Performance and physiological responses to a 5-week synchronized swimming technical training programme in humans

A synchronized swimming team routine (TR) is composed of figures of varying degrees of difficulty. Swimmers able to perform these figures separately u nderwent a 5-week technical training programme (TTP) to assemble a TR. Litt le is known about the physiological responses to this kind of TTP. A group of 13 trained synchronized swimmers [mean age 14 (SD 1) years] were tested before and after a 5-week TTP. The TR lasted 5 min, and 45% of that time wa s spent underwater. The swimmers' technique scores in the TR improved signi ficantly from 4.5 (SD 1.9) before to 5.8 (SD 2.3) points after the TTP (P < 0.01), but their swimming performances, peak oxygen uptake ((V)over dot O- 2peak), blood lactate concentration, and heart rate measured during a 400-m swim were lower after the TTP, The improvement in the technique scores cor related negatively with the change in (V)over dot O-2peak (r = -0.57; P < 0 .05). The greater the improvement in the technique score, the greater the d ecrease in (V)over dot O-2peak The overall synchronized swimming skill was assessed by the best score the swimmers obtained in four to six competition s over a season. This score was related to the 400-m swimming performance, (V)over dot O-2peak, maximal distance covered in apnoea, and the breath-hol d time. The 5-week TTP therefore improved technical performance during the TR without improving physiological, swimming or apnoea performances. Howeve r, the physiological profile of each swimmer was linked to the synchronized swimming skill.