Effects of a physical and technical training program on lifeguard performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v80.119024Keywords:
aerobic capacity, physical training, rescue techniques, lifesavingAbstract
Introduction: Lifeguard training programs have evolved toward approaches that combine physical and technical training, improving preparedness for real rescue situations. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a structured program designed to enhance physical performance in swimming and rescue tests.
Methods: Thirty lifeguards participated in an 8-week training program consisting of 32 sessions that combined aerobic and anaerobic training with rescue techniques. General freestyle swimming tests and specific rescue tests with and without fins were assessed before and after the program. A mixed ANOVA was applied to examine the effects of time, sex, and their interaction, considering body mass as a covariate. Effect size was calculated using partial eta squared (η²ₚ). Results: Significant improvements were observed in most of the general and specific rescue tests (p < 0.05; η²ₚ = 0.147–0.228), with large effect sizes at short and medium distances. Men showed higher performance values; however, the time × sex interaction was not significant, indicating that both sexes improved similarly.
Conclusions: The combined training program effectively improved swimming and rescue performance regardless of sex. These findings support the implementation of multifaceted training programs to optimize the operational performance of lifeguards.
References
Abelairas-Gómez, C., Barcala-Furelos, R., Mecías-Calvo, M., Rey-Eiras, E., López-García, S., Costas-Veiga, J., Bores-Cerezal, A., & Palacios-Aguilar, J. (2017). Prehospital emergency medicine at the beach: What is the effect of fins and rescue tubes in lifesaving and cardiopulmonary resuscitation after rescue? Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 28(3), 176–184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2017.05.003
Abraldes, J. A., Rodríguez-Suárez, N., Ferragut-Fiol, C., & Vila-Suárez, M. H. (2014). Características antro-pométricas, composición corporal y somatotipo en deportistas de élite de salvamento. Retos, 26, 66–70. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v0i26.34401
Barcala-Furelos, R., Abelairas-Gómez, C., Romo-Pérez, V., & Palacios-Aguilar, J. (2013). Effect of physi-cal fatigue on the quality of CPR: A water rescue study of lifeguards. American Journal of Emer-gency Medicine, 31(3), 473–477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2012.09.012
Barcala-Furelos, R., Szpilman, D., Palacios-Aguilar, J., Costas-Veiga, J., Abelairas-Gómez, C., Bores-Cerezal, A., et al. (2016). Assessing the efficacy of rescue equipment in lifeguard resuscitation ef-forts for drowning. American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 34(3), 480–485. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2015.12.011
Chatard, J. C., Lavoie, J. M., & Lacour, J. R. (1990). Analysis of determinants of swimming economy in front crawl. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 61, 88–92. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236699
Dalamitros, A. A., Zafeiridis, A. S., Toubekis, A. G., Tsalis, G. A., Pelarigo, J. G., Manou, V., & Kellis, S. (2016). Effects of short-interval and long-interval swimming protocols on performance, aero-bic adaptations, and technical parameters. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(10), 2871–2879. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001369
Fernandes, R. J., Carvalho, D. D., & Figueiredo, P. (2024). Training zones in competitive swimming: A biophysical approach. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 6, 1363730. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2024.1363730
Fernandes, R. J., & Vilas-Boas, J. P. (2012). Time to exhaustion at the VO₂max velocity in swimming: A review. Journal of Human Kinetics, 32, 121–134. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10078-012-0029-1
Gregorakos, L., Markou, N., Psalida, V., Kanakaki, M., Alexopoulou, A., Sotiriou, E., Damianos, A., & Myri-anthefs, P. (2009). Near-drowning: Clinical course of lung injury in adults. Lung, 187(2), 93–97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-008-9120-0
Iglesias, L. F., Feitosa, W. G., Zaleski-Trindade, C. D., Correia, R. A., Beal, L., Menin, L., & Castro, F. A. S. (2021). Lifeguard’s swimming: Front crawl’s and up-head front crawl’s energetics. Apunts Edu-cación Física y Deportes, 146, 78–85. https://doi.org/10.5672/apunts.2014-0983.es.(2021/4).146.09
Ignacio-Rodríguez, I., Barcala-Furelos, R., Rey, E., & Sanmartín-Montes, M. (2024). Do longer fins im-prove ocean rescues? A comprehensive investigation into lifeguard performance and physiolo-gical impact. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 9(2), 79. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk9020079
Jin, G., Jin, Y., Zhang, H., Fu, X., Yang, Y., & Lin, S. C. (2024). The methodology of resistance training is crucial for improving short- to medium-distance front crawl performance: A systematic re-view and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 15, 1406518. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1406518
Koch, M., Guillaume, G., Pascale, C., Charlie, B., & Anton, S. (2010). Muscle activity during fin swimming. Procedia Engineering, 2, 3029–3034. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2010.04.106
Kumar-Ghosh, A. (2004). Anaerobic threshold: Its concept and role in endurance sport. Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, 11(1), 24–36.
