The Relationship Between Propulsive Force in Tethered Swimming and 200-m Front Crawl Performance

• Published in: Journal of strength and conditioning research 2016-09, Vol.30 (9), p.2500-2507
• Main Authors: Santos, Karini B, Bento, Paulo C B, Pereira, Gleber, Rodacki, André L F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Athletic Performance - physiology; Biomechanical Phenomena - physiology; Correlation analysis; Human performance; Humans; Swimming; Swimming - physiology; Velocity; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1064-8011; 1533-4287
• DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000410

ABSTRACTSantos, KB, Bento, PCB, Pereira, G, and Rodacki, ALF. The relationship between propulsive force in tethered swimming and 200-m front crawl performance. J Strength Cond Res 30(9)2500–2507, 2016—The aims of this study were to determine whether propulsive force (peak force, mean force, impulse, and rate of force development) and stroke rate change during 2 minutes of front crawl tethered swimming and to correlate them with the stroke rate and swimming velocity in 200-m front crawl swimming. Twenty-one swimmers (21.6 ± 4.8 years, 1.78 ± 0.06 m, 71.7 ± 8.1 kg), with 200-m front crawl swimming performance equivalent to 78% of the world record (140.4 ± 10.1 seconds), were assessed during 2 minutes of maximal front crawl tethered swimming (propulsive forces and stroke rate) and 200-m front crawl swimming (stroke rate and clean velocity). Propulsive forces decreased between the beginning and the middle instants (∼20%; p ≤ 0.05) but remained stable between the middle and the end instants (∼6%; p > 0.05). The peak force was positively correlated with the clean velocity in the 200-m front crawl swimming (mean r = 0.61; p < 0.02). The stroke rates of the tethered swimming and 200-m front crawl swimming were positively correlated (r = 45; p≤ 0.01) at the middle instant. Therefore, the propulsive force and stroke rate changed throughout the 2 minutes of tethered swimming, and the peak force is the best propulsive force variable tested that correlated with 200-m front crawl swimming performance.