Oxygen uptake kinetics and middle distance swimming performance

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine whether V˙O2 kinetics and specifically, the time constant of transitions from rest to heavy (τpH) and severe (τpS) exercise intensities, are related to middle distance swimming performance.DesignFourteen highly trained male swimmers (mean ± SD: 20.5 ± 3.0 yr; 75.4 ± 12.4 kg; 1.80 ± 0.07 m) performed an discontinuous incremental test, as well as square wave transitions for heavy and severe swimming intensities, to determine V˙O2 kinetics parameters using two exponential functions.MethodsAll the tests involved front-crawl swimming with breath-by-breath analysis using the Aquatrainer swimming snorkel. Endurance performance was recorded as the time taken to complete a 400 m freestyle swim within an official competition (T400), one month from the date of the other tests.ResultsT400 (Mean ± SD) (251.4 ± 12.4 s) was significantly correlated with τpH (15.8 ± 4.8 s; r = 0.62; p = 0.02) and τpS (15.8 ± 4.7 s; r = 0.61; p = 0.02). The best single predictor of 400 m freestyle time, out of the variables that were assessed, was the velocity at V˙O2 maxvV˙O2 max, which accounted for 80% of the variation in performance between swimmers. However, τpH and V˙O2 max were also found to influence the prediction of T400 when they were included in a regression model that involved respiratory parameters only.ConclusionsFaster kinetics during the primary phase of the V˙O2 response is associated with better performance during middle-distance swimming. However, vV˙O2 max appears to be a better predictor of T400.