Laursen, P. B. (2010). Training for intense exercise performance: High-intensity or high-volume train-ing? Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 20(Suppl. 2), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2010.01184.x
Liu, H., & Wang, J. (2023). The effects of incorporating dry-land short intervals to long aerobic-dominant in-water swimming training on physiological parameters, hormonal factors, and per-formance. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 22(2), 329–337. https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2023.329
López-García, S., Ruibal-Lista, B., Palacios-Aguilar, J., Santiago-Alonso, M., & Prieto, J. A. (2021). Rela-tionship between the performance in a maximum effort test for lifeguards and the time spent in a water rescue. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(7), 3407. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073407
Makar, P., et al. (2025). Changes in swimming technique and physical performance after 8 weeks of lifeguard rescue training: An exploratory study. Acta of Bioengineering and Biomechanics, 27(1), 111–118. https://doi.org/10.37190/abb-02531-2024-03
Massini, D. A., Almeida, T. A. F., Vasconcelos, C. M. T., Macedo, A. G., Espada, M. A. C., Reis, J. F., Alves, F. J. B., Fernandes, R. J. P., & Pessôa Filho, D. M. (2021). Are young swimmers’ short- and middle-distance energy cost sex-specific? Frontiers in Physiology, 12, 796886. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.796886
Oliveira, F., Corrêa Neto, V. G., Mello, R. C. F., & Miranda, H. (2024). Physical fitness profile of military lifeguards. Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Trabalho, 22(2), e20231123. https://doi.org/10.47626/1679-4435-2023-1123
Papadimitriou, K., Ruiz-Navarro, J. J., Cuenca-Fernández, F., et al. (2025). Training intensity distribution for sprinter swimmers: Suggestions for swimming coaches and scientists. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 126, 619-628. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-025-06064-x
Peulić, J., Obradović, A., Vukadinović Jurišić, M., & Obradović, J. (2023). The influence of anthropomet-ric characteristics on swimming speed in adolescent swimmers. Exercise and Quality of Life, 15(2), 33–40. https://doi.org/10.31382/eqol.231204
Pla, R., Leroy, A., Massal, R., Bellami, M., Kaillani, F., Hellard, P., et al. (2019). Bayesian approach to quan-tify morphological impact on performance in international elite freestyle swimming. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 5, e000543. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000543
Price, T., Cimadoro, G., & Legg, H. S. (2024). Physical performance determinants in competitive youth swimmers: A systematic review. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 16(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-023-00767-4
Prieto-Saborit, J. A., Egocheaga-Rodríguez, J., Montoli-Sanclement, M. A., Alameda, J. C., & González-Díez, V. (2001). Determination of the energetic demand during a rescue in the sea with and without auxiliary equipment. Selección, 10, 211–220.
