Longitudinal interventions in elite swimming: relationship between energetics, biomechanics and performance
Ficheiros
Data
2016-05-06
Autores
Título da revista
ISSN da revista
Título do Volume
Editora
Resumo
Nas últimas décadas a investigação em natação centrou-se fortemente nos fatores bioenergéticos e biomecânicos tomando-os como principais preditores do rendimento. No entanto, a maioria dos estudos sobre a temática apresenta um caráter transversal, não tendo em consideração o fenómeno da mudança como um processo natural devido ao treino. Foi objetivo da presente tese caracterizar as mudanças no perfil bioenergético, biomecânico e na performance de nadadores de elite, compreendendo as relações estabelecidas entre estes dominios numa perspetiva longitudinal. Esta dissertação divide-se em seis estudos indepedentes que foram realizados com esse propósito. O primeiro estudo centrou-se num processo de revisão sitemática com o intuito de consolidar as evidências práticas dos estudos baseados na temática já publicados. O dois estudos seguintes recorreram a uma análise retrospectiva da performance, de modo a intepretar a sua progressão desde a idade jovem até à idade adulta e ao longo de um ciclo Olímpico. Os três estudos finais de caráter experimental objetivaram determinar o efeito do treino anual no perfil bioenergético e biomecânico, tentando determinar os fatores que mais e melhor contribuiram para a melhoria da performance. As conclusões que advêm do presente trabalho são as seguintes: (i) os poucos estudos longitudinais existentes no domínio da natação apresentam reduzidos índices de qualidade; (ii) os tempos na prova de livres demonstraram uma tendência para começar a estabilizar a partir dos 16 anos de idade; (iii) a performance na terceira época do ciclo Olímpico é determinante dada a elevada estabilidade que é posteriormente demonstrada nos tempos de prova até ao ano Olimpico; (iv) nadadores de elite apenas foram capazes de evidenciar mudanças ténues no seu perfil bioenergético, biomecânico e na performance pelo menos durante dois anos; (v) a magnitude dessa ligeira mudança foi depedennte do tempo de duração do estudo, do tipo de treino efetuado e do nível competitivo do nadador; (vi) cada nadador demonstrou um perfil de adaptação individualizado em resposta ao treino e; (vii) o aumento da capacidade aeróbia e o aperfeiçoamento dos indicadores cinemáticos da braçada, nomedamente na distância de ciclo e frequência gestual, foram os fatores que mais contribuiram para uma melhoria no tempo de 200 m crol em condições de competição. Deste modo podemos concluir que existe uma forma individualizada na maneira como nadadores de elite demonstram pequenas melhorias no perfil bioenergético, biomecânico e na peformance.
In the last couple of decades, research in competitive swimming has given special emphasis to energetic and biomechanical assessment as determinant domains to enhance performance. However, the majority of the studies conducted in this field had a cross-sectional approach, not considering the effect of annual training in the changing process. Thus, the aim of this thesis was to characterize the adaptations in elite swimmers performance, energetic and biomechanical profiles, and understand the relationship established between these domains in a longitudinal perspective. With that purpose, this work is divided in to six independent studies. The first study was based in a systematic review that consolidated the practical findings from the studies that previously published about this thematic. The purpose of the following two papers was to understand the performance progression from childhood to adulthood and during an Olympic Cycle, by conducting a retrospective analysis of the elite swimmers annual best performances. The remaining three experimental studies aimed to verify the effect of the annual training on the energetic and biomechanical profiles and determine the factors that most contributed for the performance enhancement. The main conclusions drawn were: (i) the few existing longitudinal studies in swimming science present low quality scores; (ii) sixteen years-old is the age at which the ability to predict adult performance increases markedly; (iii) high stabilization in freestyle performances was evident at the third season of an Olympic cycle; (iv) elite swimmers only demonstrated slight changes in their performance, energetic and biomechanical profiles at least throughout two seasons; (v) the magnitude of change was dependent on the duration of the intervention, type of training done and competitive level; (vi) each swimmer demonstrated a different changing profile in response to the training load applied and; (vii) the aerobic capacity and the stroke kinematic factors, namely in the stroke length and stroke frequency, were the factors that most contributed for the 200 m freestyle performance enhancement. As main conclusion it can be stated that elite swimmers present an individual way in demonstrating slight adaptations in their performance, energetic and biomechanical profiles.
In the last couple of decades, research in competitive swimming has given special emphasis to energetic and biomechanical assessment as determinant domains to enhance performance. However, the majority of the studies conducted in this field had a cross-sectional approach, not considering the effect of annual training in the changing process. Thus, the aim of this thesis was to characterize the adaptations in elite swimmers performance, energetic and biomechanical profiles, and understand the relationship established between these domains in a longitudinal perspective. With that purpose, this work is divided in to six independent studies. The first study was based in a systematic review that consolidated the practical findings from the studies that previously published about this thematic. The purpose of the following two papers was to understand the performance progression from childhood to adulthood and during an Olympic Cycle, by conducting a retrospective analysis of the elite swimmers annual best performances. The remaining three experimental studies aimed to verify the effect of the annual training on the energetic and biomechanical profiles and determine the factors that most contributed for the performance enhancement. The main conclusions drawn were: (i) the few existing longitudinal studies in swimming science present low quality scores; (ii) sixteen years-old is the age at which the ability to predict adult performance increases markedly; (iii) high stabilization in freestyle performances was evident at the third season of an Olympic cycle; (iv) elite swimmers only demonstrated slight changes in their performance, energetic and biomechanical profiles at least throughout two seasons; (v) the magnitude of change was dependent on the duration of the intervention, type of training done and competitive level; (vi) each swimmer demonstrated a different changing profile in response to the training load applied and; (vii) the aerobic capacity and the stroke kinematic factors, namely in the stroke length and stroke frequency, were the factors that most contributed for the 200 m freestyle performance enhancement. As main conclusion it can be stated that elite swimmers present an individual way in demonstrating slight adaptations in their performance, energetic and biomechanical profiles.
Descrição
Tese de Doutoramento em Ciências do Desporto
Palavras-chave
Natação , Treino , Nadadores de elite