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Improving performance is a difficult task for élite swimmers. The study of turning, underwater gliding and stroke resumption kinematics may lead to the reduction of the relevant durations. Common video analysis is sometimes inadequate to investigate motor tasks. This work aimed at describing the mentioned phases in top division swimmers using a wearable inertial device. Eight élite swimmers were selected so as to cover all the four swimming styles. The device was positioned on the lower trunk and a 50m trial at the maximum velocity was executed. The angular velocity about each axis was post-processed and both time and kinematic parameters were extracted for each phase, characterizing each swimming style. Strength points of the approach are: simple description of the turning kinematics; possibility to extract performance-related parameters; simplicity of use for the operator; the minimal encumber for the athlete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In water polo some authors have assessed the physical requirements of the game by analysing physiological indices or considering the distances covered at various swimming speeds in the match. In this work, the passive drag was measured in "best glide" (Swim) and "head-up" (Wp) position in a water polo player. The active drag was estimated indirectly from the passive drag. The mechanical power required to play a match is calculated on the data of a match model obtained from a video analysis in a series of international water polo matches. The average mechanical power of a water polo match in the Swim model was 150489 J/2400 s= 62.70 W, while in WP model it was 481375 J/2400 s= 200.57 W. The mechanical power required in water polo players could be more than three-fold higher than that required for freestyle swimming at the same velocities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buoyancy improvement is the result of the use of a technical suit to increase swimming speed. Hydrostatic lift and lung volumes were measured in 9 competitive swimmers while wearing a "standard" swimsuit (S) or a full body synthetic rubber suit (Xg). The average values of the hydrostatic lift were 14.51 ± 4.53 N with S and 14.33 ± 3.99 N with Xg. The average values of lung volumes when wearing S and XG were VC 6.31/6.14 L, ERV 2.12/1.79 L, VT 0.94/0.88 L, IRV 3.26/3.47 L, respectively. A strong thoracic and/or abdominal compression caused by the technical suits may be related to the observed reduction in the chest and abdominal circumferences during maximal inspiration and expiration, as well as to the reduction in the lung volumes and in the hydrostatic lift. The improvement in performance obtained by wearing Xg is not related to better static buoyancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]