50-m PERFORMANCE, STROKE LENGTH, AND STROKE INDEX CHANGE WITH AGE BUT ARE GENDER SPECIFIC

Morales, E., Arellano, R., Femia, P., & Mercade, J. (2010). Regression analysis model applied to age-group swimmers: study of stroke rate, stroke length and stroke index. A paper presented at the XIth International Symposium for Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming, Oslo, June 16–19, 2010.

blue line

This study estimated the kinematic characteristics of stroke rate, stroke length, and stroke index performance evolution of age-group development based on 50 m freestyle race results. Regional age group swimmers (M = 162; F = 118) participated in the study (age range: 9 - 22 years). Race components were obtained from video analyses. Regression analysis was used to discover the tendency and model of the 50 m times, stroke rates, stroke lengths, and stroke indexes.

Different equations were obtained for the genders. 50 m times, stroke rate, stroke length, and stroke index. 50 m times were different between genders. There is a tendency to improve the parameters of stroke length and stroke index with age in both genders. Stroke rate showed no consistent trends.

Implication. Race times for 50 m, stroke length, and stroke index change with age in age-group swimmers but change differently for both genders. Stroke rate was not related to age development.

Return to Table of Contents for Training for Swimming.

blue line