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Imagery training is the ability to develop mental images that can increase human resources and performances. Flow is one of the peak moments corresponding to a state of optimal experience. This study in young swimmers aimed to observe the effects of specific imagery training on flow state and on swimming performance. Eight young swimmers completed a specific mental training program using imagery as a supplement to three weeks of regular swimming training. A Flow State Scale questionnaire was filled out before and after the training as well as the performance on 100m front crawl stroke was surveyed. The imagery training focused on improving three phases of the front crawl swim stroke and seemed to induce a trend to vary the flow state of the participants. Imagery training did not have effects on swimming performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a learn-to-swim programme, the question of what is the best environmental condition for aquatic adjustment. The choice could depend on the depth of the swimming facilities or on the swimming teaching methodology. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of water adjustment carried out in deep or shallow water in 3 to 6 year old children. Children practicing the learning programme in deep water obtained a higher mean score, but not significantly different than the children having a shallow water adjustment programme. The depth of the swimming pool seems to not significantly affect the results. Children can approach guided experiences equally either in shallow or deep water to learn the swimming basic skills and independence in the water, with no differences in the rate of acquisition or in the quality of the skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Events longer than 50 meters require some tactical skills in order to manage the increase of fatigue, such as distributing the effort evenly over the whole distance. Kinaesthetic differentiation skills are required to achieve a very high precision of the movements. The repeatability of two procedures, aimed to measure the kinaesthetic differentiation abilities of swimmers was studied and the correlations between the actual performances and the expected performances with respect to gender and to the degree of change in velocity, were observed. Collecting the data in a single day and during four days running resulted in reliable results. Male swimmers seem to differentiate better than females and show a generally higher coefficient of correlation between the actual and the expected performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]