Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming XI

There was no significant difference in swimming velocity between IT6*500 and IT30*100
for each 500 m. Expressed in % v 2 O V& max and % vLT, swimming velocities were 96.4 ±
3.4 and 99.2 ± 3.6% for IT6*500 and 96.7 ± 3.4 and 99.4 ± 4.4% for IT30*100 respectively.
Although the swimming velocity was similar during IT6*500 and IT30*100, VO2 & mean,
VE & mean, BL and RPE were greater for IT6*500 than IT30*100 (63.8±3.9 vs. 57.3±3.1
mL.kg -1 ·min -1 ; 79.6±18.8 vs. 73.2±10.5 mL·kg -1 ·min -1 ; 4.1±1.2 vs. 3.2±1.4 mmol·L -1 ;
17.3±2.4 vs. 14.7±3.1 a.u. P < 0.05). T>90% was greater for IT6*500 (1357 ± 288 vs. 562
Table 2. Maximal and peak physiological variables obtained in the
(ITE6x300) ± 326 s, P < 0.05) incremental (Table 2). test to exhaustion (ITE6x300-m) and mean
physiological values obtained in the 30x100-m (IT30x100 ) and 6x500-m
(IT6x500 ) IT sessions.
Table 2. Maximal and peak physiological variables obtained in the (ITE6x300)
incremental test to exhaustion (ITE6x300-m) and mean physiological values obtained in
the 30x100-m (IT30x100) and 6x500-m (IT6x500) IT sessions.
Incremental
Interval training sets.
test.
Mean values.
Maximal values.
6*300 IT30*100 IT6*500
V (m·s -1 ) 1.51 ± 0.02 1.46 ± 0.06 1.45 ± 0.06
%v 2 O V& max 100 96.7 ± 3.6 95.9 ± 3.2
VO 2
& (mL·kg -1 ·min -1 ) 69.2 ± 6.5 57.3 ± 3.1* 63.8 ± 3.9
% VO2 & max 100 82.8 ± 3.7* 91.3 ± 3.6
VCO2 & (mL·kg -1 ·min -1 ) 62.1 ± 5.7 48.6 ± 6.3* 54.8 ± 2.4
% VCO2 & max 100 78.3 ± 7.7* 88.2 ± 9.7
VE & (mL·kg -1 ·min -1 ) 1749 ± 166 1281 ± 193* 1392 ± 207
% VE & max 100 73.2 ± 10.5* 79.6 ± 17.8
Lactate (mmol·L -1 ) 6.9 ± 1.4 3.2 ± 1.4* 4.1 ± 1.2
RPE (a.u.) 18.4 ± 3.1 14.7 ± 3.1* 17.3 ± 2.4
QR 0.98 ± 0.09 0.86 ± 0.09 0.86 ± 0.09
%QR max 87.9 ± 9.1 87.9 ± 8.1
HR (b·min -1 ) 196 ± 7.3 175 ± 9.8 180 ± 6.2
% HR max 89.3 ± 3.8 91.8 ± 3.6
DISCUSSION
The major finding of this study is that the long interval training set (IT6*500m) which was
performed at vLT displayed higher physiological responses and longer time sustained
above 90% VO2 & for moderately to highly trained or even elite athletes (Billat, 2001). The
use of continuous max compared or long-interval with the shorter training interval sessions training when (IT30*100m). performed This at is in
intensities close to the lactate threshold has been suggested to be particularly
good for reducing energy cost (Billat, 2001; Jones, 1998), for
an enhancement of the capacity of maintaining a larger proportion of
VO � max over long periods of time. Nevertheless, the results of the
2
present study also suggest that interval training sessions similar to the
IT 30*100 protocol could be useful for developing stroke length while
completing a large volume of training without metabolic overload (Olbrecht
et al., 1985). In agreement, MacDougall and Sale (1981) who
demonstrated that 30-s exercise periods alternated with 30-s rest solicited
the aerobic metabolism less than 2-3 min exercise periods which
produced a higher level of hypoxia. During the short intervals, Medbo
et al. (1992) found that a large quantity of oxygen was stored in muscle
myoglobin during the rest periods (10% of maximal cumulative oxygen
debt) minimizing depletion during the exercise time and thus sparing
the glycolytic pathway during exercise. The fall in phosphocreatine during
the course of the exercise would be followed by resynthesis during
recovery leading to lesser accumulation of lactate in the muscles compared
with continuous work. The lower levels of glycolysis in both motor
and ventilatory muscles during IT 30*100 would probably contribute to
the lesser muscle fatigue (MacDougall and Sale, 1981), enabling the
athlete to maintain longer stroke lengths. It could be suggested that this
would enhance, long term, motor efficiency, an essential factor of fast
swimming performance (Dekerle et al., 2005).
conclusIon
To conclude, during long interval training performed at lactate threshold,
elite swimmers exhibited large amplitude of the 2 O V� slow component
and an increase in the ventilatory response that is linked to an
increase in stroke rate. Moreover, responses observed during the shortinterval
training (IT 30*100 ) were characterized by a better technical
efficiency accompanied with a lower ventilatory and metabolic stress.
Short-interval training can be used to develop the distance per stroke
while long interval training allows training against the deterioration of
stroke mechanics during high oxygen consumption regimens.
chaPter4.trainingandPerformance
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