Male (n = 25) and female (n = 14) competitive swimmers were studied during tethered
(breaststroke) and free (front crawl) swimming to determine the validity of calculating
exercise oxygen uptake (V̇O2) from expired gas samples taken immediately after the activity. Based on a single
20-s recovery V̇O2, the swimmers' V̇O2max was correlated with performance in a 400-yd (365.8-m) front crawl swim. The best
predictors of V̇O2max for trained swimmers were lean body weight and stroke index (r = 0.97). The single best predictor of performance in the 365.8-m front crawl swim
was the distance per stroke (r = 0.88), whereas the combination of distance per stroke and V̇O2max (ml/kg LBW/ min) correlated 0.97 with performance in the swim. This study demonstrates
that it is possible to accurately determine the V̇O2 during maximal and submaximal swimming using a single, 20-s expired gas collection
taken immediately after a 4-7 min swim. These findings demonstrate the importance
of stroke technique on the energy cost and variations in performance during competitive
swimming.
energy cost - performance - swimming - lean body weight
