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Pacing accuracy during an incremental step test in adolescent swimmers
Adrian Scruton1, James Baker1, Justin Roberts1
1Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Group, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine
|September 9, 2015
Summary
Adolescent swimmers struggle with pacing accuracy during incremental tests, impacting training monitoring. This suggests a need for alternative methods to assess performance in young athletes.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Exercise Physiology
- Pediatric Sports Medicine
Background:
- Pacing accuracy is crucial for effective training and performance monitoring in athletes.
- Adolescent athletes may exhibit different physiological and cognitive responses during exercise testing compared to adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the pacing accuracy of adolescent swimmers during an incremental step test.
- To identify potential challenges in pace regulation in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Fifteen well-trained adolescent swimmers (15±1.5 years) completed two incremental step tests (7x200m).
- Pacing accuracy was assessed by comparing actual swim times to predicted times and analyzing split times within each 200m interval.
- Physiological markers including rating of perceived exertion, heart rate, and blood lactate were recorded.
Main Results:
- Significant differences were found between actual and predicted swim times in both trials (P<0.05).
- Pacing errors, particularly between the first and second 100m of each step, were significant across multiple stages of the test (P<0.05, ES=0.50-0.70).
- These results indicate an early engagement of anaerobic capacity due to difficulties in pace regulation.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent swimmers demonstrate impaired pacing accuracy during incremental step tests.
- This inaccuracy may stem from the complex interplay of physiological, psychological, and cognitive factors in this age group.
- Caution is advised when using such tests for monitoring training responses in adolescent athletes; alternative pacing strategies should be explored.
