Introduction

Lifeguards are professionals able to carry out preventive, educational, guidance and rescue measures in aquatic environments, preventing drowning and preserving the lives of those in danger. (SOBRASA, 2010). To be a lifeguard pretest it is necessary to have the physical preparation of an athlete, to know how to swim very well, to have knowledge of rescue techniques in and out of the water and first aid and to know the risks of the work in which they work. The level of physical fitness is directly linked to the regular practice of physical exercises, and correlated to health in terms of muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility and balance. 

These valences are decisive in situations that require great physical effort. Matsudo (1992) defined it as the capacity that an individual has to perform the necessary daily functions, without any imbalance in their biopsychosocial integrity. For Wiencek (2003), physical fitness can be defined in a general way as a person's capacity and state of performance, being able to adapt to a given situation. This human characteristic may derive from inherited factors, health status, diet and, mainly, the regular practice of physical exercises. (NAHAS, 2006).

Physical fitness was distinguished in two approaches: 

Physical fitness related to motor performance which includes components necessary for maximum performance at work or in sports; and health-related physical fitness – which brings together characteristics that, at appropriate levels, provide more energy for work and leisure, providing, in parallel, a lower risk of developing diseases or associated chronic-degenerative conditions and low levels of physical activity usual. (NAHAS, 2006).



Dwyer and Davis (2006) describe that health-related physical fitness (AFRS), points out some components that help in the assessment of total physical fitness, such as cardiorespiratory fitness that evaluates the maximum VO 2 , body composition, flexibility that evaluates range of motion , muscle strength and muscle endurance strength that assess muscle strength endurance.

To accurately measure the fitness level of lifeguards, it is necessary to use physical tests and assess the AFRS.

In this sense, the present work aims to analyze the comparison of the level of physical fitness before and after training, in the training course for Civil Lifeguards at Balnearies Rancio, with the intention of evaluating whether the training of the lifeguard training course civilians is suitable for improving their physical conditioning.

For that, it was necessary to verify the variables related to the candidates, such as: the anthropometric profile, the neuromuscular capacity and the physical fitness levels of the lifeguards.

Methodology

This study addressed a population of 40 civilian lifeguards, of both sexes, aged between 18 and 51 years. These lifeguards were selected by the Fire Department of the State of Santa Catarina to work in the 2009/2010 summer season at Balnearies Rancio.

The sample consists of the physical evaluation sheets of 40 Civilian Lifeguards provided by the 1st/2nd/4th Military Fire Battalion of Içara - SC, which, after being submitted to the Inclusion Criteria of this study, was reduced to 18 sheets. The only reason for exclusion found was non-attendance to all phases of training applied by the Military Fire Department, totaling 55% sample loss. Of the 22 excluded from the study, 16 missed training sessions claiming muscle injuries, the others did not justify their absence.

For analysis and comparison of the level of physical fitness of the Lifeguards, a comparison of pre and post-training data was performed, obtained by the corporation through physical tests, where the first battery of tests was carried out at the beginning of the course, and the second at end.

The physical test execution protocols usually used by the Santa Catarina Military Fire Department are described below, and received analysis and static treatment after obtaining them.

Anthropometric evaluations were carried out at UNESC by the instructors of the Lifeguard Course, and followed the following order:

1. Anthropometric assessment

  • Body weight
  • Height
  • Geometers: Waist Gym, Hip Gym;
  • Skinfolds: Triceps Skinfold, Sacroiliac Skinfold, Subscapular Skinfold, Medial Calf Skinfold.

2. Physical Tests

The physical tests were all performed at UNESC, the times were controlled with digital stopwatches. The tests performed are described below:

  • Flexibility Test: The test was carried out in the dance room, in Block “T” of the University, with the help of a Bank of Wells.
  • Swimming Test 50 meters and Swimming Test 12 minutes: they were performed in the UNESC swimming with lifeguard training miami usa pool.
  • Fixed Bar Test: performed on the Gymnastics Fixed Bars located next to the UNESC Athletics track.
  • Abdominal Test 1 me: Test carried out in the dance room, at the “T” Block of UNESC, with the help of a gymnastic mattress.
  • 50 meter run test and 2400 meter run test: performed on the UNESC athletics track.