Comparison of the front crawl leg kick and arm stroke characteristics of male age-group and college swimmers / 体力科学

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine the physiological responses, stroke rate and stroke length of front crawl leg kick and arm stroke of age-group and college swimmers and to elucidate the characteristics of male age-group swimmers, which have not been highlighted adequately. The subjects were ten 11.8-to 12.4-year-old well-trained male elementary school swimmers (group E) and nine 20.1-to 21.1-year-old well-trained male college swimmers (group C) . All the subjects were categorized into similar swimming levels for their ages. All the experiments were performed in a swimming flume (AQUAGYM made by IHI) . The water velocities during leg kicking and arm stroking were 60 and 70%, respectively, of the maximal velocity at maximal oxygen uptake (Vmax) . The oxygen uptake (VO<SUB>2</SUB>), heart rate (HR), pulmonary ventilation (V<SUB>E</SUB>), tidal volume (TV), respiratory rate (RR) and blood lactate (BL) level of each group were significantly higher during leg kicking than arm stroking at both velocities. VO2, V<SUB>E</SUB>; and TV were significantly higher in group C than group E during leg kicking and arm stroking at both velocities, but HR, RR and BL did not differ significantly. The leg kick to arm stroke VO<SUB>2</SUB> ratio at 70% Vmax was significantly higher in group E than group C. The stroke rate at the same velocity was significantly lower and the stroke length was significantly higher in group C than group E, but the kick rate and length did not differ significantly. VO<SUB>2</SUB>·SR<SUP>-1</SUP> and VO<SUB>2</SUB> KR<SUP>-1</SUP> at both velocities were significantly higher in group C than group E. VO<SUB>2</SUB> Wt<SUP>-1</SUP> SR<SUP>-1</SUP> at 70% Vmax was significantly higher in group C than group E, but VO<SUB>2</SUB> Wt<SUP>-1</SUP> KR<SUP>-1</SUP> at both velocities was significantly lower in group C than group E. These results clarified the differences between group E and group C, which must be considered carefully when designing a training program for age-group swimmers.