Associations Between Selected Biological Features and Absolute and Relative Swimming Performance of Prepubescent Boys Over a 3-Year Swimming Training Program: A Longitudinal Study

Mariusz Kuberski; Anna Polak; Bogna Szołtys; Kamil Markowski; Ryszard Zarzeczny

doi:10.2478/hukin-2022-0056

Associations Between Selected Biological Features and Absolute and Relative Swimming Performance of Prepubescent Boys Over a 3-Year Swimming Training Program: A Longitudinal Study

J Hum Kinet. 2022 Sep 8:83:143-153. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2022-0056. eCollection 2022 Aug.

Authors

Mariusz Kuberski¹, Anna Polak², Bogna Szołtys³, Kamil Markowski⁴, Ryszard Zarzeczny⁴

Affiliations

¹ Chair of Physical Culture Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, The Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa, 42-200 Częstochowa, Poland.
² Institute of Sport Sciences, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, Poland.
³ Doctoral School, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, Poland.
⁴ Institute of Health Sciences, Collegium Medicum, The Jan Kochanowski University of Kielce, 25-317 Kielce, Poland.

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the effect of 3-year swimming training on selected biological variables in prepubescent male swimmers and to determine the best predictors of absolute (VS_a) and relative (VS_r) swimming velocity for 50 m and 400 m front crawl. Twenty-one 10-year old boys subjected to endurance swimming training (4 x 70 min per week) and 18 boys consisting a control group were assessed semi-annually for basic anthropometric and respiratory characteristics, breath-hold time (BHT), VO_2max, leg explosiveness (HJ), and abdominal strength endurance (ASE). After three years of training, BHT (p < 0.001), VO_2max (p < 0.01), HJ (p < 0.01) and ASE (p < 0.01) were greater in the swimmers than in the controls. VS_a and VS_r expressed as a percentage of baseline velocity increased more for the 50 m than for the 400 m distance (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). The 50 m VS_a and VS_r positively correlated with those obtained for the distance of 400 m (in both cases p < 0.001). Baseline VS_a was negatively correlated with the increase in absolute swimming velocity for both distances (50 m: r = -0.684, p < 0.001 and 400 m: r = -0.673, p < 0.001). The best predictors of VS_a for 50 m and 400 m front crawl were HJ (r₂ = 0.388; p < 0.001) and VO_2max (r₂ = 0.333; p < 0.001), respectively. The key predictors of VS_r for both distances were age (50 m: r² = 0.340, p < 0.001 and 400 m: r² = 0.207, p < 0.001) and, after excluding it from analysis, HJ (50 m: r² = 0.176, p < 0.001 and 400 m: r² = 0.104, p < 0.001). These results suggest that regardless of prepubescent boys' initial abilities and exercise capacity, improvement in their swimming performance mainly depends on increases in power and neuromuscular coordination.

Keywords: longitudinal study; physical capacity; prepubescent boys; relative swimming velocity; swimming performance.