The Effects of a Six-Week Snorkel Training Program on 5-km Time Trial Performance

Abstract

Athletes and coaches continually look for new training techniques to improve athletic performance and maximize training. Respiratory muscle training has been one strategy used to improve endurance performance. Furthermore, the use of a snorkel would allow coaches and athletes to maximize training time by combining RMT and aerobic training. However, the effectiveness and reliability of a snorkel as an RMT device has not been clearly established through research. PURPOSE: To examine the effects of a six-week snorkel training program on 5-km running time-trial (TT) performance. METHODS: Twelve (6 males, 6 females) healthy, college-age (18-30 years) recreational runners were assigned to two groups. The snorkel (SNK) group (n = 6; 3 males, 3 females) and the training (TRN) group (n = 6; 3 males, 3 females) completed six weeks of treadmill running at a speed that corresponded with 65% of VO2max. The SNK group completed the treadmill run training while wearing a snorkel with a restricted airway. Five-km TT performance was measured pre- and post-training on an indoor 200-m track. Three minutes following each TT blood lactate was measured. Repeated measures two-way ANOVA with matched pairs were utilized to examine differences in TT performance and blood lactate concentrations within groups and between groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in 5-km TT performance within or between groups from pre- to post-training. However, there was a practical 36-sec improvement in 5-km TT performance in the SNK (pre: 1469-sec, post: 1433-sec) group. CONCLUSIONS: 5-km TT performance did not reach statistical significance from pre- to post-training, within or between groups. Despite the non-significant findings of the present study, snorkel training may render practical significance for improving 5-km TT performance in recreational, college age runners.