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Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the effects of a swimming training mesocycle in master swimmers’ performance and active drag. Twenty-two 39.87 ± 6.10 year-old master swimmers performed a 25 m front crawl at maximal intensity before and after a typical four-week training mesocycle. Maximum, mean and minimum speeds, speed decrease and hip horizontal intra-cyclic velocity variation were assessed using an electromechanical speedometer, and the active drag and power to overcome drag were determined using the measuring active drag system. Maximum, mean and minimum front crawl speeds improved from pre- to post-training (mean ± 95% CI: 3.1 ± 2.8%, p = 0.04; 2.9 ± 1.6%, p = 0.01; and 4.6 ± 3.1%, p = 0.01; respectively) and the speed decrease along the 25 m test lowered after the training period (82.5 ± 76.3%, p = 0.01). The training mesocycle caused a reduction in the active drag at speeds corresponding to 70% (5.0 ± 3.9%), 80% (5.6 ± 4.0%), and 90% (5.9 ± 4.0%), but not at 100% (5.9 ± 6.7%), of the swimmers’ maximal exertions in the 25 m test. These results showed that four weeks of predominantly aerobic training could improve master swimmers’ performance and reduce their hydrodynamic drag while swimming mainly at submaximal speeds.
Highlights
Accepted: 26 March 2021Competitive events for master swimmers have become increasingly popular over the years, aiming both for health [1] and performance benefits [2]
Male (n = 16) and female (n = 6) swimmers were recruited by detailed announcements at a local swimming club using the following inclusion criteria: Male or female, aged 30–50 years old, engaged in a systematic swimming training program with a master swimmer background in national swimming events
Higher maximum mean and minimum front crawl speeds were observed after the training period concurrently with a lower value of speed decrease
Summary
Competitive events for master swimmers have become increasingly popular over the years, aiming both for health [1] and performance benefits [2]. The number of master swimmers and their competitiveness level increased considerably in the last decade, with many participating in the last European and World Championships [3,4]. A better understanding of master swimming performance development along the training process is very important, but studies on the topic are rare [5,6,7]. Swimmers’ speed, which depends directly on the relationship between propulsive and hydrodynamic drag forces, defines the swimming performance [9,10,11]. The training should potentiate propulsive forces and reduce the opposing forces to the swimmers’
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