Effect of hand paddles on anaerobic energy release during supramaximal swimming

Swimmers swim faster using hand paddles. In this study the effect of maximal performance using hand paddles on aerobic and anaerobic energy release during supramaximal swimming was examined by comparing the maximal accumulated O2 deficit, and the aerobic and anaerobic energy release during exhaustive swimming with paddles (P) to swimming without paddles (hands only, H).

The subjects were six trained college male swimmers. Experiments were carried out in a swimming flume. The water flow rate was set before each exercise bout such that exhaustion occurred in 30 s, 1 min, or 2-3 min. Accumulated O2 deficit during exercise was determined by the accumulated oxygen demand minus the accumulated O2 uptake.

Water flow rates at which maximal accumulated O2 deficit was obtained were significantly higher in P than that in H. However, mean values of maximal accumulated O2 deficit during H and P were 2.40+/-0.42 L and 2.32+/-0.37 L, respectively, and there was no significant difference between these two values. Furthermore, during the supramaximal swimming to exhaustion in 30 s, 1 min, or 2-3 min, both accumulated O2 uptake and accumulated O2 deficit did not significantly differ between these conditions, although mean water flow rates of these supramaximal swimming bouts were significantly higher in P than those in H again.

These results suggest that the faster swimming speed accomplished with hand paddles does not affect metabolic responses and that it may be realized by recruitment of roughly the same muscle mass. Therefore, the ability to swim faster with hand paddles might mainly be attributed to other than metabolic factors, i.e., a higher propelling efficiency.