Active recovery intervals restore initial performance after repeated sprints in swimming* |
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| Authors: | Ioannis D Kostoulas Thrasivoulos Paxinos Konstantinos Volaklis Savvas P Tokmakidis |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace, Komotini, Greece;2. Faculty of Physical &3. Cultural Education, Hellenic Army Academy, Athens, Greece;4. Faculty of Physical &5. Department of Prevention and Sports Medicine, TU Munich 5 7FIT Cardiac, Rehabilitation Center, Augsburg, Germany |
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| Abstract: | The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of active recovery (AR) and passive recovery (PR) using short (2-min) and long (4-min) intervals on swimming performance. Twelve male competitive swimmers completed a progressively increasing speed test of 7?×?200-m swimming repetitions to locate the speed before the onset of curvilinear increase in blood lactate concentration (LT1). Subsequently, performance time of 6?×?50-m sprints was recorded during four different conditions: (i) 2-min PR (PR-2), (ii) 4-min PR (PR-4), (iii) 2-min AR (AR-2) and (iv) 4-min AR (AR-4) intervals. Blood lactate concentration was measured before the first and after the last 50-m repetition. AR was applied at an intensity corresponding to LT1. Performance as indicated by the time needed to complete 6?×?50-m sprints was impaired after AR-4 compared to PR-4 (AR-4: 28.65?±?1.04, PR-4: 28.17?±?0.72?s; mean% difference: MD% ±s; ±90% confidence limits: 90%CL, 1.71?±?3.01%; ±1.43%, p?=?.01) but was not different between AR-2 compared to PR-2 conditions (AR-2: 28.68?±?0.85, PR-2: 28.69?±?0.82 s; MD%: 0.03?±?1.61%; 90%CL?±?0.77%, p?=?.99). Performance in sprint-6 was improved after AR compared to PR independent of interval duration (AR: 28.55?±?0.81, PR: 29.01?±?1.03?s; MD%: 1.52?±?2.61%; 90%CL?±?1.2%; p?=?.03). Blood lactate concentration was lower after AR-4 compared to PR-4 but did not differ between AR-2 and PR-2 conditions. In conclusion, AR impaired performance after a 4-min but not after a 2-min interval. A better performance during sprint-6 after AR could be attributed to a faster metabolic recovery or anticipatory regulatory mechanisms towards the end of the series especially when adequate 4-min active recovery interval is applied. |
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| Keywords: | Swimming training interval duration blood lactate lactate threshold anaerobic metabolism |
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