The purpose of this study is to assess, with elite crawl swimmers, the time limit at the minimum velocity corresponding to maximal oxygen consumption (TLim-vVO2max), and to characterize its main determinants. Eight subjects performed an incremental test for vVO2max assessment and, forty-eight hours later, an all-out swim at vVO2max until exhaustion. VO2 was directly measured using a telemetric ...

BACKGROUND Poor freestyle stroke biomechanics is a suggested risk factor for shoulder pain and pathology, but this has not been proven in biomechanical or clinical studies. Furthermore, the prevalence of these theoretical errors has not been identified, which would help coaches, athletic trainers, and researchers determine the most appropriate errors to focus on and develop interventions. HYP...

BACKGROUND The human ACTN3 gene encodes α-actinin-3, an actin-binding protein with a pivotal role in muscle structure and metabolism. A common genetic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codon 577 of the ACTN3 results in the replacement of an arginine (R) with a stop codon (X). The R allele is a normal functional version of the gene, whereas the X allele contains a sequence change that comp...

The aim of this study was to examine swimmers' activity-technical device coupling during an experimental protocol (MAD-system). The study was conducted within a course-of-action theoretical and methodological framework. Two types of data were collected: (a) video recordings and (b) verbalizations during post-protocol interviews. The data were processed in two steps: (a) reconstruction of each s...

This study compared the conventional track and a new one-handed track start in elite age group swimmers to determine if the new technique had biomechanical implications on dive performance. Five male and seven female GB national qualifiers participated (mean +/- SD: age 16.7 +/- 1.9 years, stretched stature 1.76 +/- 0.8 m, body mass 67.4 +/- 7.9 kg) and were assigned to a control group (n = 6) ...

OBJECTIVES To examine the correction of posture, increase in strength and decrease in shoulder pain and dysfunction in varsity swimmers. DESIGN AND SETTING Randomised clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS Twenty-eight National Collegiate Athletic Association division I varsity swimmers. MEASUREMENTS Two testing sessions were conducted before and after an 8-week time period. Posture, strength and s...

PURPOSE Blood lactate concentration, [BLa], after swimming events might be influenced by demographic features and characteristics of the swim race, whereas active recovery enhances blood lactate removal. Our aims were to (1) examine how sex, age, race distance, and swim stroke influenced [BLa] after competitive swimming events and (2) develop a practical model based on recovery swim distance to...

INTRODUCTION Insight regarding the fluctuations in neuromuscular function among athletes during a taper is lacking. PURPOSE This study examined the time course of changes in maximal mechanical power (Pmax), torque at power maximum (T), velocity at power maximum (V), and swim performance (m x s(-1)) that occur during the taper. METHODS Using an arm ergometer with inertial loading, measuremen...

To compare the change in supraspinatus tendon thickness (STT) following a high volume (HV) and intensity (HI) swimming practice shoulders of elite swimmers. Cohort Study. Non-clinical, state swim team training facility. A convenience sample eight non-injured national level swimmers from regional were recruited for this study. Ultrasound measures STT collected response to two sessions. Measures ...

The sports environment is stress-eliciting in that it encapsulates perceived uncontrollability, unpredictability and requires ego-involvement. The HPA axis has been shown (indicated by cortisol release) to respond to anticipated sports competition up to a week prior to the event. Research also alludes to the importance of individual differences, such as optimism and trait perfectionism, in mode...