Effects of Aerobic Training on Biomechanical and Lactate Responses in Sprint Swimming Performance in Adolescent Swimmers

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of aerobic training on biomechanical parameters and lactate response (La) during sprint swimming test (SST) and evaluate their relations with the progress of swimming time in adolescent swimmers.

Twenty-eight swimmers (15 males and 13 females aged 13-16 years) performed an all-out 100-m sprint swimming test twice pre and post 12 weeks of aerobic training. Basic anthropometrical measurements including body height, body weight, body fat percentage and physiological and biomechanical parameters in SST were obtained and such measurements repeated after 12-week training period. Video analysis determined the stroke count, stroke rate, stroke length, split time, swimming speed during 100m-sprint swimming test. Heart rates and blood samples for La were taken from the fingertip pre exercise and at the fifth minute of recovery. Results were processed with SPSS 20.0.

The results showed that the swimming time and stroke count decreased and stroke length, stroke rate and La levels increased significantly (P<.05 for all). No significant changes was seen in antropometry. Swimming time was correlated with both biomechanical parameters and La response. La was also correlated with stroke rate and swimming speed.

In conclusion instead of excessive training loads, just aerobic training may remarkably contributes to sprint swimming performance in adolescent swimmers.

Keywords

• adolescent swimmers,aerobic training,biomechanical parameters,peak lactate

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