Artistic Swimming Research Articles

Sensorimotor Synchronization Abilities for Polyrhythmic Tasks in Artistic Swimming: A Comparison Between Elite, Novice, and Non-Artistic Swimmers.

We investigated sensorimotor synchronization abilities across swimmers of different artistic expertise levels. Elite, novice, and non-artistic female swimmer participants completed finger and foot tapping tasks involving single and polyrhythmic patterns that were intended to simulate the rhythmic coordination required in artistic swimming. Although no significant group differences were found in basic sensorimotor synchronization skills, elite athletes exhibited superior performance on polyrhythmic tasks. This observed superior performance could be partly attributable to a pre-existing predisposition for such motor skills and/or the effects of rigorous training. These findings highlight the critical impact of sport-specific demands on temporal control skills and suggest important implications for training methodologies in artistic swimmers.

Effects of Movement Speed on Shoulder and Trunk Muscle Activity and Timing during Support Sculling in Artistic Swimming

Effects of Movement Speed on Shoulder and Trunk Muscle Activity and Timing during Support Sculling in Artistic Swimming

A Characterization of the Cardiac Physiology and Aortic Pulse Wave Properties of Artistic Swimmers Across Competitive Levels.

The distinct physical and environmental stressors of artistic swimming (previously termed synchronized swimming) result in unique hemodynamic stimuli. Given that the hemodynamic stress associated with participation in an exercise modality drives adaptation of the heart and central vasculature, artistic swimming may produce a distinct cardiovascular phenotype. Presumably, athletes competing at the highest levels also have greater training exposure and, thus, exhibit more adaptation. The purpose of this study was to characterize cardiovascular form and function across the competitive spectrum of artistic swimmers. Cardiovascular structure and function were compared in a cross-sectional study of healthy controls, varsity, and elite artistic swimmers, using pulse wave analysis, pulse wave velocity, and echocardiographic images both at rest and during isometric handgrip exercise. Aortic stiffness was similar across all groups, as were characteristics of the decomposed aortic pressure waveform. At rest, both varsity and elite swimmers demonstrated similar systolic function compared to controls. However, peak left ventricular twist was greater in varsity and elites (controls: 8.0 ± 3.9, varsity: 12.8 ± 8.6, elites: 13.4 ± 3.9; both p < 0.02). Furthermore, elites demonstrated greater peak left ventricular radial strain (controls: 29.2 ± 9.9, varsity: 32.5 ± 10.3, elites: 53.9 ± 15.1; both p < 0.001) and longitudinal strain (controls: -16.9 ± 1.6, varsity: -16.5 ± 1.8, elites: -19.5 ± 3.2; both p < 0.04). In contrast to controls, both varsity and elite artistic swimmers demonstrated no change in peak late diastolic transmitral filling velocity (controls: Δ0.2 ± 0.04 m/s, varsity: Δ0.06 ± 0.04 m/s, elites: Δ0.05 ± 0.04 m/s) during isometric handgrip exercise (both p > 0.05), with elites demonstrating lower peak velocity than varsity swimmers, (p = 0.048) indicating preservation of diastolic function. Artistic swimmers demonstrate distinct cardiac physiology at rest and during isometric handgrip, with a greater extent of distinguishing features observed in those competing at the highest level of competition.

Advancing Artistic Swimming Officiating and Performance Assessment: A Computer Vision Study Using MediaPipe

Abstract Artistic Swimming (AS) requires complete execution and synchronization of movements for performance evaluation. The interest in objective and subjective performance analysis worldwide in sports via valid and reliable Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is spreading depending on the required analysis parameters to design a novel system. This study investigated a novel application of the MediaPipe-based computer vision tool validation by examining biomechanical aspects and the objective performance impact in ballet leg and barracuda AS techniques. Twenty experienced AS athletes participated and executed these techniques under controlled conditions. Thirty-six recorded video trials were captured and analyzed via computer vision using MediaPipe, Kinovea, and AutoCAD (gold standard), with correlations calculated to assess the reliability of measurements and tools. The results indicated a non-significant difference (p&lt;0.05) among the software tools, supported by one-way ANOVA and Bland-Altman tests. Notably, in ballet leg technique, maintaining alignment between the upper body trunk and knee in a line had a small correlation with other leg deviations; however, this aspect had a moderate negative correlation in scoring. Overall, this study suggests MediaPipe efficiency in computer vision for AS officiating and performance analysis, offering a reliable, real-time alternative to traditional methods and providing perceptions of AS techniques.

