ABSTRACT
Performance in swimming is related to different biomechanical, bioenergetical and anthropometrical parameters (Poujade et al., 2002; Zamparo et al., 2005). Different biomechanical studies have assessed the relationship of swimming performance with stroke rate and stroke length in swimmers (Poujade et al., 2002). However, Costill et al. (1985) chose stroke index (SI) as an indicator of swimming economy since it describes the ability of a swimmer to move at a given velocity with the fewest number of strokes. In any event, maximal performance in swimming is dependent on a number of factors, including body size, stroke efficiency and also on the amount of metabolic energy (Cs) spent in transporting the body mass of the athlete over the unit of swimming distance (Zamparo et al., 2005). However, very few investigations have studied the importance of different biomechanical, bioenergetical and anthropometrical characteristics to determine swimming performance in children (Poujade et al., 2002; Jürimäe et al., 2007). It is important to consider that changes from prepuberty to puberty are important and include different biomechanical, bioenergetical and anthropometrical characteristics that all determine swimming performance in children (Poujade et al., 2002). The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of energy cost of swimming, anthropometrical and technical parameters on swimming performance in prepubertal and pubertal female swimmers.
