The contestants gather at the beach as they wait for the beginning of a training session for female bodyguards in Sanya, Hainan province on Jan 8, 2012. Photos by Tong Guoqiang for China Daily

The young women carry a log on their shoulders during the session.

Trainees dressed in swimsuits do push-ups on the beach.

The ladies run through waves as part of their daily schedule.

On Jan 7, 20 swimsuit-clad ladies from Beijing and Guangzhou descended on the tropical beaches of Sanya, Hainan for grueling physical training and a chance at earning a high salary guarding celebrities and executives.

The young women, with diverse educational backgrounds and professions ranging from finance to circus acrobatics and runway modeling, are competing for an opportunity to have further training at the International Security Academy in Israel.

The candidates endured physically challenging courses, like carrying weights, boxing, hostage rescue and island survival, for 20 hours a day, which left them only one hour for meals and three for sleep.

After six days, 15 of the candidates had dropped out, of which two gave up the first day, said Chen Yongqing, head of Tianjiao Special Guard/Security Consultant Ltd Co, which hosted the competition. Chen said they plan to begin the next session on March 18.

With its varied topography that creates resistance, Sanya is right for physical training, Chen said. He said they hoped to "fully discover the potential of the trainees" in the process.

When selecting the most suitable person, they pay attention not only to the fighting skills of applicants but also their appearance and general quality, Chen said.

He also said that their trained female bodyguards would "mainly serve special customers like high-end groups in business or the entertainment industry," who have a higher standard than ordinary people.