Perfectionism, disordered eating and well-being in aesthetic sports: The mediating role of passion

Aesthetic athletes face higher risks of disordered eating, and perfectionism is one of the determinants involved. While research suggests that perfectionism in sport may play a role in physical and psychological well-being, its influence remains to be confirmed. As such, further examination of the influence of perfectionism on health is warranted as it could lead to better interventions. This preregistered research sought to shed new light on these relationships by investigating the mediating role of passion in the perfectionism-disordered eating relationship as well as physical and psychological well-being in aesthetic sports. In Study 1, 229 American recreational and competitive athletes practicing either gymnastics (n = 150) or artistic swimming (n = 79) were recruited on MTurk to complete an online questionnaire. The same recruitment procedure was used for Study 2, with 107 American gymnasts (n = 69) and artistic swimmers (n = 38) completing the questionnaire at two timepoints, one year apart. Results from path analyses showed that socially prescribed perfectionism was associated with obsessive passion, which in turn was associated with disordered eating. Self-oriented perfectionism was associated with both obsessive and harmonious passion, the latter being more adaptative as it was associated with physical and psychological well-being. Thus, the way one engages in aesthetic sports matters, as engaging with obsessive passion may take a toll on one’s health and lead to disordered eating. Conversely, fostering harmonious engagement seems to temper the negative associations between perfectionism and health outcomes and promote positive relationships with athlete’s well-being, but requires further study.

Investigation of Factors Related to Sport-Specific Compulsory Element Execution in Artistic Swimming.

Artistic swimming is an Olympic sport requiring a high level of fitness, as well as technical skills, artistry, flexibility, a good sense of rhythm, remarkable lung capacity and physical strength. The artistic swimming of adolescents has been largely untouched by the scientific community, so training this group based on scientific data is difficult. Due to the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, this study aimed to measure the technical elements, strength parameters, and swimming performance of young artistic swimmers and to compare swimming performance and strength with the quality of artistic element performances. Hungarian female junior artistic swimmers (14.36 ± 1.01 year) participated in this study. Swimming tests were performed, and three basic elements (body boost, barracuda, and vertical position) were scored. A negative correlation was found between 100 m freestyle swimming times and vertical position scores, as well as between 50 m breaststroke leg swimming times and body boost scores. Moreover, three months of breaststroke leg swim training resulted in improvements in body boost performance. In addition, a positive correlation was found between mean hand grip strength and barracuda scores, as well as between vertical position scores. According to the results of three months of breaststroke leg training, swimming practice improves artistic swimming performance by itself. A correlation was found between strength parameters and the execution of synchro elements, showing the importance of complex training strategies in this sport.

Effect of TRX Suspension Training on Technical Performance for Artistic Swimming Figures

Effect of TRX Suspension Training on Technical Performance for Artistic Swimming Figures

Artistic swimming and school engagement: the mediating role of metacognition and technology

This article presents a cross-sectional study that explores the association between artistic swimming and school engagement in a sample of 500 Italian adolescents. The study aimed to examine whether the practice of artistic swimming would foster strategic metacognitive skills. These skills, in turn, were hypothesized to positively influence school engagement and reduce recreational technology use, which could pose a risk to school engagement. The findings revealed that the relationship between artistic swimming and scholastic engagement, encompassing both cognitive and behavioral aspects, was entirely mediated by metacognitive strategies and reduced recreational technology usage. Moreover, students engaged in artistic swimming exhibited significantly higher levels of metacognitive strategies and scholastic engagement compared to their counterparts involved in other sports. The article also addresses the limitations inherent in the cross-sectional design and suggests potential avenues for future research.

Training environment and sponsorship dynamics in Hungarian artistic swimming.

The present study examines the training environment and sponsorship dynamics in Hungarian artistic swimming, with a particular focus on competitiveness. Through the utilization of a linear regression method ample aspects were identified, such as coach qualifications, funding sources, and facilities, that positively impact the number of qualified competitors. The availability of funding sources, when coupled with governmental assistance, has a favorable effect on the number of competitors, whereas membership fees have a deleterious impact. Furthermore, the findings indicate that increased water availability and increased publicity enhance artistic swimming recognition, whereas improved land-based training conditions may lead to a decline in the number of competitors. This paper discusses how different aspects of training programs can be integrated to improve overall athleticism, prevent injury, and enhance the competitive ability of artistic swimmers.

