OPTIMIZATION OF SWIMMING STARTING PERFORMANCE

Abstract

The criterion measure of competitive swimming performance is time, measured to the nearest one hundredth of a second. Swimming time can be broken into the following phases: starting time, turning time, glide time and swimming time (Hay, 1985). There exist critical segments of a race (other than the actual stroking) where time is of the utmost importance: starts, turns and motions performed to contact the touchpad at the end of a race (Guimaraes and Hay, 1985). Swimming coaches often direct their endeavours for performance amelioration solely on the improvement of stroke mechanics while neglecting starts and finishes. Although the possibility of self-optimization (by the athlete alone) exists, the implementation of biomechanically designed strategies can aid the coach and competitor to improve performance. The purpose of this treatise is to present a coaching scheme designed to optimize starting performance through analysis using both a biomechanical factor model and computer model.