing body for mermaiding. There is no governing body.
The MSA charges people $199 a year for 'membership' in this governing body.

There is no standard certification for mermaiding, so getting certified as a mermaid is about as useful as being certified in reading tarot cards

[Mythwoman]

I agree with your thoughts regarding the 'Mermaiding Swimming Association' as I don't care for it either. But if I decide to teach this or make it a side profession and people ask if I'm "certified" to teach being a mermaid (swimming with a monofin properly, swimming comfortably with a fabric tail, etc.) what can I show them to present myself as a legit professional? I'm someone who wants to be brutally honest with everything I do and never claim expertise unless I have legit documented proof or the right connections/referrals.

For certainty I have no plans to open a school. I just want to go to various pools, hotels with pools, resorts, or maybe cruises and teach people looking to add an activity into their lives.

I don't want to mislead anyone.

[Mythwoman]

Hi Echidna,
I'm a certified active power yoga teacher but my worry is that someone will take the 'mermaid fitness' in Michigan and then try my class and assume that one of us doesn't know what they're doing, which might mean me because I'm not a world class swimmer, or a professional mermaid such as Linden Wolbert or having a mermaid model body like Hannah Mermaid. I know people who teach yoga when they're not certified to teach it. I'm start to feel like it should be the same with teaching others to be mermaids.
At the same time I keep hearing 'do this', 'do that', or 'read this', 'follow that' or 'ignore everything'.

I've learned quite a bit of mermaid swimming with a pod in Texas, and my brother works with the Red Cross so he can teach me lifeguard skills now that I'm certified in First Aid/CPR/AEA. I'd like to swim in aquariums that have marine life but not anything like Weeki Wachee.

I'm a very honest and responsible person and I want to be a respected mermaid in the community, not shunned like the lady trying to sell Aqua Mermaid School classes. I don't want to take advantage of others and they ask me what makes me 'certified' I want to be able to give them an honest answer.
So what is recommended from here?

[Mermaid Whisper]

The thing is, even if there was a certification, it would take time for the public to recognize it as an industry standard.

We put trust in the FDA, the CDC, even more obscure ones as the ADI for assistance dogs, but only after years, if not decades, of top-notch information that people come to recognize as reliable. Building a reputation takes time, especially since mermaiding is so new to the average person (though we might say differently).

I don't think you need a certification to prove yourself. However, it might not be a bad idea to learn swim instruction, first aid, etc just to put people's minds at ease, as it can be dangerous when not done sensibly.

Hopefully I make sense, it's after midnight lol.

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[Echidna]

Hi Echidna,
I'm a certified active power yoga teacher but my worry is that someone will take the 'mermaid fitness' in Michigan and then try my class and assume that one of us doesn't know what they're doing, which might mean me because I'm not a world class swimmer, or a professional mermaid such as Linden Wolbert or having a mermaid model body like Hannah Mermaid. I know people who teach yoga when they're not certified to teach it. I'm start to feel like it should be the same with teaching others to be mermaids.
At the same time I keep hearing 'do this', 'do that', or 'read this', 'follow that' or 'ignore everything'.


I'm a very honest and responsible person and I want to be a respected mermaid in the community, not shunned like the lady trying to sell Aqua Mermaid School classes. I don't want to take advantage of others and they ask me what makes me 'certified' I want to be able to give them an honest answer.
So what is recommended from here?

Your attitude is certainly commendable, but like everyone else has pointed out, there is no mermaid related specific official course.
So your best bet is to take the regular, established courses (fitness, yoga, gymnastics, etc) and then work out how to do this with a tail added.
There is a thread about meryoga somewhere on here, take that as inspiration maybe?

Unless you mean to say you want to teach others to do spectacular things and be a mermaid underwater while not being the best swimmer yourself?
Then I can only repeat what I already said: get certified in freediving and maybe finswimming.
Realistically look at yourself and determine whether you feel confident and skilled enough to actually teach others mermaiding?

There is really nothing else that you can do.
It would be nice if there were an official certification, as I've seen quite a few "mermaid teachers" and "pro mermaids" who aren't good at swimming or diving at all, but as of now, there isn't, so people will have to make up their own minds what to offer or to expect.