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Abstract.
The purpose of this study was to establish the age dynamics of stroke rate (SR), stroke length
(SL) and swimming speed (V) during maximal 1OOm freestyle swimming of boys aged 11-16
years. The subjects of this study were 225 swimmers from 3 swimming schools and the State
College of Olympic Reserves (Moscow). Each swimmer performed maximal lOOm freestyle
swim from a dive. The swim was recorded using a video camera (frequency 50 Hz) and VHS-
VCR installed on a trolley, which accompanied a swimmer along the pool deck throughout the
entire swim. Video records of swimming with electronic time data were processed and velocity
of "pure" swimming at 4 different sections of the 100 m race, as well as SR and SL for each lap
of "pure" swimming were calculated. No age-related differences were found for average and
length-by-length values of SR. In all ages the uniformed length-to-length decrease of SR was
established. SL during the race changed insignificantly. The decrease of V toward the end of lOO
m race in all age cohorts should be attributed primarily to the decrease of SR.
Key words: Young swimmers, stroke rate, stroke distance, swimming velocity.
Introduction
Stroke rate (SR) and stroke length (SL) ratio as well as changes of racing speed (V) during
competitive swimming are widely regarded as macro characteristics of sport technique and its
efficiency. The dynamics of these characteristics during competitive swimming have been the
subject of numerous investigations [Haljand et al. (1984), Lipsky and Abramov (1988),
Wakayoshi et al. (1992), Wirtz W., Wilke K. and Zimmermarm F. (1992), Pyne and Trewin et
al. (2001)]. The subjects of those studies were physically mature elite athletes able to control and
voluntarily change the SR and SL during the race in order to reduce the decrease in swimming
speed due to accumulation of fatigue.
Young swimmers learn to control the structure and efficiency of movement while they grow up
and mature in the process of a 5-7- year training program. During that time they pass through
pre-pubescent and pubescent stages of ontogenesis when rapid physical growth and motor
development take place. Significant changes in body build, motor abilities and fitness may be
reflected in the "macro" structure and efficiency of sport techniques. Knowledge of the age
particulars and year-by-year dynamics of technical characteristics may allow us to control and
correct the process of technical preparation of young switmners.
The purpose of this study was to establish the age dynamics of SR, SL and swinnning speed in
young swimmers (boys aged 11-16 years) during a maximal 100 m freestyle swim and thus
establish the formation of special switmning skills during the growth from 11 to 16 years of age.
195
Andrei VORONTSOV
196
Swimming speed, stroke rate and stroke length
Table 1: Swimming speed (V (s-1)) at consecutive laps during maximal lOO-m freestyle swim in
boys 11-16 years of age. Values are mean± SD.
A g e Cohorts
Lap 11 (n=39) 12 (n=30) 13 (n=36) 14 (n=47) 15 (n=37) 16 (n=36)
1-st 25 m 1.19±0.09 1.33±0.12 1.53±0.08 1.60±0.09 1.68±0.08 1.70±0.09
2-nd 25 m 1.09±0.19 1.19±0.12 1.43±0.08 1.54±0.09 1.56±0.08 1.65±0.06
3-d 25m 1.06±0.09 1.13±0.16 1.40±0.10 1.40±0.07 1.44±0.09 1.55±0.06
4-th 25 m 1.01±0.18 1.11±0.21 1.28±0.08 1.40±0.06 1.40±0.10 1.54±0.07
Average 1.09±0.10 1.19±0.13 1.41±0.16 1.48±0.11 1.52±0.07 1.61±0.06
Table 2: Stroke Rate (cycles min- 1) at consecutive laps during maximal100 m freestyle swim in
boys 11-16 years of age. Values are mean± SD.
A g e Co o r t s
Lap 11 (n=39) 12 (n=30) 13 (n=36) 14 (n=47) 15 (n=37) 16 (n=36)
1-st 25m 63.4± 9.3 61.4± 5.8 64.1± 6.4 65.9± 5.6 65.6± 8.7 62.2± 5.6
2-nd 25 m 60.4± 5.2 56.9± 4.5 58.4± 6.0 59.6± 3.9 58.9± 4.2 58.4± 5.1
3-d 25m 56.4± 4.7 52.7± 4.5 55.1± 6.1 58.3± 5.2 56.5± 6.6 56.4± 4.8
4-th 25m 52.6± 4.7 51.4± 4.0 53.9± 6.7 56.7± 4.0 55.2± 6.5 56.6± 4.6
Average 58.2± 6.1 55.6± 3.8 57.9± 5.7 60.1± 3.9 59.0± 7.3 58.4± 4.6
It looks like swimmers choose their own most "comfortable" stroke rate at earlier ages (at the
age of 11-12 years). Hence it should become a prime concern for coaches to help age groups to
produce a more economical stroke rate and to teach them to concentrate more on increasing the
stroking distance to an optimal level.
We found consistent decreases of SR from length to length for boy-swimmers of all age cohorts.
