Experimental study of the performance of competition swimmers

  • J. P. Charbonnier
  • J. R. Lacour
  • J. Riffat
  • R. Flandrois
Article
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to consider which characteristics are related to a high velocity in water during swimming. The study was performed on 13 of the best competition swimmers of the region of Lyon (France). The collected data were:\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) max, measured during leg-work (\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) max LW), during arm-work (\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) max AW), and the hydrodynamic resistances measured when the swimmers were towed at the speed of 1.80 m/sec. The cardiac output was measured for four of the subjects. The swimmers were characterized by a mean\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) max LW of 56 ml/kg/min and by a high value of the ratio\(\frac{{\dot V_{O_2 } \max {\text{ }}AW}}{{\dot V_{O_2 } \max {\text{ }}LW}}\) which reached 99% for three of them. There was a very high correlation (r = 0.90 and 0.91) between the mean speed calculated from the best performances in competition swims of 400 m and 1500 m and a value which is thought to express the aerobic energy available to the swimmer:
$$\dot V_{O_2 } \max water:\dot V_{O_2 } \max {\text{ }}AW + \frac{{\dot V_{O_2 } \max {\text{ }}LW - \dot V_{O_2 } \max {\text{ }}AW}}{6}$$

Key words

Competition-Swimmer Oxygen Uptake Arm-Work Hydrodynamic Resistances 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1975

Authors and Affiliations

  • J. P. Charbonnier
    • 1
    • 2
  • J. R. Lacour
    • 1
    • 2
  • J. Riffat
    • 1
    • 2
  • R. Flandrois
    • 1
    • 2
  1. 1.Laboratoire de PhysiologieLyon
  2. 2.Laboratoire de PhysiologieU.E.R. de Médecine 42St. Etienne

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