Aerobic and Anaerobic Performances in Tethered Swimming

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the critical force (Crit_F) and anaerobic impulse capacity (AIC) – estimated by tethered swimming – reflect the aerobic and anaerobic performance of swimmers. 12 swimmers performed incremental test in tethered swimming to determine lactate anaerobic threshold (AnTLAC), maximal oxygen uptake (  ˙VO_2MAX) and force associated with the  ˙VO_2MAX (i ˙VO_2MAX). The swimmers performed 4 exhaustive (tlim) exercise bouts (100, 110, 120 and 130% i ˙VO_2MAX) to compute the Crit_F and AIC (F vs. 1/tlim model); a 30-s all-out tethered swimming bout to determine their anaerobic fitness (AN_F); 100, 200, and 400-m time-trials to determine the swimming performance. Crit_F (57.09±11.77 N) did not differ from AnTLAC (53.96±11.52 N, (P>0.05) but was significantly lower than i ˙VO_2MAX (71.02±8.36 N). In addition, Crit_F presented significant correlation with AnTLAC (r=0.76; P<0.05) and i ˙VO_2MAX (r=0.74; P<0.05). On the other hand, AIC (286.19±54.91 N.s) and AN_F (116.10±13.66 N) were significantly correlated (r=0.81, p<0.05). In addition, Crit_F and AIC presented significant correlations with all time-trials. In summary, this study demonstrates that Crit_F and AIC can be used to evaluate AnTLAC and AN_F and to predict 100, 200, and 400-m free swimming.

Key words

critical force - anaerobic impulse capacity - tethered swimming

• References

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