Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming XI

BiomechanicsandmedicineinswimmingXi
Models of Vertical Swimming Abilities in Elite
Female Senior Water Polo Players
dopsaj, M.
University of Belgrade Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, Serbia.
This paper aims to define different models of vertical swimming abilities
(VSA) in elite female senior water polo (WP) players with regard to all
three energetic systems of swim effort. The study included 30 female
WP players, members of the Serbian senior national team. On the basis
of raw data obtained through testing (four different test loads: 10, 12,
13.5 and 16 kg) the function of Power-Time equation was calculated
for each subject applying the general equation y=a∙bx. All data are presented
in absolute terms as Absolute Vertical Swim Abilities Model
(ABSvswim), in relative terms as Relative Vertical Swim Abilities Model
(RELvswim), and in terms of reached biological capacity as Capacity
Vertical Swim Abilities Model (CAPvswim). The raw data were used to
define the following models of VSA in female WP players: ABSvswim,
y = 30.4868x-0.2087, RELvswim, y = 47.8754x-0.2127, CAPvswim, y=
91.9195x-0.1846, respectively.
Key words: Vertical swimming abilities, water polo, female
IntroductIon
Although men’s water polo was introduced at the modern Olympic
Games in Paris in 1900, it was not until the Sydney Olympics in 2000
that women’s water polo became an Olympic sport. This is one of the
very reasons why sport research on women’s water polo is still scanty.
Previous research has established two basic positions a water polo
(WP) player assumes in the water during the game: horizontal and vertical
(Platanou, 2009). Available studies covered a variety of methods to
assess horizontal swimming abilities in women players (Tan et al., 2009),
laboratory tests were applied to define the physiological profile based on
women players’ abilities (Radovanovic et al., 2007), there was research
into the changes of anthropomorphic and physiological characteristics
caused by a year-round training cycle (Marrin & Bampouras, 2008),
and both general and specific testing was conducted to compare the
methods of assessing women players’ abilities (Bampouras & Marrin,
2009). Although the vertical position is dominant while performing the
elements of the ball techniques, dual play, and offensive and defensive
tactics (D’Auria & Gabbett, 2008), female players‘ vertical swimming
abilities have yet to be studied comprehensively.
This paper aims to define different models of vertical swimming
abilities (VSA) in elite female senior WP players with regard to all three
energetic systems of swim effort.
Methods
The study included 30 female WP players, members of the Serbian national
senior team (Age=21.6±3.3 yrs, BH=170.5±5.2 cm, BM=64.9±7.1
kg, training experience=7.7±3.3 yrs). The tests were conducted in the
seasons of 2007 and 2008 using the standard procedure (Dopsaj & Thanopoulos,
2006) at the beginning of the national team‘s preparations for
the summer season. On the basis of raw data obtained through testing
(four different test loads: 10, 12, 13.5 and 16 kg) the function of the Power-
Time equation was calculated for each subject applying the general equation
y = a ∙ b x . All data are presented in absolute terms as Absolute Vertical Swim
Abilities Model (ABS vswim ) in kg of weight mass, in relative terms as Relative
Vertical Swim Abilities Model (REL vswim ) in % of weight mass in relation
to BM, and in terms of reached biological capacity as Capacity Vertical
Swim Abilities Model (CAP vswim ) in added weight mass in relation to the
b coefficient (calculated as extra load divided with coefficient b), which represents
the maximal hypothetical working biological capacity load. All data
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were calculated and presented for the following nine time intervals: 5, 10 and
15 s - anaerobic alactic; 30, 60 and 120 s - anaerobic lactic; and 300, 600 and
1800 s – aerobic, as the time intervals characteristic of estimating the intensity,
power and capacity of all three energetic systems (Gastin, 2001). All
data underwent the descriptive statistical analysis and mathematical modeling
through a method of fitting.
results
All basic descriptive statistics are shown in Table 1. The raw data were used
to define the following models of VSA in female WP players: ABS vswim , y
= 30.4868x -0.2087 , REL vswim , y = 47.8754x -0.2127 , CAP vswim , y= 91.9195x -0.1846 ,
respectively (Figures 1, 2 and 3, respectively).
Table 1. Basic descriptive statistics
Absolute Vertical Swim Abilities Model (ABSvswim ) results
Time intervals (in s) 5 10 15 30 45 120 300 600 1800
MEAN (kg) 22.32 18.98 17.30 14.82 13.57 11.03 9.17 8.02 6.55
SD (kg) 5.77 3.87 3.06 2.21 2.02 2.17 2.59 2.89 3.30
cV % 25.86 20.38 17.71 14.94 14.87 19.71 28.24 36.08 50.33
Relative Vertical Swim Abilities Model (RELvswim) results
MEAN (% BM) 34.81 29.53 26.88 22.96 20.99 16.99 14.07 12.27 9.98
SD (% BM) 9.67 6.40 4.96 3.23 2.69 2.64 3.27 3.75 4.38
cV % 27.79 21.69 18.44 14.08 12.81 15.52 23.21 30.55 43.88
Capacity Vertical Swim Abilities Model (CAPvswim) results
MEAN (% b) 69.69 60.42 55.69 48.58 44.94 37.42 31.77 28.20 23.54
SD (% b) 9.37 11.22 12.10 13.27 13.79 14.64 15.08 15.28 15.49
cV % 13.45 18.56 21.73 27.32 30.68 39.11 47.47 54.19 65.78
Extra load mass (kg)
y = 30.4868x -0.2087
R 2 24
22
20
18
Wat Females
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
= 0.9985
0 250 500 750 1000
Time (s)
1250 1500 1750 2000
Figure 1. Following model of Absolute Vertical Swim Abilities Model
(ABS vswim ).
% of weight mass in relation to BM
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
y = 47.8754x -0.2127
R 2 = 0.9986
Wat Females
5
0 250 500 750 1000
Time (s)
1250 1500 1750 2000
Figure 2. Following model of Relative Vertical Swim Abilities Model
(REL vswim ).