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Key Performance Indicators Related to Strength, Endurance, Flexibility, Anthropometrics, and Swimming Performance for Competitive Aquatic Lifesaving

Author

Listed:
  • Daniela Reichmuth

    (Department for Elite Sport, Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen, 2532 Magglingen, Switzerland
    Swiss Lifesaving Swimming Federation, 6210 Sursee, Switzerland)

  • Bjørn Harald Olstad

    (Department of Physical Performance, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, 0863 Oslo, Norway)

  • Dennis-Peter Born

    (Department for Elite Sport, Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen, 2532 Magglingen, Switzerland
    Section for High-Performance Sports, Swiss Swimming Federation, 3063 Berne, Switzerland)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniela Reichmuth & Bjørn Harald Olstad & Dennis-Peter Born, 2021. "Key Performance Indicators Related to Strength, Endurance, Flexibility, Anthropometrics, and Swimming Performance for Competitive Aquatic Lifesaving," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-12, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:7:p:3454-:d:524808
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Matteo Cortesi & Giorgio Gatta & Giovanni Michielon & Rocco Di Michele & Sandro Bartolomei & Raffaele Scurati, 2020. "Passive Drag in Young Swimmers: Effects of Body Composition, Morphology and Gliding Position," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-11, March.
    2. Dennis-Peter Born & Ishbel Lomax & Michael Romann, 2020. "Variation in competition performance, number of races, and age: Long-term athlete development in elite female swimmers," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Benjamin Holfelder & Niklas Brown & Dieter Bubeck, 2013. "The Influence of Sex, Stroke and Distance on the Lactate Characteristics in High Performance Swimming," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(10), pages 1-11, October.
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