Can 8-weeks of Training Affect Active Drag in Young Swimmers?

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of 8-weeks of training on active drag in young swimmers of both genders. Eight girls and twelve boys' belonging to the same swimming team and with regular competitive participation in national and regional events for the previous two seasons participated in this study. Active drag measurements were conducted in two different evaluation moments: at the beginning of the season and after 8 weeks of training (6.0 ± 0.15 training units per week, 21.00 ± 3.23 km per week and 3.50 ± 0.23 km per training unit). The maximal swimming velocity at the distance of 13 m, active drag and drag coefficient were measured on both trials by the method of small perturbations with the help of an additional hydrodynamic body. After 8 weeks of training, mean active drag (drag force and drag coefficient) decreased in girls and boys, although no significant differences were found between the two trials. It seems that 8 weeks of swimming training were not sufficient to allow significant improvements on swimming technique. Key pointsThe velocity perturbation method seems to be a good, simple and reliable approach to assess active drag in young swimmers.Eight weeks of swimming training were not sufficient to allow significant improvements on swimming hydrodynamics.There were no differences between boys and girls concerning active drag. A possible explanation may be related to the similar values of body mass and height in boys and girls found in this study.Specific training sets concerning technique correction and improvement in young swimmers might be a main aim during training planning.

[1]  R Fielding,et al.  Energy Expenditure During Front Crawl Swimming: Predicting Success in Middle-Distance Events , 1985, International journal of sports medicine.

[2]  Aldo M. Costa,et al.  CHANGES IN CRITICAL VELOCITY AND CRITICAL STROKE RATE DURING A 12 WEEK SWIMMING TRAINING PERIOD: A CASE STUDY , 2009 .

[3]  A. W. Schreurs,et al.  Measurement of active drag during crawl arm stroke swimming. , 1986, Journal of sports sciences.

[4]  P. Zamparo,et al.  Active and passive drag: the role of trunk incline , 2009, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[5]  N. Maffulli,et al.  Growth and maturation of adolescent female gymnasts, swimmers, and tennis players. , 2008, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[6]  Sergei Kolmogorov,et al.  TECHNOLOGY FOR DECREASING ACTIVE DRAG AT THE MAXIMAL SWIMMING VELOCITY , 2000 .

[7]  Daniel A Marinho,et al.  Modeling the links between young swimmers' performance: energetic and biomechanic profiles. , 2010, Pediatric exercise science.

[8]  Huub M Toussaint,et al.  The determination of drag in front crawl swimming. , 2004, Journal of biomechanics.

[9]  R Taïar,et al.  Hydrodynamics optimization in butterfly swimming: position, drag coefficient and performance. , 1999, Journal of biomechanics.

[10]  Per-Ludvik Kjendlie,et al.  Factors affecting swimming economy in children and adults , 2004, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[11]  P E Di Prampero,et al.  Energetics of swimming in man. , 1974, Journal of applied physiology.

[12]  Iñigo Mujika,et al.  Detraining: Loss of Training-Induced Physiological and Performance Adaptations. Part II , 2000, Sports medicine.

[13]  V. J. Deschodt,et al.  Influence du sexe sur les paramètres cinématiques de nage chez les crawleurs de haut niveau , 1999 .

[14]  Marko Erceg,et al.  Lactate profile during greco-roman wrestling matchx. , 2009, Journal of sports science & medicine.

[15]  B. Massey,et al.  Mechanics of Fluids , 2018 .

[16]  António J Silva,et al.  Hydrodynamic drag during gliding in swimming. , 2009, Journal of applied biomechanics.

[17]  M. V. Lomonosov,et al.  ACTIVE DRAG, USEFUL MECHANICAL POWER OUTPUT AND HYDRODYNAMIC FORCE COEFFICIENT IN DIFFERENT SWIMMING STROKES AT MAXIMAL VELOCITY , 1992 .

[18]  Victor Machado Reis,et al.  The use of neural network technology to model swimming performance. , 2007, Journal of sports science & medicine.

[19]  H M Toussaint,et al.  Active drag related to velocity in male and female swimmers. , 1988, Journal of biomechanics.

[20]  Iñigo Mujika,et al.  Detraining: Loss of Training-Induced Physiological and Performance Adaptations. Part I , 2000, Sports medicine.

[21]  Rod Havriluk Variability in Measurement of Swimming Forces , 2007, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[22]  A. Toubekis,et al.  Training-Induced Changes on Blood Lactate Profile and Critical Velocity in Young Swimmers , 2011, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[23]  K. Keskinen,et al.  Behaviour of the kinematic parameters during a time to exhaustion test at VO2max in elite swimmers , 2006 .

[24]  Brian J. Gordon,et al.  Hydrodynamic Characteristics of Competitive Swimmers of Different Genders and Performance Levels , 1997 .

[25]  Per-Ludvik Kjendlie,et al.  Drag characteristics of competitive swimming children and adults. , 2008, Journal of applied biomechanics.

[26]  João Paulo Vilas-Boas,et al.  Analysis of drafting effects in swimming using computational fluid dynamics. , 2008, Journal of sports science & medicine.

[27]  Klaus Reischle,et al.  Swimming science V , 1988 .

[28]  G. Liljestrand,et al.  Studien über die Physiologie des Schwimmens1 , 1920 .

[29]  Joel M. Stager,et al.  Handbook of Sports Medicine and Science: Swimming , 1993 .

[30]  M Miyashita,et al.  Adaptations to six months of aerobic swim training. Changes in velocity, stroke rate, stroke length and blood lactate. , 1993, International journal of sports medicine.

[31]  Jules Amar The Human Motor , 2009 .

[32]  P. Purge,et al.  Physical development and swimming performance during biological maturation in young female swimmers. , 2009, Collegium antropologicum.

[33]  Tiago M. Barbosa,et al.  The influence of stroke mechanics into energy cost of elite swimmers , 2008, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[34]  Iñigo Mujika,et al.  Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance , 2009 .

[35]  Daniel A Marinho,et al.  Hydrodynamic analysis of different thumb positions in swimming. , 2009, Journal of sports science & medicine.

[36]  Daniel A. Marinho,et al.  Modeling the links between age-group swimming performance, energetic and biomechanic profiles , 2010 .

[37]  Huub M. Toussaint,et al.  The Effect of Growth on Drag in Young Swimmers , 1990 .

[38]  Hugo Louro,et al.  Can the curriculum be used to estimate critical velocity in young competitive swimmers? , 2009, Journal of sports science & medicine.

[39]  D R Pendergast,et al.  Relationships of stroke rate, distance per stroke, and velocity in competitive swimming. , 1979, Medicine and science in sports.

[40]  A. P. Hollander,et al.  Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming VII , 1996 .

[41]  G. Millet,et al.  Facteurs mécaniques du coût énergétique dans trois locomotions humaines , 2002 .