Swim Specialty Affects Energy Cost and Motor Organization

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyse the effect of swimmer specialty on energy cost and motor organization. The stroking parameters (velocity, stroke rate, stroke length, stroke index) and the index of coordination (IdC) of 6 elite sprinters were compared with those of 6 elite long-distance swimmers during an incremental swimming exercise test (6×300 m separated by 30 s of passive recovery) that progressively increased the energy cost. Energy cost (C), with its aerobic (Caero) and anaerobic (Canaero) components, was determined by measuring oxygen uptake (VO2) and blood lactate ([La]). Motor organization was assessed by analysis of video recordings from aerial and underwater side-view cameras. The results showed that throughout the test, both groups increased C, Canaero, stroke rate and IdC and decreased Caero and stroke length (all P<0.05). On the mean of the 300-m sets, sprinters had higher values for C (14.8 vs. 12. For the same relative intensity, sprinters accumulated more lactate and swam more slowly than long-distance swimmers; they showed greater change in their arm coordination but their swimming economy was lower.

Interplay of Biomechanical, Energetic, Coordinative, and Muscular Factors in a 200 m Front Crawl Swim

“…Over the 50 m laps, the contribution of ${\dot{E}}_{\text{tot}}$ to the overall performance increased; thus the swimmer's capacity to deliver higher energy expenditure became more important over the 200 m. Swimmers can have the same time splits for the 50, 100, and 150 m, but if ${\dot{E}}_{\text{tot}}$ cannot be increased to match the increase in C in the last 50 m, velocity cannot be sustained. The contribution of ${\dot{E}}_{\text{tot}}$ in the three final laps is similar to that of IdC, which could be explained by the swimmer naturally adopting a movement pattern to minimize his metabolic energy expenditure [61, 62]. …”

Critical Evaluation of Oxygen-Uptake Assessment in Swimming

“…Afterwards, enlarging the field of evaluation, the four competitive swimming techniques were studied by this Portuguese research group, observing the primary outcomes: (i) significant relationships between energy expenditure and intra-cycle variation, C and velocity (Barbosa et al, 2005a); (ii) that front crawl was the most economic technique, followed by backstroke, butterfly, and breaststroke (Barbosa et al, 2006); and (iii) the manipulation of the SR and SL might be one of the factors through which energy cost can be altered for a given velocity (Barbosa et al, 2008). As competitive distances vary in swimming, Seifert et al (2010) studied the effect of swimming speciality (sprinters vs. long distance swimmers) in C (and in motor organization), observing that both groups had an increase in C of swimming with increasing velocity. For the same relative intensity, sprinters swam slower, showed a greater change in the arm coordination, and their swimming economy was lower compared to the long distance swimmers.…”

Anthropometric and Physiological Characteristics in Young Afro-Caribbean Swimmers: A Preliminary Study

“…This latter was not a discriminating factor between the elite and nonelite swimmers in our study, and it is not a key factor of 400-m performance, as long-distance characteristics differ from those of sprint events. 46…”