Examining self-training procedures in leisure swimming

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Recreational Fitness

Background:

• Recreational swimming is a popular physical activity.
• Understanding training habits in unsupervised settings is crucial for program development.
• Self-directed training requires insight into participant motivations and strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the training session characteristics of recreational swimmers.
• To identify typologies of self-trained swimmers using social media data.
• To analyze training strategies in relation to age and gender.

Main Methods:

• Multiple correspondence analysis applied to self-reported data from 387 swimmers.
• Analysis of 12 self-reported parameters including age, gender, distance, duration, stroke, and motivation.
• Focus on swimming practice within a social networking website sample.

Main Results:

• Men swim longer distances (1818m vs 1453m) using diverse strokes and equipment, focusing on upper body engagement.
• Women prioritize session duration, predominantly using breaststroke; older adults (>50) favor backstroke.
• Middle-aged swimmers focus on general health with consistent sessions, while younger adults (20-30) balance health with body shape goals, increasing intensity or distance.

Conclusions:

• Training strategies and targets vary significantly by gender and age in recreational swimming.
• Recreational swimmers, except for middle-aged individuals, often have low session control despite good skill levels.
• Enhancing swimming pool environments and health education is recommended for unsupervised, free-time sessions.