Biomaterial Database

Muscle power predicts freestyle swimming performance. 1992

J A Hawley, and M M Williams, and M M Vickovic, and P J Handcock

School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Studies, Auckland Institute of Technology, New Zealand.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between non-invasive laboratory measures of 'muscle power' and swim performance over sprint (50 m) and middle-distance (400 m) events. Twenty-two swimmers performed an upper and lower body Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAT) and a maximal sustained power output test (MPO) for the upper body. Peak power (PP) and mean power (MP) were determined for the WAT, while peak sustained workload (WLpeak) was determined for the MPO. Timed swims over 50 m and 400 m were undertaken by all swimmers during which the number of arm strokes per length was recorded. Highly significant relationships were found between sprint-swim speed (S50) and mean power of the arms (MP(arms)) (r = 0.63, P less than 0.01), between S50 and mean power of the legs (MP(legs)) (r = 0.76, P less than 0.001) and between S50 and the distance covered with each arm stroke (DS) (r = 0.91, P less than 0.001). Multiple regression analyses revealed that WAT power indices for the legs did not significantly increase explained variance in S50 above that of the arms. The relationship between WL(peak) and S400 was highly significant (r = 0.70, P less than 0.001) and indicates the importance of arm power in the longer distance swim events.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009132	Muscles	Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals.	Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D012044	Regression Analysis	Procedures for finding the mathematical function which best describes the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables. In linear regression (see LINEAR MODELS) the relationship is constrained to be a straight line and LEAST-SQUARES ANALYSIS is used to determine the best fit. In logistic regression (see LOGISTIC MODELS) the dependent variable is qualitative rather than continuously variable and LIKELIHOOD FUNCTIONS are used to find the best relationship. In multiple regression, the dependent variable is considered to depend on more than a single independent variable.	Regression Diagnostics,Statistical Regression,Analysis, Regression,Analyses, Regression,Diagnostics, Regression,Regression Analyses,Regression, Statistical,Regressions, Statistical,Statistical Regressions
D005080	Exercise Test	Controlled physical activity which is performed in order to allow assessment of physiological functions, particularly cardiovascular and pulmonary, but also aerobic capacity. Maximal (most intense) exercise is usually required but submaximal exercise is also used.	Arm Ergometry Test,Bicycle Ergometry Test,Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing,Exercise Testing,Step Test,Stress Test,Treadmill Test,Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test,EuroFit Tests,Eurofit Test Battery,European Fitness Testing Battery,Fitness Testing,Physical Fitness Testing,Arm Ergometry Tests,Bicycle Ergometry Tests,Cardiopulmonary Exercise Tests,Ergometry Test, Arm,Ergometry Test, Bicycle,Ergometry Tests, Arm,Ergometry Tests, Bicycle,EuroFit Test,Eurofit Test Batteries,Exercise Test, Cardiopulmonary,Exercise Testing, Cardiopulmonary,Exercise Tests,Exercise Tests, Cardiopulmonary,Fitness Testing, Physical,Fitness Testings,Step Tests,Stress Tests,Test Battery, Eurofit,Test, Arm Ergometry,Test, Bicycle Ergometry,Test, Cardiopulmonary Exercise,Test, EuroFit,Test, Exercise,Test, Step,Test, Stress,Test, Treadmill,Testing, Cardiopulmonary Exercise,Testing, Exercise,Testing, Fitness,Testing, Physical Fitness,Tests, Arm Ergometry,Tests, Bicycle Ergometry,Tests, Cardiopulmonary Exercise,Tests, EuroFit,Tests, Exercise,Tests, Step,Tests, Stress,Tests, Treadmill,Treadmill Tests
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D013550	Swimming	An activity in which the body is propelled through water by specific movement of the arms and/or the legs. Swimming as propulsion through water by the movement of limbs, tail, or fins of animals is often studied as a form of PHYSICAL EXERTION or endurance.