How Technique Modifications in Elite 100m Swimmers Might Improve Front Crawl Performances to Podium Levels: Swimming ‘Chariots of Fire’

This study aimed to examine inter-limb jump asymmetries and their association with sport-specific performance in young swimmers. Thirty-eight (male, n = 19; female, n = 19) regional/national level young swimmers (age: 12.3 ± 1.2 years; height: 159.6 ± 8.2 cm; body mass: 52.5 ± 9.2 kg) participated in this study. Inter-limb asymmetries were assessed for single-leg countermovement jump (SLCMJ) and single-leg standing long jump (SLSLJ). Sport-specific performance was evaluated using front crawl (i.e., 50 m and 25 m) and front crawl kick (i.e., 50 m and 25 m). The kappa coefficient revealed a “slight” level of agreement (Κ = 0.156, 0.184, and 0.197 for female, male, and all, respectively) between the direction of asymmetry for SLCMJ and SLSLJ, indicating that asymmetries rarely favored the same limb during both tests. A paired sample t-test showed a significant difference (p = 0.025) between asymmetry scores obtained in SLCMJ and SLSLJ. No significant difference was found in asymmetry scores between males and females (p = 0.099 to 0.977). Additionally, no association between asymmetry scores and sport-specific performance was observed (p > 0.05). Our findings highlight the independent nature of inter-limb asymmetries derived from SLCMJ and SLSLJ among young male and female swimmers. Further, our results suggest no association between jumping asymmetries and sport-specific performance.

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Differences in the rotational effect of buoyancy and trunk kinematics between front crawl and backstroke swimming

Sports Biomechanics ◽

10.1080/14763141.2021.1921835 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Tomohiro Gonjo ◽

Ricardo J. Fernandes ◽

J. Paulo Vilas-Boas ◽

Ross Sanders

Keyword(s):

Front Crawl ◽

Rotational Effect ◽

Trunk Kinematics

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Monitoring Master Swimmers’ Performance and Active Drag Evolution along a Training Mesocycle

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18073569 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (7) ◽

pp. 3569

Author(s):

Henrique P. Neiva ◽

Ricardo J. Fernandes ◽

Ricardo Cardoso ◽

Daniel A. Marinho ◽

J. Arturo Abraldes

Keyword(s):

Aerobic Training ◽

Training Period ◽

Velocity Variation ◽

Hydrodynamic Drag ◽

Swimming Training ◽

Front Crawl ◽

Maximal Intensity ◽

Before And After ◽

Active Drag

This study aimed to analyze the effects of a swimming training mesocycle in master swimmers’ performance and active drag. Twenty-two 39.87 ± 6.10 year-old master swimmers performed a 25 m front crawl at maximal intensity before and after a typical four-week training mesocycle. Maximum, mean and minimum speeds, speed decrease and hip horizontal intra-cyclic velocity variation were assessed using an electromechanical speedometer, and the active drag and power to overcome drag were determined using the measuring active drag system. Maximum, mean and minimum front crawl speeds improved from pre- to post-training (mean ± 95% CI: 3.1 ± 2.8%, p = 0.04; 2.9 ± 1.6%, p = 0.01; and 4.6 ± 3.1%, p = 0.01; respectively) and the speed decrease along the 25 m test lowered after the training period (82.5 ± 76.3%, p = 0.01). The training mesocycle caused a reduction in the active drag at speeds corresponding to 70% (5.0 ± 3.9%), 80% (5.6 ± 4.0%), and 90% (5.9 ± 4.0%), but not at 100% (5.9 ± 6.7%), of the swimmers’ maximal exertions in the 25 m test. These results showed that four weeks of predominantly aerobic training could improve master swimmers’ performance and reduce their hydrodynamic drag while swimming mainly at submaximal speeds.

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The Body Angle of Attack in Front Crawl Performance in Young Swimmers

Human Movement ◽

10.2478/v10038-010-0003-5 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marek Strzała ◽

Piotr Krężałek

Keyword(s):

Angle Of Attack ◽

The Body ◽

Front Crawl ◽

Body Angle

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An Alternative Technique for Investigating Fluid flow Around the Hand During Front Crawl

Procedia Engineering ◽

10.1016/j.proeng.2013.07.066 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 60 ◽

pp. 176-181

Author(s):

Anjali Udeshi ◽

Ben Halkon ◽

Jeremy Coupland

Keyword(s):

Fluid Flow ◽

Alternative Technique ◽

Front Crawl

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Isolated Core Training Improves Sprint Performance in National-Level Junior Swimmers

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance ◽

10.1123/ijspp.2013-0488 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 204-210 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Matthew Weston ◽

Angela E. Hibbs ◽

Kevin G. Thompson ◽

Iain R. Spears

Keyword(s):

Beneficial Effect ◽

National Level ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Voluntary Contraction ◽

Emg Activity ◽

Control Group ◽

Front Crawl ◽

Swim Performance ◽

The Core ◽

Core Training

Purpose:To quantify the effects of a 12-wk isolated core-training program on 50-m front-crawl swim time and measures of core musculature functionally relevant to swimming.Methods:Twenty national-level junior swimmers (10 male and 10 female, 16 ± 1 y, 171 ± 5 cm, 63 ± 4 kg) participated in the study. Group allocation (intervention [n = 10], control [n = 10]) was based on 2 preexisting swim-training groups who were part of the same swimming club but trained in different groups. The intervention group completed the core training, incorporating exercises targeting the lumbopelvic complex and upper region extending to the scapula, 3 times/wk for 12 wk. While the training was performed in addition to the normal pool-based swimming program, the control group maintained their usual pool-based swimming program. The authors made probabilistic magnitude-based inferences about the effect of the core training on 50-m swim time and functionally relevant measures of core function.Results:Compared with the control group, the core-training intervention group had a possibly large beneficial effect on 50-m swim time (–2.0%; 90% confidence interval –3.8 to –0.2%). Moreover, it showed small to moderate improvements on a timed prone-bridge test (9.0%; 2.1–16.4%) and asymmetric straight-arm pull-down test (23.1%; 13.7–33.4%), and there were moderate to large increases in peak EMG activity of core musculature during isolated tests of maximal voluntary contraction.Conclusion:This is the first study to demonstrate a clear beneficial effect of isolated core training on 50-m front-crawl swim performance.

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