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Int J Sports Med 2009; 30(3): 194-199
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1104583
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Aerobic Cost in Elite Female Adolescent Swimmers

V. Unnithan 1 , J. Holohan 2 , B. Fernhall 3 , J. Wylegala 4 , T. Rowland 5 , D. R. Pendergast 6
  • 1Department of Sport, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
  • 2Physical Education and Athletics, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
  • 3Kinesiology and Community Health Department, University of Illinois, Champaign, United States
  • 4Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiology, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, United States
  • 5Department of Pediatrics, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, United States
  • 6Center for Research and Education in Special Environments, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, United States
Further Information

Publication History

accepted after revision August 8, 2008

Publication Date:
06 February 2009 (online)

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Abstract

Maximal performance in swimming depends on metabolic power and the economy of swimming. Thus, the energy cost of swimming (economy=V˙O 2/V, Cs) and maximal aerobic power (V˙O 2max) in elite young female swimmers (n=10, age: 15.3±1.5 years) and their relationships to race times (50–1 000 m) and national ranking were examined. V˙O 2 increased exponentially with velocity (V), (V˙O 2=5.95+(−10.58 V)+5.84 V2) to a maximal V˙O 2 of 2.71±0.50 L·min−1 (46.7±8.2 mL·kg−1·min−1) at a free swimming velocity of 1.37±0.07 m·s−1. Cs was constant up to 1.2 m·s−1 (21.5 mL·m−1), however was significantly higher at 1.36 m·s−1 (27.3 mL·m−1). Peak [La] was 5.34±2.26 mM. Cs expressed as a percentage of Cs at maximal swimming velocity was significantly correlated with race times and ranking across a number of distances. The data for these elite females demonstrate that the energy cost of swimming is a good predictor of performance across a range of distances. However, as swimming performance is determined by a combination of factors, these findings warrant further examination.

Key words

swimming economy - elite female athletes

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Correspondence

Prof. V. Unnithan

Department of Sport

Liverpool Hope University

Hope Park

Liverpool

United Kingdom

Phone: +0151/291/20 45

Fax: +0151/291/34 14

Email: unnithv@hope.ac.uk