Research article - (2017)16, 574 - 580
Front Crawl Swimming Performance and Bi-Lateral Force Asymmetry during Land-Based and Tethered Swimming Tests
Karini B. dos Santos1,, Paulo C. Barauce Bento1, Gleber Pereira1, Carl Payton2, André L.F. Rodacki1
1Universidade Federal do Parana, R. Coracao de Maria, 92 – Jardim Botanico – Setor de Ciencias Biologicas – Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
2Manchester Metropolitan University, Crewe, United Kingdom

Karini B. dos Santos
✉ Universidade Federal do Parana, R. Coracao de Maria, 92 – Jardim Botanico – Setor de Ciencias Biologicas – Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
Email: kariniborges2@gmail.com
Received: 18-10-2016 -- Accepted: 27-10-2017
Published (online): 01-12-2017

ABSTRACT

The aims of this study were to investigate whether land-based and tethered swimming strength tests can explain swimming performance in 200-meter front crawl and, whether these tests were able to identify bilateral symmetry in force production. In the first session, eighteen swimmers completed a maximum effort 200 m front crawl swim (swimming performance) and 15 seconds maximal effort tethered front crawl swim. In the second session, participants performed the upper extremity isometric strength test. Peak force production of tethered swimming and isometric strength tests were significantly correlated for the strongest and weakest sides (r = 0.58 and r = 0.63, respectively; p < 0.05), but only peak force production during tethered swimming correlated with 200 m swimming performance time (r = -0.55, p < 0.05). Bilateral asymmetries in peak force and rate of force development were similar between the tethered swimming and isometric strength tests (peak force: 13%, p = 0.24; rate of force development: 15%, p = 0.88) However, both tests detected significant difference of peak force and rate of force development between body sides. The tethered swimming test can partially explain the 200 m front crawl swimming performance. In addition, the land-based and tethered swimming tests may be used to identify bilateral asymmetry of swimming.

Key words: isometric strength, swimmers, kinetics

Key Points
  • The results of this study reinforce the notion that strength measured on land is a poor predictor of the swimming performance
  • In contrast, the ability to generate maximum force during a tethered swim, a condition more analagous to free swimming, is a significant predictor of swimming performance.
  • It is therefore recommended that simple land- and water-based strength tests, as described in this study, can be routinely used to monitor swimmers’ asymmetry strength status.








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