Anaerobic and aerobic components during arm-crank exercise in sprint and middle-distance swimmers

Summary The purpose of this investigation was to compare anaerobic and aerobic components measured during arm exercise in sprint and middle-distance swimmers and to investigate whether the peak anaerobic power :peak aerobic power ratio (W_{an, peak} :Waer, peak) was related to specialization for the event and to performance. TheW_{an, peak} force at zero velocity (F₀), and velocity at zero-force (₀),W_{aer, peak}, peak oxygen uptake (O_2peak), and ventilatory threshold (Th_v) were compared during arm exercise tests in sprint (group I,n = 8) and middle-distance (group II,n = 9) competitive male swimmers. Anaerobic indices were estimated by the force-velocity test, an anaerobic test using incremental braking forces; aerobic indices were measured during an incremental aerobic exercise test (30 W · min^–1). TheW_{an, peak} andWaer, peak were greater in group I [828 (SEM 70) W; 236 (SEM 12) W] than in group II [678 (SEM 28) W; 230 (SEM 5) W], but the differences were not significant. There were also no significant differences observed between the mean values ofF₀, ₀,O_2peak, and Th_v. TheW_{an, peak}:W_{aer, peak}, however, was significantly higher in sprint swimmers (t = 3.08,P < 0.01). In seven of the swimmers, who had recently performed both the 100-m and 400-m front crawl, a relationship existed between their swim time and theW_{an, peak}:Waer,peak (100m:r = –0.80,P<0.05 and 400m:r=+0.75,P<0.05). In conclusion, during arm-crank exercise, we did not observe significant differences in anaerobic and aerobic components between sprint and middle-distance swimmers. However, the results of the present study demonstrated the usefulness of theW_{an, peak} :W_{aer, peak} in the physiological evaluation of swimmers as it reflects the proportion of anaerobic to aerobic systems involved in the supply of energy.