Physiological loads in the team technical and free routines of synchronized swimmers

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to examine the physiological loads on synchronized swimmers during team technical and free routines by m easuring their blood lactate concentrations and percentage of peak blood la ctate concentration. Methods: Four trained college female synchronized swim mers participated as the subjects. The blood lactate concentration was meas ured in the first and middle periods and after the team technical and free routines. Peak blood lactate concentration was measured after maximum exert ion in 100-m freestyle swimming. Results: Average values and SD of blood la ctate concentration and the percentage of peak blood lactate concentration after the team technical and free routines were 4.7 +/- 1.1 mmol . L-1, 46. 2 +/- 11.0% and 4.3 +/- 1.1 mmol L-1, 42.8 +/- 11.5%, respectively. The blo od lactate concentration and percentage of peak blood lactate concentration after the team technical routine were significantly higher than those in t he first period, and the blood lactate concentration after the team free ro utine was significantly higher than in the middle period. Conclusions: The blood lactate concentration of synchronized swimmers during the team techni cal and free routines in the present study tended to increase with the perf ormance time. Thus, the predominant sources of energy may be phosphocreatin e stores and aerobic metabolism during these routines, although glycolysis may also play an important role in relation to the energy requirements in t he final period.