Response of Critical Speed to Different Macrocycle Phases during Linear Periodization on Young Swimmers

Abstract

Sport training programs to young swimmers have to aggregate different physical stimulus to collaborate with overall physical development, which can lead to reach best results in competitions. Linear periodization seems to be a powerful tool that allow the organization of these stimulus. However, this model has been not studied. Regarding physical capacities, aerobic fitness is inversely related with fatigue and exercise performance. Although aerobic capacity evaluation used to be expensive, critical speed (CS) is easy and non-expensive tool capable to make this measurement.Thus, the aim of this study was evaluate the effects of linear periodization in CS on well-trained young swimmers. Sixteen athletes (age: 14.06± 1.22 years, height: 163.52±10.99 cm, weight: 57.4±12.7 kg, body mass index: 21.24±37; 7 ♀), were underwent to a linear macrocycle training with 23 weeks divided in four mesocycles: general endurance (i.e., 4 weeks), specific endurance (i.e., 8 weeks), competitive (i.e., 7 weeks) and taper (i.e., 4 weeks). Results showed significantly improve on CS after competitive and taper mesocycle phases, which was composed by higher training intensity in comparison with other macrocycle phases. Therefore, the results of the present study indicate a collaboration of mesocycle intensity on the cumulative effects of linear periodization in CS improve on young swimmers.