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- Relative Contribution of Arms and Legs in 30 s Fully Tethered Front Crawl SwimmingPublication . Morouço, Pedro; Marinho, Daniel; Izquierdo, Mikel; Neiva, Henrique; Marques, MCThe relative contribution of arm stroke and leg kicking to maximal fully tethered front crawl swimming performance remains to be solved. Twenty-three national level young swimmers (12 male and 11 female) randomly performed 3 bouts of 30 s fully tethered swimming (using the whole body, only the arm stroke, and only the leg kicking). A load-cell system permitted the continuous measurement of the exerted forces, and swimming velocity was calculated from the time taken to complete a 50 m front crawl swim. As expected, with no restrictions swimmers were able to exert higher forces than that using only their arm stroke or leg kicking. Estimated relative contributions of arm stroke and leg kicking were 70.3% versus 29.7% for males and 66.6% versus 33.4% for females, with 15.6% and 13.1% force deficits, respectively. To obtain higher velocities, male swimmers are highly dependent on the maximum forces they can exert with the arm stroke (r = 0.77, P < 0.01), whereas female swimmers swimming velocity is more related to whole-body mean forces (r = 0.81, P < 0.01). The obtained results point that leg kicking plays an important role over short duration high intensity bouts and that the used methodology may be useful to identify strength and/or coordination flaws.
- A systematic review on dry-land strength and conditioning training on swimming performancePublication . Amaro, Nuno; Morouço, Pedro; Marques, MC; Batalha, Nuno; Neiva, Henrique; Marinho, DanielObjectives. — The objective of this review was to examine the effects of dry-land strength and conditioning (S&C) training on swimming, and starts and turns performances. News. — S&C training is a common practice in swimming aiming to enhance performance or to prevent injuries. However, studies regarding the effects of S&C on swimming performance are scarce; the influence of age, gender or competitive level is even scarcer. Prospects and projects. — After a structured literature search, sixteen studies were included in the current review. Of those, seven did not report any positive or negative effects on swimming performance. Contrarily, most studies with positive effects were conducted with older swimmers whereas maximal strength was the most effective methodology for improving swimming performance. S&C plyometric training is suggested to be the most effective method to improve starts and turns. Future Randomized Controlled Trials should be conducted to explore the effects of S&C induced by age and gender, on different swimming distances and techniques, and long-term training effects. Conclusion. — It is recommended that S&C training should be based on maximal strength, ranging from six to twelve weeks of 2 to 4 sessions per week (approximately 24 sessions altogether). In each session, coaches should vary from 2 to 3 sets and 3 to 5 repetitions, according to prescribed intensity. Rest intervals should range between 2 to 5 minutes and the intensity should be from 80 to 90% of 1RM. Particularly regarding improving starts and turns, a S&C training regime ranging from 6 to 8 weeks and with 2 sessions per week is suggested. In each session, swimmers should perform between 1 and 6 sets and 1 and 10 repetitions, according to the established intensity. Rest between sets should range from 60 to 90 seconds. The swimmers in the included studies are mostly men which do not allow to say if the recommendations made are gender-dependent.
- The effect of warm-up on sprinting kinematicsPublication . Morouço, Pedro; Gil, Maria Helena; Neiva, Henrique; Marques, MC; Sousa, António; Marinho, DanielThe purpose of this study was to verify the effects of warm-up on kinematic variables during short distance repeated sprints. Twenty-two college students randomly performed 2 x 30-m running time-trials after warm-up or with no warm-up, in different days. Performance (time-trial) and biomechanical (step length and step frequency) were assessed during both repeated trials. Performance was 0.5% faster after warm-up in the first 30-m time-trial (p = 0.03, d = 0.44), but without differences on step length and frequency. The second sprint was not different between conditions, but it was better than the first sprint in the no warm-up condition. This condition also led to higher changes between the first and second sprint. Thus, the warm-up is suggested to improve maximal running performances and maintaining kinematics more similar throughout the sprints.
- The Effect 0f Warm-up on Tethered Front Crawl Swimming ForcesPublication . Neiva, Henrique; Morouço, Pedro; Silva, António; Marques, MC; Marinho, DanielThis study was conducted to determine the effect of warm-up on high-intensity front crawl tethered swimming and thus to better understand possible variations in the force exerted by the swimmers. Ten male national level swimmers (mean ± SD; age 15.3 ± 0.95 years old, height: 1.73 ± 5.2 m, body mass: 64.3 ± 7.8 kg, Fat mass 8.31 ± 3.1 kg) participated in this study. After a typical competition warm-up, the subjects performed a 30 s tethered swimming all-out effort in front crawl swimming technique. The same test was repeated in the day after but performed without warming up. Capillary blood lactate concentration was assessed before and after the swimming test and the Borg ratings of perceived exertion scale was used. Without a previous warm-up, the mean ± SD values of maximum and mean forces were 299.62 ± 77.56 N and 91.65 ± 14.70 N, respectively. These values were different (p<0.05) from the values obtained with warm-up (351.33 ± 81.85 N and 103.97 ± 19.11 N). Differences were also observed when regarding to the forces relative to body mass. However, the values of lactate net concentrations after the test performed with and without warm-up were not different (6.27 ± 2.36 mmol·l(-1) and 6.18 ± 2.353 mmol·l (-1)) and the same occurs with the values of ratings of perceived exertion (15.90 ± 2.42 and 15.60 ± 2.27). These results suggest an improvement of the maximum and mean force of the swimmer on the tethered swimming due to previous warm-up.
- Associations Between Dry Land Strength and Power Measurements with Swimming Performance in Elite Athletes: a Pilot StudyPublication . Morouço, Pedro; Neiva, Henrique; González-Badillo, Juan; Garrido, Nuno; Marinho, Daniel; Marques, MCThe main aim of the present study was to analyze the relationships between dry land strength and power measurements with swimming performance. Ten male national level swimmers (age: 14.9 ± 0.74 years, body mass: 60.0 ± 6.26 kg, height: 171.9 ± 6.26, 100 m long course front crawl performance: 59.9 ± 1.87 s) volunteered as subjects. Height and Work were estimated for CMJ. Mean power in the propulsive phase was assessed for squat, bench press (concentric phase) and lat pull down back. Mean force production was evaluated through 30 s maximal effort tethered swimming in front crawl using whole body, arms only and legs only. Swimming velocity was calculated from a maximal bout of 50 m front crawl. Height of CMJ did not correlate with any of the studied variables. There were positive and moderate-strong associations between the work during CMJ and mean propulsive power in squat with tethered forces during whole body and legs only swimming. Mean propulsive power of bench press and lat pull down presented positive and moderate-strong relationships with mean force production in whole body and arms only. Swimming performance is related with mean power of lat pull down back. So, lat pull down back is the most related dry land test with swimming performance; bench press with force production in water arms only; and work during CMJ with tethered forces legs only.