The Effect of The 8-Week Core Muscle Training in Swimming Time, Swimming Force and Core Muscle Activity Among...

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Swimming Performance

Background:

• Core strength is crucial for efficient swimming technique and force production.
• Previous research suggests core training enhances athletic performance, but specific effects on swimmers require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an 8-week core training program on swimming performance, force production, and core muscle activation in adolescent swimmers.
• To compare the effects of supplementary core training versus regular training on key swimming metrics.

Main Methods:

• 32 adolescent swimmers were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG) with additional core training or a control group (CG) with regular training.
• Performance was assessed via 50m front-crawl time trials (measuring swimming time, stroke rate, stroke length) and tethered swimming force tests (TST).
• Core muscle activation was measured using surface electromyography (sEMG) and the co-contraction index (CCI).

Main Results:

• No significant between-group differences were found in most measured parameters.
• Male swimmers in the EG showed a significant decrease in swimming time within their group.
• Both male and female swimmers in the EG demonstrated greater improvements in tethered swimming force (TST) compared to the CG.

Conclusions:

• The 8-week core training intervention did not yield significant overall improvements in swimming performance or core muscle activation across both genders when compared to regular training.
• While some specific improvements were noted (e.g., male swimming time, TST), the findings suggest core training alone may not be a primary driver of enhanced swimming performance in this population.
• Further research with varied core training protocols and populations is recommended to confirm these results.