Effect of resistance isokinetic training on power and speed development in a group of competitive swimmers

Abstract

The aim of this studyis to assess the efficiency of an 8-week isokinetic resistance form of load on changes in speed-power abilities in a group of performance swimmers. The group consisted of 14 swimmers (men), randomly assigned to an experimental and control group. The experimental group consisted of 7 swimmers with an average age of 24.3 ± 4.5 years and the control group of 7 swimmers with an average age of 23.6 ± 4.4 years. In the research, we used a two-stage time parallel experiment. The experimental group performed swimming with added externalisokinetic resistance and the control group swam under natural conditions without added external resistance.Swimming isokinetic dynamometer (SID) was used to measure maximal mean isokinetic power (Pmax) during 6 seconds and to create the isokinetic conditions. Both groups performed 6 second swimming with maximum effort. Swimmers performed 3 series of 3 repetitions with a rest interval of 3 minutes between repeats and 5 min between series with stimulation frequency 2 times per week ( in total 16 training sessions). The trainings of the experimental and control groups were differed only in experimental and control stimulus during the period under review.The influence of the experimental and control factors was assessed using the following dependent variables: a complex swim speed of 12 m (max12) and 25 m (max25) and the highest average power (Pmax) achieved in watts at a swimming speed of 0.8 m.s-1. Results: test max12, in theexperimental group there was an improvement by0.14 ± 0.02s (2.88 %, p < 0.05, ES = 0.634). In thecontrol group there was animprovement by0.07 ± 0.04 s (1.45 %, p < 0.05, ES = 0.587). Test max25, in the experimental groupthere wasan improvement by 0.35 ± 0.09 s (3.07 %, p < 0.05, ES = 0,632). In the control group 0.12 ± 0.12 s (1.09 % , p < 0.05, ES = 0.542). The Pmax test: in the experimental group there was an improvementby 11.99 ± 2.63 W (13.81 %, p < 0.05, ES = 0.632) and for the control group 1.78 ± 1.81 W (2.93 %, p = n.s., ES = 0.497). The results show that swimming in isokinetic mode was more effective in developing swimming velocity and speed-power capabilities compared to swimming in natural conditions without additional resistance.