PHYSIOLOGICAL-RESPONSES TO SWIMMING WHILE WEARING A WET SUIT

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of three differ ent wet suits on the oxygen uptake (VO2), minute ventilation (V-E), an d heart rate responses to front crawl swimming. Five male subjects swa m at four velocities (0.90, 1.05, 1.18 +/- 0.01, 1.31 +/- 0.02 m . sec (-1)) in each of four swimming suit conditions in a swimming flume. Co nditions were completed in random order using a conventional swimming suit (SS), a wet suit that covered the full body (FULL), a wet suit th at left the arms exposed (LONG), and a wet suit that left the arms and lower legs exposed (SHORT). Water temperature was 26.5 +/- 1.0 degree s C for all trials. VO2 and V-E were decreased (p < 0.05) while swimmi ng in the three wet suits as compared to the SS at all four velocities . VO2 and V-E were also lower (p < 0.05) in the FULL as compared to th e SHORT at all four velocities; however, there were no differences bet ween the SHORT and LONG or LONG and FULL at any of the velocities. Dec reases in VO2 from SS averaged 16.2 +/- 1.9 (SHORT), 22.8 +/- 2.4 (LON G), and 33.6 +/- 2.9% (FULL) over all four velocities. Similarly, redu ctions in V, from SS averaged 14.6 +/- 1.5, 19.6 +/- 1.6, 24.2 +/- 1.5 %, in the SHORT, LONG, and FULL, respectively. Heart rate and rating of perceived exertion were higher (p < 0.05) in the SS as compared to the three wet suits at 1.31 m . sec(-1) only. In conclusion, oxygen up take and minute ventilation during swimming at a given velocity were d ecreased when wearing a wet suit as compared to a conventional swimmin g suit. Further, these decreases were related to the amount of wet sui t covering the body.