Maximizing choreography and performance in artistic swimming team free routines: the role of hybrid figures

Hybrid figures serve as an important component of artistic swimming, however, no prior research has investigated objective indicators for predicting total scores in competition. This study aimed to identify significance of hybrid figure (HF) elements in predicting total scores in artistic swimming competitions and compare these variables between the Beijing team trials and international official competitions. Eight HF variables were measured in the videos from the international artistic swimming competitions, with calibration and measurement of the variables leg height index and leg angle deviation being performed by means of Kinovea. Multiple linear regression was conducted to predict the total scores based on these variables investigated for the international teams, which showed 5 significant predictors including movement frequency, leg height index, leg angle deviation, mean pattern duration, and rotation frequency. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to determine the differences in the variables between the Beijing team and the international teams (top 5), which showed significant difference on movement frequency, leg angle deviation, leg height index and total score. When designing hybrid figures choreography of team free routine in artistic swimming, coaches should prioritize appropriate movement frequency, pattern changes and rotations over excessively long durations. Overly complex HF choreography may lead to a decline on performance in artistic swimming competition.

Relationship between propulsion, symmetry, stability, and height in three different static figures of artistic swimming

Relationship between propulsion, symmetry, stability, and height in three different static figures of artistic swimming

Bibliometric study on artistic swimming.

The objective of this paper is to study the research trends in the sport modality of artistic swimming and to analyse the scientific production regarding this sport. Two hundred and twenty articles related to the theme were selected after a search in the PubMed, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases and some additional records, using the theme "synchronised swimming OR artistic swimming" up to December 2022. The variables scrutinized were the following: (1) title, (2) discipline, (3) type, (4) sample size and (5) sporting level. The results indicate that (1) 53.6% of the artistic swimming articles were case studies, (2) 23.2% talked about physiology, (3) 32.7% had a sample of 11-50 participants, and (4) 30.9% of the sample was elite/international swimmers. Over the years there has been a considerable increase in studies on artistic swimming; the topics of greatest interest in artistic swimming have been physiology, sports performance and injuries. Even so, it seems that for the moment artistic swimming has little impact, probably due to its status as a minority sport and it having limited social and economic impact.

The winding road to the Tokyo Olympics: A dynamic approach to the relationships between stress appraisal, coping, performance, and burnout among an artistic swimming team.

The winding road to the Tokyo Olympics: A dynamic approach to the relationships between stress appraisal, coping, performance, and burnout among an artistic swimming team.

When Appearance Social Comparison Benefits Women’s Body Satisfaction: Examining the Effects of Viewing Lean Sports

ABSTRACT While media representations of female athletes in lean sports often lead to negative body image perceptions in female audiences, media images depicting athletes playing sports may generate positive responses with respect to body image. Derived from the two lines of scholarship in sports media effects, this between-subjects, online experiment tests the effects of viewing images of female athletes playing lean sports (gymnastics, diving, artistic swimming, figure skating, and cheerleading). Results showed that female viewers (N = 625) engaged in greater appearance social comparison after viewing the images of female athletes playing lean sports (versus the control images), which in turn, was positively associated with their body satisfaction. Different levels of thinness and muscularity of female athletes in the media images did not significantly affect female viewers’ appearance social comparison or body satisfaction. Notably, post hoc analyses revealed several different findings across three age groups of women audiences (young adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults). Overall, this study sheds light on the positive impact of appearance social comparison after viewing lean sports. Furthermore, the findings indicate the importance of focusing on athlete performance in media practice in relation to lean sports.

Artistic Swimming Injuries in Young Elite Athletes: An 11-year Follow-Up.

Artistic swimming is a highly challenging discipline, requiring physical skills and creativity. There are almost no published data on trauma. We aimed to assess the incidence and the nature of injuries in artistic swimmers. An 11-year retrospective single-center cohort study. Department of Sport Medicine of a University Hospital. One hundred and twenty-four elite female artistic swimmers aged 12.9 ± 1.6 years. The cohort was divided into 3 groups according to the competition categories (from 9 to 12 years old called "future", 12-15 years old called "youth", 15-19 years old called "junior"). Injury rate per season and per athlete was assessed. The injury rate was 0.95 injuries/season/athlete and 1.05 injuries/1000 hours of practice. The most frequent injuries were rotator cuff tendinopathy (13.6%), acute low back pain (13.6%), and patellofemoral syndrome (11.9%). Swimmers in the youth and junior categories had significantly more injuries than those in the future category (P = 0.009), possibly because of more training hours (P < 0.001). Twelve major injuries occurred, all in the same group of youth swimmers. This is the first study investigating trauma during artistic swimming practice. A better knowledge of the main injuries is necessary for the physician to provide optimal care for athletes and to develop prevention. Attention should be particularly paid to the swimmers' shoulders and knees.

Injuries and Illness during the 2019 Gwangju FINA and Masters World Championships in Elite and Amateur Athletes.

