Key somatic variables associated with, and differences between the 4 swimming strokes
Abstract
This study identified key somatic and demographic characteristics that benefit all swimmers and, at the same time, identified further characteristics that benefit only specific swimming strokes. Three hundred sixty-three competitive-level swimmers (male [n = 202]; female [n = 161]) participated in the study. We adopted a multiplicative, allometric regression model to identify the key characteristics associated with 100 m swimming speeds (controlling for age). The model was refined using backward elimination. Characteristics that benefited some but not all strokes were identified by introducing stroke-by-predictor variable interactions. The regression analysis revealed 7 "common" characteristics that benefited all swimmers suggesting that all swimmers benefit from having less body fat, broad shoulders and hips, a greater arm span (but shorter lower arms) and greater forearm girths with smaller relaxed arm girths. The 4 stroke-specific characteristics reveal that backstroke swimmers benefit from longer backs, a finding that can be likened to boats with longer hulls also travel faster through the water. Other stroke-by-predictor variable interactions (taken together) identified that butterfly swimmers are characterized by greater muscularity in the lower legs. These results highlight the importance of considering somatic and demographic characteristics of young swimmers for talent identification purposes (i.e., to ensure that swimmers realize their most appropriate strokes).Citation
Nevill, A.M., Negra, Y., Myers, T.D., Sammoud, S. and Chaabene, H. (2020) Key somatic variables associated with, and differences between the 4 swimming strokes, Journal of Sports Sciences (2020), https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2020.1734311Publisher
Informa UK LimitedJournal
Journal of Sports SciencesPubMed ID
32131691Additional Links
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2020.1734311Type
Journal articleLanguage
enDescription
This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Sports Sciences on 04/03/2020, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2020.1734311 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.ISSN
0264-0414EISSN
1466-447Xae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1080/02640414.2020.1734311
Scopus Count
Collections
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Related articles
- Discerning excellence from mediocrity in swimming: New insights using Bayesian quantile regression.
- Authors: Myers TD, Negra Y, Sammoud S, Chaabene H, Nevill AM
- Issue date: 2021 Aug
- Key somatic variables in young backstroke swimmers.
- Authors: Sammoud S, Nevill AM, Negra Y, Bouguezzi R, Helmi C, Hachana Y
- Issue date: 2019 May
- Allometric associations between body size, shape, and 100-m butterfly speed performance.
- Authors: Sammoud S, Nevill AM, Negra Y, Bouguezzi R, Chaabene H, Hachana Y
- Issue date: 2018 May
- Optimal Body Size and Limb Length Ratios Associated with 100-m Personal-Best Swim Speeds.
- Authors: Nevill AM, Oxford SW, Duncan MJ
- Issue date: 2015 Aug
- 100-m Breaststroke Swimming Performance in Youth Swimmers: The Predictive Value of Anthropometrics.
- Authors: Sammoud S, Nevill AM, Negra Y, Bouguezzi R, Chaabene H, Hachana Y
- Issue date: 2018 Aug 1