Energetics of Swimming With Hand Paddles of Different Surface Areas. Issue 1 (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Crocker, George H.; Moon, Joseph F.; Nessler, Jeff A.; Newcomer, Sean C.
• Is Part Of: Journal of strength and conditioning research. Volume 35:Issue 1(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: cost of transport -- efficiency -- aquatics -- ergogenic aids; Physical education and training -- Periodicals; Weight training -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Physical fitness -- Periodicals; 613.7
• DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002637
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1064-8011

Abstract

Abstract : Abstract: Crocker, GH, Moon, JF, Nessler, JA, and Newcomer, SC. Energetics of swimming with hand paddles of different surface areas. J Strength Cond Res 35(1): 205–211, 2021—Hand paddles are one of the most common training aids used by the competitive swimmer, yet little is known regarding how hand paddle surface area affects the metabolic cost of transport (COT) while swimming. The purpose of this study was to determine how altering hand paddle size affects energy use during submaximal, front-crawl (i.e., freestyle) swimming. Twenty-six proficient, adult swimmers (13 men and 13 women) completed six 3-minute trials in a flume at a constant pace (102 cm·s −1 ; 1:38 per 100 m). Trials were performed in random order, using 1 of 5 pairs of hand paddles of different sizes or no paddles at all. Paddle surface areas were 201, 256, 310, 358, and 391 cm 2 per hand. Without paddles, COT, arm cadence, and distance per stroke were 7.87 ± 1.32 J·kg −1 ·m −1, 29.4 ± 4.9 min −1, and 2.13 ± 0.34 m, which corresponded to a rate of oxygen consumption (V[Combining Dot Above]O2 ) of 23.3 ± 3.7 ml·kg −1 ·min −1 and a heart rate (HR) of 118 ± 17 b·min –1 . The use of larger hand paddles decreased COT, cadence, V[Combining Dot Above]O2, and HR and increased distance traveled per stroke (all p < 0.001). However, the magnitude of the change of COT decreased as paddle size increased, indicating diminishing marginal return with increasing paddle surface area. The largest sized paddles increased COT per stroke compared with swimming without paddles ( p = 0.001). Therefore, results from this study suggest that an optimal hand paddle size exists (210–358 cm 2 ) for proficient, adult swimmers, which reduces COT without increasing COT per stroke.