Comparative analysis of injury and illness prevalence in elite and amateur athletes provides the basis for the development of tailored prevention programs. The authors analyzed the differences in frequency and characteristics of injuries and illnesses which occurred in elite and amateur athletes during the 2019 Gwangju Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) and Masters World Championships. The 2019 FINA World Championships hosted 3095 athletes in the disciplines of swimming, diving, high diving, artistic swimming, water polo, and open water swimming. While the 2019 Masters World Championships hosted 4032 athletes in swimming, diving, artistic swimming, water polo, and open water swimming. All medical records were electrically recorded in every venue as well as the central medical center located at the athlete's village. More elite athletes visited clinics than amateur athletes during the events (15.0 vs 8.6%, p<0.05) despite the ages of amateur athletes being higher than elite athletes (41.0±15.0 vs 22.4±5.6 years, p<0.01). Elite athletes complained mainly of musculoskeletal problems (69%), while amateur athletes complained of both musculoskeletal (38%) and cardiovascular (8%) problems. The most frequent injury in elite athletes was due to overuse in the shoulder joints, while that of amateur athletes was traumatic injuries involving feet and hands. The most common illness was respiratory infection in both elite and amateur athletes, while cardiovascular events occured only in amateur athletes. As the risk of injury varies in elite and amateur athletes, tailored preventive measures should be prepared. Furthermore, preventive measures of cardiovascular events should focus on amateur sports events.

ANALYSIS OF ANTHROPOMETRIC AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ATHLETES ENGAGED IN ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS AND ARTISTIC SWIMMING

Aesthetic sports, in addition to specific skills, also require athletes to have a certain appearance. This appearance contributes to the positive attitude of the audience and judges towards the respective athlete, but on the other hand, it helps in the execution of the complex elements of the combination. PURPOSE. The aim of the present study is to compare the body composition and somatotype of female artistic swimming and gymnastics and to evaluate lower limb strength and breath holding times in both groups. METHODS. Six female gymnasts (11.2 ± 2.6 years) and 6 artistic swimmers (11.2 ± 2.2 years) participated in the study. To achieve this goal, the female athletes visit the Center for Functional Research in Sports and Kinesitherapy at SWU “Neofit Rilski” once, where the research is carried out. RESULTS. The results of the conducted research show that even at this early childhood age, female athletes in both sports have received the appropriate adaptations characteristic of the given sport. Gymnasts have developed good explosive power of the lower limbs, with their vertical jump averaging about 10 cm greater than that of swimmers. While swimmers, on the other hand, hold their breath for a longer period of time, on average about 37 seconds longer than gymnasts. CONCLUSIONS. Properly targeted training in the given sport leads to appropriate adaptations that favor the performance of the athlete.

Supplemental Material for The Winding Road to the Tokyo Olympics: A Dynamic Approach to the Relationships Between Stress Appraisal, Coping, Performance, and Burnout Among an Artistic Swimming Team

Supplemental Material for The Winding Road to the Tokyo Olympics: A Dynamic Approach to the Relationships Between Stress Appraisal, Coping, Performance, and Burnout Among an Artistic Swimming Team

New sports, COVID-19 and the heat: sports injuries and illnesses in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

ObjectiveTo describe the incidence of injuries and illnesses sustained during the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games from 23 July to 8 August 2021.MethodsWe recorded the daily number of athlete injuries and...

Metabolic and Performance Responses to a Simulated Routine in Elite Artistic Swimmers.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the interrelationship between time spent underwater (UW), movement frequency and accompanying blood acid base balance response. Elite artistic swimmers (n = 6) participated in the investigation and were all familiar with the testing procedures. All athletes completed the same choreographed artistic swimming routine. The routine was videoed and the number of movements during each 'lap' of the routine counted. Fingertip capillary blood samples were collected prior to the routine 60 sec post routine for pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), partial pressure of oxygen (pO2), bicarbonate (HCO3-) and potassium (K+). and lactate (La) concentration (mmol/L). On a separate day an incremental exercise test to exhaustion was performed on a cycle ergometer for determination of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). Over half the routine was performed underwater (56 ± 4%). Aside from pCO2 (-1.07 ± 12.29%, p = 0.686), there were significant changes in all variables measured from the BG analysis. VO2peak was significantly correlated to total UW of the routine (r = -0.93; p = 0.007). as well as ∆PO2 r = 0.47 and ∆HCO3 r = 0.51. There was also a significant correlation between total UW and post routine pCO2 (r = 0.86; p = 0.030). There was also a significant correlation between total movements during the routine and post pO2 (r = -0.83; p = 0.044). These data show UW in combination with movement rate during a AS routine imfluence the metabolic response to the exercise. In addition, VO2max represents an important performance variable influencing AS performance.