ANAEROBIC AND AEROBIC COMPONENTS DURING ARM-CRANK EXERCISE IN SPRINT AND MIDDLE-DISTANCE SWIMMERS

The purpose of this investigation was to compare anaerobic and aerobic components measured during arm exercise in sprint and middle-distance swimmers and to investigate whether the peak anaerobic power:peak aerobic power ratio (W(an,peak):W(aer,peak)) was related to specialization for the event and to performance. The W(an,peak), force at zero velocity (F0), and velocity at zero-force (nu0), W(aer,peak), peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), and ventilatory threshold (Th(V)) were compared during arm exercise tests in sprint (group I, n=8) and middle-distance (group II, n=9) competitive male swimmers. Anaerobic indices were estimated by the force-velocity test, an anaerobic test using incremental braking forces; aerobic indices were measured during an incremental aerobic exercise test (30 W.min-1). The W(an,peak) and W(aer,peak) were greater in group I [828 (SEM 70) W; 236 (SEM 12) W] than in group II [678 (SEM 28) W; 230 (SEM 5) W], but the differences were not significant. There were also no significant differences observed between the mean values of F0, nu0, VO2peak, and Th(V). The W(an,peak):W(aer,peak), however, was significantly higher in sprint swimmers (t=3.08, P<0.01). In seven of the swimmers, who had recently performed both the 100-m and 400-m front crawl, a relationship existed between their swim time and the W(an,peak):W(aer,peak) (100 m: r= -0.80, P<0.05 and 400 m: r= +0.75, P<0.05). In conclusion, during arm-crank exercise, we did not observe significant differences in anaerobic and aerobic components between sprint and middle-distance swimmers. However, the results of the present study demonstrated the usefulness of the W(an,peak):W(aer,peak) in the physiological evaluation of swimmers as it reflects the proportion of anaerobic to aerobic systems involved in the supply of energy.