Promsri, A., Deedphimai, S., Promthep, P., & Champamuang, C. (2024). Effects of Different Wearable Resistance Placements on Running Stability. Sports, 12(2), 45. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12020045
Reichmuth, D., Olstad, B. H., & Born, D.-P. (2021). Key performance indicators related to strength, en-durance, flexibility, anthropometrics, and swimming performance for competitive aquatic life-saving. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(7), 3454. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073454
Rodríguez-Ferrero, J. M., Domínguez-Pachón, A. M., Martínez-Castrillo, R., Cazorla-Rey, I., & Solar-Fernández, F. (2022). Análisis de los niveles de lactato en salvamento y socorrismo a través del diseño de un test específico para 100 m socorrista (estudio piloto). Revista de Investigación en Actividades Acuáticas, 6(11), 2–7. https://doi.org/10.21134/riaa.v6i11.1676
Ruibal-Lista, B., Palacios-Aguilar, J., Prieto, J. A., López-García, S., Cecchini-Estrada, J. A., Santiago-Alonso, M., & Abelairas-Gómez, C. (2019). Validation of a new incremental swim test as a tool for maximum oxygen uptake analysis in lifeguards. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 11(3), Article 6. https://doi.org/10.25035/ijare.11.03.06
Ruibal-Lista, B., Palacios-Aguilar, J., Prieto, J. A., López-García, S., Santiago-Alonso, M., Cecchini-Estrada, J. A., & Abelairas-Gómez, C. (2020). Calculating an equation to estimate the maximum oxygen uptake in lifeguards. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 13(1), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.25035/ijare.13.01.03
Ruibal-Lista, B., Moral-García, J. E., & López-García, S. (2021). Relationship between rescue distance and the quality of simulated CPR: a pilot study with lifeguards. Signa Vitae, 17, 137–143. https://doi.org/10.22514/sv.2021.044
Ruibal-Lista, B., Camacho-Alegre, P., Díez-Fernández, P., & López-García, S. (2025). Fatigue and CPR quality in lifeguards: Analysis after 100- and 200-meter rescues. Signa Vitae, 21(11), 70–75. https://doi.org/10.22514/sv.2025.159
Saborit, J. A., Soto, V., Díez, V. G., Sanclement, M. A., Hernández, P. N., Rodríguez, J. E., et al. (2010). Phys-iological response of beach lifeguards in a rescue simulation with surf. Ergonomics, 53, 1140–1150.
Salvador, A., Penteado, R., Lisboa, F., Corvino, R., Peduzzi, E., & Caputo, F. (2014). Physiological and metabolic responses to rescue simulation in surf beach lifeguarding. Journal of Exercise Physi-ology, 17(3), 21–31.
Santiago, P., Maia, F., Santiago, S., Duarte, D., & Teques, P. (2022). Lifeguard performance skills: A sys-tematic review. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 13(4), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.25035/ijare.13.04.05
Sanz-Arribas, I., Aguado-Gómez, R., & Martínez-de-Haro, V. (2017). Influencia de las aletas sobre el tiempo de ejecución en los rescates de víctimas con parada cardiorespiratoria. Retos, 31, 133–136. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v0i31.53363
Sun, T. R. (2022). Analysis of sex and age differences in performance of young Canadian freestyle swimmers. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 17(3), 640–654. https://doi.org/10.14198/jhse.2022.173.15
Szpilman, D., Bierens, J. L. M., Handley, A., James, P., & Orlowski, M. D. (2012). Drowning. New England Journal of Medicine, 366(22), 2102–2110. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra1013317
Terzi, E., Skari, A., Nikolaidis, S., Papadimitriou, K., Kabasakalis, A., & Mougios, V. (2021). Relevance of a sprint interval swim training set to the 100-meter freestyle event based on blood lactate and kinematic variables. Journal of Human Kinetics, 80, 153–161. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2021-0091
Wang, Z., Liu, K., Zhao, X., & Gao, J. (2025). Comparative effectiveness of physical training modalities on swimming performance: A two-tier network meta-analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 16, 1636595. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2025.1636595
Yañez-Sepulveda, R., Alvear-Ordenes, I., Tapia-Guajardo, A., Verdugo-Marchese, H., Cristi-Montero, C., & Tuesta, M. (2021). Inspiratory muscle training improves the swimming performance of com-petitive young male sprint swimmers. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 61(10), 1348–1353. https://doi.org/10.23736/S0022-4707.21.11769-4
Zamparo, P., Bonifazi, M., Faina, M., Milan, A., Sardella, F., Schena, F., & Capelli, C. (2005). Energy cost of swimming of elite long-distance swimmers. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 94(5–6), 697–704. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-005-1337-0
Zamparo, P., Pendergast, D., Termin, B., & Minetti, A. (2006). Economy and efficiency of swimming at the surface with fins of different size and stiffness. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 96(4), 459–470. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-005-0075-7
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Brais Ruibal-Lista; Pelayo Diez-Fernández, Pablo Camacho-Alegre, Sergio López-García
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and ensure the magazine the right to be the first publication of the work as licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of authorship of the work and the initial publication in this magazine.
- Authors can establish separate additional agreements for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in the journal (eg, to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Is allowed and authors are encouraged to disseminate their work electronically (eg, in institutional repositories or on their own website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as to a subpoena more Early and more of published work (See The Effect of Open Access) (in English).
This journal provides immediate open access to its content (BOAI, http://legacy.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/boaifaq.htm#openaccess) on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. The authors may download the papers from the journal website, or will be provided with the PDF version of the article via e-mail.
