Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate key performance indicators for the individual pool-based disciplines of competitive lifesaving regarding strength, flexibility, sprint and endurance swimming performance, anthropometric characteristics, and technical skills specific to competitive lifesaving. Data were collected from Swiss national team members (seven males: age 19 ± 2 yrs, body mass 77 ± 11 kg, body height 177 ± 7 cm and seven females age 21 ± 5 yrs, body mass 64 ± 6 kg, body height 171 ± 4 cm) competing at the 2019 European lifesaving championships. Potential key performance indicators were assessed with race times derived from the 2019 long-course season using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Large and significant correlations showed that sprint, i.e., 50 m freestyle performance (r ≥ 0.770), was related to race time of all pool-based disciplines, rather than endurance swimming performance. Additionally, significant correlations revealed upper body strength, i.e., bench press (r ≥ −0.644) and pull (r ≥ −0.697), and leg strength (r ≥ −0.627) as key performance indicators. Importance of the lifesaving-specific skills, anthropometric characteristics, and core strength varied between the disciplines. Flexibility was not significantly related to race times of competitive lifesaving. The present study showed that sprint swimming performance, upper body, and leg strength are particularly important for competitive lifesaving. As other physical and technical requirements varied between the pool-based disciplines, coaches may use the present key performance indicators to establish training guidelines and conditioning programs as well as prioritize skill acquisition in training to specifically prepare athletes for their main disciplines.
Highlights
Introduction published maps and institutional affilLong coastlines at the ocean, a high number of publicly accessible swimming pools and lakes require many well-trained lifeguards all around the world [1]
In order to investigate contribution to individual pool-based disciplines of competitive lifesaving, i.e., 50 m manikin carry, 100 m manikin carry with fins, 100 m manikin tow with fins, and 200 m obstacle race, best race time for each of the disciplines from the 2019 long-course season were extracted and correlated with the potential key performance indicators
As competitive lifesavers require a large variety of skills, i.e., to swim with and without fins, to carry and tow an up to 35 kg heavy manikin across various distances, assessment of key performance indicators for the pool-based disciplines of competitive lifesaving may facilitate long-term athlete development and help to establish training guidelines and conditioning programs
Summary
Introduction published maps and institutional affilLong coastlines at the ocean, a high number of publicly accessible swimming pools and lakes require many well-trained lifeguards all around the world [1]. Educational programs to become a lifeguard require recruits to swim 500 m in less than 13 min in Switzerland (country of origin of the present study) and 200 m in less than 6 min in Australia (one of the best and most professional lifesaving nation) in addition to various diving and towing tasks [2,3]. To motivate lifeguards to continuously improve their physical fitness, competitions with lifesaving-specific disciplines were established [1]. These competitions became a well-recognized sport, especially in the USA, Australia, and. The fitness level of these elite competitive lifesavers may go far beyond the requirements of iations
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