Aspects of physical fitness in guards

Abstract

An actual task is to elucidate the distinctive features of physical fitness of Lithuanian guards and to establish its evaluation criteria. Therefore are hypothesize that elucidation of the distinctive features of a Lithuanian guard's physical fitness and its evaluation criteria will contribute to the staffing of private security services, improving the quality of guards' performance and health. The object of the current study was general physical fitness indices of guards from a private Lithuanian security service. The aim of the work was to determine the general physical fitness indices of guards from a private security service and to compare them with analogous indices of guards from a state-owned security service and of individuals not engaged professionally in safeguarding, as well as to compile assessment scales of the general physical fitness indices of guards. The physical fitness of guards from private security services was better as compared to non-guards. All their mean indices reliably exceeded those of non-guards. All study groups contained individuals with highly developed suppleness and equilibrium, however, in some of the study subjects these indices were very low. In all groups, the scattering of suppleness and equilibrium indices was very broad (the coefficient of variation varied within 42,64 to 126,34). Aerobic endurance indices of elite guards from the private security service were not higher than of guards not accepted into this group. We suggest that for selecting elite guards physical fitness tests should be applied. The proposed physical fitness for guards will be helpful in selecting fitness tests should be applied, taking into account their aerobic endurance dynamics.