Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of age and gender on the energy cost of front-crawl swimming (Cs). Thirty well-trained swimmers (10 boys, 5 girls, 10 men and 5 women) volunteered to perform a 200 m front-crawl test at a standardized velocity (V). Body length (BL), body mass (BM) and body surface area (BSA) were measured. Oxygen consumption (VO2) was measured using the Douglas bag method and the Cs was calculated as the ratio VO2/V. BM, BL, and BSA were identified as good predictors of Cs. By using allometric modeling, common body size exponents for BM, BL, and BSA were 0.40, 1.30, and 0.61, respectively. When scaling for BM, BM0.40, BL, BL1.30, BSA, and BSA0.61, the Cs was not significantly different among the different swimmers groups. In conclusion, in well-trained swimmers, the size-scaled cost of swimming is not dependent on age and gender.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barbosa TM, Fernandes RJ, Keskinen KL, Vilas-Boas JP (2008) The influence of stroke mechanics into energy cost of elite swimmers. Eur J Appl Physiol 103:139–149
Capelli C, Pendergast DR, Termin B (1998) Energetics of swimming at maximal speeds in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol 78:385–393
Chatard JC, Wilson B (2008) Effect of fastskin suits on performance, drag, and energy cost of swimming. Med Sci Sports Exerc 40:1149–1154
Chatard JC, Padilla S, Cazorla G, Lacour JR (1985) Influence of body height, weight, hydrostatic lift and training on the energy cost of the front crawl. NZ J Sports Med 13:82–84
Chatard JC, Lavoie JM, Lacour JR (1990) Analysis of determinants of swimming economy in front crawl. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 61:88–92
Chatard JC, Lavoie JM, Lacour JR (1991) Energy cost of front-crawl swimming in women. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 63:12–16
Costill DL, Kovaleski J, Porter D, Kirwan J, Fielding R, King D (1985) Energy expenditure during front crawl swimming: predicting success in middle-distance events. Int J Sports Med 6:266–270
di Prampero PE (1986) The energy cost of human locomotion on land and in water. Int J Sports Med 7:55–72
Durnin JV, Rahaman MM (1967) The assessment of the amount of fat in the human body from measurements of skinfold thickness. Br J Nutr 21:681–689
Faude O, Meyer T, Scharhag J, Weins F, Urhausen A, Kindermann W (2008) Volume vs. intensity in the training of competitive swimmers. Int J Sports Med 29:906–912
Haycock GB, Schwartz GJ, Wisotsky DH (1978) Geometric method for measuring body surface area: a height-weight formula validated in infants, children, and adults. J Pediatr 93:62–66
Kilding AE, Winter EM, Fysh M (2006) A comparison of pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics in middle- and long-distance runners. Int J Sports Med 27:419–426
Kjendlie PL, Ingjer F, Madsen Ø, Stallman RK, Stray-Gundersen J (2004a) Differences in the energy cost between children and adults during front crawl swimming. Eur J Appl Physiol 91:473–480
Kjendlie PL, Ingjer F, Stallman RK, Stray-Gundersen J (2004b) Factors affecting swimming economy in children and adults. Eur J Appl Physiol 93:65–74
Kjendlie PL, Stallman RK, Stray-Gundersen J (2004c) Adults have lower stroke rate during submaximal front crawl swimming than children. Eur J Appl Physiol 91:649–655
Pendergast DR, Di Prampero PE, Craig AB Jr, Wilson DR, Rennie DW (1977) Quantitative analysis of the front crawl in men and women. J Appl Physiol 43:475–479
Poujade B, Hautier CA, Rouard A (2002) Determinants of the energy cost of front-crawl swimming in children. Eur J Appl Physiol 87:1–6
Ratel S, Duché P, Hennegrave A, Van Praagh E, Bedu M (2002) Acid-base balance during repeated cycling sprints in boys and men. J Appl Physiol 92:479–485
Siri WE (1956) The gross composition of the body. Adv Biol Med Phys 4:239–280
Toubekis AG, Tsami AP, Tokmakidis SP (2006) Critical velocity and lactate threshold in young swimmers. Int J Sports Med 27:117–123
Wellens R, Malina RM, Beunen G, Lefevre J (1990) Age at menarche in Flemish girls: current status and secular change in the 20th century. Ann Hum Biol 17:145–152
Zamparo P (2006) Effects of age and gender on the propelling efficiency of the arm stroke. Eur J Appl Physiol 97:52–58
Zamparo P, Antonutto G, Capelli C, Francescato MP, Girardis M, Sangoi R, Soule RG, Pendergast DR (1996) Effects of body size, body density, gender and growth on underwater torque. Scand J Med Sci Sports 6:273–280
Zamparo P, Capelli C, Cautero M, Di Nino A (2000) Energy cost of front-crawl swimming at supra-maximal speeds and underwater torque in young swimmers. Eur J Appl Physiol 83:487–491
Zamparo P, Bonifazi M, Faina M, Milan A, Sardella F, Schena F, Capelli C (2005) Energy cost of swimming of elite long-distance swimmers. Eur J Appl Physiol 94:697–704
Zamparo P, Lazzer S, Antoniazzi C, Cedolin S, Avon R, Lesa C (2008) The interplay between propelling efficiency, hydrodynamic position and energy cost of front crawl in 8 to 19-year-old swimmers. Eur J Appl Physiol 104:689–699
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the swimmers of the Stade Clermontois Natation and Chamalières Montferrand Natation for their patience, time and effort.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ratel, S., Poujade, B. Comparative analysis of the energy cost during front crawl swimming in children and adults. Eur J Appl Physiol 105, 543–549 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0933-1
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0933-1