Estimates of the variation in performance between competitive events are useful for coaches and scientists to determine the size of a performance enhancing strategy (Stewart & Hopkins, 2000). Since it is assumed that pacing has a major effect on competition (CO) performance, the aim of this study was to analyze the consistency of pacing profiles (PP) in elite swimmers during 200m front-crawl, butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke CO. Methods: Finals of 65 elite male swimmers (age: 23.6±2.9 y, front-crawl: n=25, butterfly: n=15, backstroke: n=16, breaststroke: n=15) from 12 different nations in 29 international and national CO during the year 2010 were analysed using the website swimrankings.net. The Pan Pacific Games (PPG) were chosen as the main CO, since it is the international top meeting in non-Olympic and non-WorldChampionship years. Additionally, a CO as close as possible to the PPG (at least national Championships) was analysed for each swimmer; both were on average 6.7±5.8 weeks apart. Typical error (TE) between COs as well as coefficient of variation (CV) with 90% confidence limits (Cl) for each 50m split time as well as for total time between COs were calculated. Results: Showing a fast-start profile in all races, no significant differences in PP were observed between COs for all strokes (p>0.63). CV for total time was small: front-crawll:1.0% (Cl=0.8-1.4%), butterfly:0.8% (Cl=0.6-1.1%), backstroke:2.0% (Cl=1.6-2.9%), breaststroke: 1.4% (Cl=1.1-2.1%). Regarding split times crawl showed a consistent PP in all sections: CV range 1.3-1.4%. During butterfly and backstroke CVs were low in the first three sections; CV range between 1.5-1.8% and 1.6-1.9%, respectively. The last 50m-section showed greater variability in both strokes (butterfly: 2.0%,backstroke: 2.2%). In breaststroke variability between COs was higher in all sections compared to all other strokes (CV range 2.0-3.0%), except the first one (CV=1.7%). Discussion: PP of elite swimmers are consistent during the first 3 sections in 200m front-crawl, butterfly and backstroke. Variability increases towards the end of a race. Breaststroke showed greater variability during the whole race. These results are in accordance with data on the consistency of PP during simulated swimming competitions (Skorski et al., 2011) and support the assumption that pacing is a combination of anticipatory forecasting and actual sensory feedback (Tucker, 2009).
© Copyright 2012 17th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Bruges, 4. -7. July 2012. Veröffentlicht von Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.