Decrease ofSR from lap 1 to lap 2, lap 2 to lap 4, lap 1 to laps 3 and 4 was significant (p<0.01-
0.001, (see Supplementurn Table 5). It follows from the results of our studies that the decrease
of swimming velocity is related to the reduction of SR due to fatigue. This supports the data of
Barden and Rorke (1999), who found that changes in swimming velocity only affected stroke
rate, not stroke length and a decreased stroke rate might serve as a useful indicator of loss of
anaerobic power. Earlier MacArdle and Reilly (1992) suggested that a fall in SR during
competitive racing is a consequence of the decrease in pulling velocity.
197
Andrei VORONTSOV
During a 1OOm race young swimmers did not demonstrate any compensatory increase of SR in
order to prevent slowing down of swimming speed. It is interesting that similar length-by-length
decrease of SR was found for the male finalists at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
(1999) reported by a research group from the Australian Institute of Sport (the winner had stroke
rate respectively 57.3-53.3-52.9-51.3. Total decrease of SR was 10.5 %!).
Table 3: Stroke length in consecutive lengths during maximal 100-m :freestyle swim in boy-
swimmers 11-16 years of age. Values are mean ± SD.
Age Cohorts
Lap 11 (n=39) 12 (n=30) 13 (n=36) 14 (n=47) 15 (n=37) 16 (n=36)
1-st 25 m 1.13±0.05 1.30±0.16 1.43±0.16 1.46±0.11 1.54±0.20 L64±0.17
2-nd 25 m 1.08±0.06 1.26±0.14 1.47±0.15 1.55±0.12 1.59±0.09 1.70±0.17
3-d 25 m 1.03±0.12 1.29±0.12 1.52±0.13 1.44±0.12 1.53±0.09 1.65±0.16
4-th 25 m 1.15±0.06 1.30±0.11 1.42±0.15 1.48±0.15 1.52±0.19 1.63±0.16
Average 1.12±0.06 1.28±0.13 1.46±0.15 1.48±0.13 1.55±0.19 1.65±0.17
With regards to the change of SL from length to length we did not find any significant fall in that
parameter during the race in all age cohorts. An increase of SL at the last 25-m section in 11-12
year old boys may reflect the contribution of leg kick with the onset of fatigue, but the role of
the leg kick was beyond our attention in this study.
The highest value of SL for boy-swimmers of 13-16 years age was produced in the 2nd 25m
section, where despite a much lower SR than during the first lap, swimming speed was still
higher than average racing V. Exactly the same tendency was found in fmalists of the 1999 Pan
Pacific Championships [AlS Biomechanics (1999)] - 7 of the 8 elite swimmers had the largest
Sill in the 2nd 25m section. During swimming at the 3rd and 4th 25-m sections of the race,
young swimmers demonsrated a non-significant decrease of SL which together with a significant
reduction ofSR caused significant decrease in swimming speed (p<O.OOl).
We suggest than the quality of arm pulls during swimming in the second 25 m section is the
best and the SRJSL ratio is optimal (moderate SR, maximal SL while swimming speed is above
average distance speed). It may be used as a model in the process of technical preparation of age
group swimmers. The accent on the maintenance of large SL and constant moderate SR will
mean an introduction of reasonable physical difficulty into a process of technical preparation
and, thus, will facilitate both physical and technical preparedness of young swimmers.
Conclusions
During the process of growth and multi-years training, there occurs an increase of average V and
average SL, V and SL in all 4 consecutive sections of the 100 m distance. Periods of rapid
increase of V and SL in boys (12-13 and 15-16 years of age) coincide with periods of rapid
growth of maximal strength and anaerobic lactic ability [Vorontsov et al. (1999)].
198
Swimming speed, stroke rate and stroke length
No significant age-related differences were found for average and length-by-length values of SR.
In all age cohorts uniform length-to-length decreases in SR were established. It seems that the
individual rhythm of swimming movement is formed in boys already at the age of 11-12 years.
The decrease of V toward the end of 100-m distance in all age cohorts should be attributed to the
decrease of SR. No temporal compensatory increase of SR in order to delay the decrease of V
was found.
Further investigation of V, ·SR and SL dynamics at different competitive distances in young
swinuners of different sexes and ages have considerable topical significance.
References
AIS Biomechanics (1999). Swim Competition Analysis: Pan Pacific Championships, Sydney,
August 22-29 1999. (Scientific guidance by B.Mason),
AIS Sydney. Barden J.M. and Rorke S.C. (1999). Stroke parameter relationships in a repeated
swim interval training set. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 31(5), Supplement
abstract 375.
Haljand R., Tamp T., Kaal P. (1984). Models of technique of the swimming strokes with
methods of their perfection and control. Pedagogical Institute of E. Vilde, Tallin.
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Wirtz W., Wilke K., Zinunermann F. (1992). Velocity, distance per stroke and stroke frequency
of highly skilled swimmers in 50 m freestyle sprint in a 50 and 25 m pool.In: Biomechanics
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Andrei VORONTSOV
Supplementum.
Table 4: Significance of the year-by year increase of the mean values of V, SR and SL in boy-
swimmers from 11 to 16 years.
200