Int J Sports Med 2013; 34(02): 123-130
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1312582
Training & Testing
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

The Interaction Between Intra-Cyclic Variation of the Velocity and Mean Swimming Velocity in Young Competitive Swimmers

T. M. Barbosa
1   IPB, Sport Sciences, Bragança, Portugal
,
P.G. F. Morouço
2   Research Center for Human Movement Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Leiria, Portugal
,
S. Jesus
3   Sport Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança/CIDESD, Bragança, Portugal
,
W. G. Feitosa
4   Sport Sciences, University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
,
M. J. Costa
5   Departement of Sport Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
,
D. A. Marinho
6   Sport Sciences, UBI, Covilhã, Portugal
,
A. J. Silva
7   Exercise and Health Sciences Department, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, ports, Vila Real, Portugal
,
N. D. Garrido
7   Exercise and Health Sciences Department, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, ports, Vila Real, Portugal
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History



accepted after revision 27 March 2012

Publication Date:
12 September 2012 (online)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the intra-cyclic variation of the horizontal velocity (dv) and the velocity of the 4 competitive swimming techniques in young swimmers. 45 young swimmers performed a set of maximal 4×25 m (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly stroke) swims with in water start. A speed-meter cable was attached to the swimmer’s hip. The dv and the swimming velocity were analyzed. Within-subject tests presented significant variations in the dv based on the swimming technique. Post-hoc test revealed significant differences across all pair-wised swimming techniques (P<0.001), except for the comparison between freestyle and backstroke (P=0.98). The dv was higher in the breaststroke, followed by the butterfly, the backstroke and the freestyle. The quadratic models had the best goodness-of-fit and the lower error of estimation for the relationship between the dv and the swimming velocity in all swimming techniques (0.24≤R2≤0.51). As a conclusion, there is a non-linear relationship where the increase of swimming velocity leads to a decrease of dv in young competitive swimmers.

 
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