HAND PROPULSION TECHNIQUE OF SKILLED SPRINT SWIMMERS

Abstract

This study investigated the technique of skilled sprint front-crawl swimmers in terms of the exertion of hand propulsive forces quantified by the dynamic pressure approach. Four skilled sprint front-crawl swimmers, who can swim a 100 m in less than 49 seconds, swam at a 25 m swimming pool where a motion capture system for above and under water was set up. Pressure sensors were attached on the hand to estimate hydrodynamic forces acting on the hand. The mean propulsions in the downsweep, insweep, and upsweep were 26 ± 4 N, 57 ± 12 N, and 46 ± 9 N, respectively. The four swimmers used propulsive lift of 36 ± 6 N in the downsweep, propulsive drag of 40 ± 7 N in the insweep, and propulsive drag and lift of 25 ± 9 N and 21 ± 10 N in the upsweep while swimming at their race pace.