Occupational fitness standards for beach lifeguards. Phase 2: the development of an easily administered fitness test.
BACKGROUND
No task-based fitness standard currently exists for beach lifeguards (BLGs).


OBJECTIVE
To formulate an easily administered fitness test for BLGs based on the physical demands identified in Phase 1 of the project (previous paper).


METHODS
A range of anthropometric and land- and water-based (swimming pool and flume) fitness assessments were administered to 25 male and female volunteer subjects (13 BLGs from the UK).


RESULTS
The mean (SD) VO(2max) (l/min) were 3.04 (0.61) for towing a casualty, 2.08 (0.53) for board paddling with a casualty and 2.97 (0.67) for freestyle swimming. A significant correlation (r = -0.82, P < 0.001) was identified between distance paddled in the sea in 3.5 min (established in Phase 1) and pool 400-m front crawl swim time and between towing VO(2max) and deltoid circumference/log(10) 400-m front crawl swim time (r = -0.83, P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The regression identified allows the conclusion that if a BLG can swim 400-m front crawl in a pool in <7.5 min, he/she should be able to paddle 310 m in the sea in <3.5 min. Final recommendations for a fitness test for potential BLGs are presented.
Reilly
T
T
Department of Sport and Exercise Science, Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, UK. tara.reilly@port.ac.uk
Iggleden
C
C
Gennser
M
M
Tipton
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004739:England; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D018635:Rescue Work; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors