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RESULTS: There were no significant difference between groups or between lower extremity dominance for concentric knee extension and flexion peak torque, total work and work fatigue index. However, peak torque agonist/antagonist ratio was lower (p = 0.032) in AS than SS group for both dominant (AS = 46.5±4.7%; SS = 52.2 ± 5.8%) and non-dominant (AS = 47.8 ± 3.9%; SS = 53.5 ± 6.0%) lower extremities. CONCLUSION:Peak torque agonist/antagonist ratio was greater in SS than AS short distance elite swimmers during knee extension-flexion isokinetic test. These results suggest the need for designing training programs to improve strength balance between hamstrings and quadriceps muscles of front crawl and backstroke short distance elite swimmers PURPOSE: Compare the VO2 response during walking on land vs walking in water at selected water depths in normal and over weight female subjects. METHODS:Eighteen subjects aged 45±13 yrs, body mass of 80±18 kg and body mass index (BMI) of 29.0±6.2 kg/m 2 were divided into two groups (n = 9) based on BMI <26 (LOBMI, body mass = 65.4±6.3 kg, BMI = 23.5±1.5) and BMI >30 (HIBMI, body mass = 95.84±14.8 kg, BMI = 34.6±3.2 kg/m 2 ). Each group walked on a land treadmill (land) in 24° C air and on three separate days in a water treadmill (ATM, Hydroworx tm ) at 30° C. Sessions consisted of six 5-min walking bouts of 2. 41, 3.22, 4.02, 4.83, 5.63 and 6.44 Km per hour. Water depth was at the xiphoid (xip), 10 cm below (-10 cm), and 10 cm above xip (+10 cm). Heart rate (HR) and relative VO2 (ml/kg/min) were recorded during the final three min and averaged. RESULTS:Although VO2 increased (P<0.05) with speed on land LOBMI (12.55±2.04 ml/kg/min) was similar to HIBMI (11.21±2.03). In water, regardless of depth LOBMI VO2 was greater (p<0.05) than HIBMI (+10cm: 13.16 vs 9.94; xip:15.46 vs 12.51; -10cm: 17.44 vs 13.77 ml/kg/min) across all speeds. CONCLUSIONS:These results suggest that BMI influences energy expenditure in water. The potential influence of greater buoyancy in overweight subjects suggest an index of adiposity (ie., body fat%) may prove to be an effective predictor of energy expenditure during walking in shallow water.