Indirect assessment of young swimmers anaerobic performance

Abstract

In sports such as swimming, bioenergetics is critical in achieving maximum performance. Because of that, reliable tools must be used to measure its contribution to each kind of effort (aerobic and anaerobic). However, measuring anaerobic energy contribution is always more complex and less reliable, making it harder to determine the anaerobic potential of a swimmer. This thesis wanted to deepen scientific understanding and address practical needs within the swimming training environment, mainly focusing on the indirect assessment of the anaerobic potential. The primary aim was to define and apply a reliable tool for young swimmers' anaerobic performance evaluation. The research proceeded as follows: (i) literature review of anaerobic performance evaluation methods (ii) definition of a procedure for swimmers' anaerobic performance assessment and determination of its usefulness (iii) application of the procedure to evaluate young swimmers' anaerobic performance changes after a long and a short training period. The literature review allowed us to determine a tool for evaluating the swimmers' anaerobic performance based on determining anaerobic fatigue thresholds over a v(t) curve obtained by a speedometer. Findings suggested that the procedure is proficient and reliable in gauging the anaerobic potential. The application of the procedure after long and short training periods revealed that more research is needed to overcome the limitations observed in this study to use the anaerobic fatigue thresholds to determine changes in young swimmers' anaerobic potential. The main limitations were the low number of subjects, its considerable heterogeneity, and, possibly, the absence of sprint specialists due to their young age.