The assessment of aerobic physical capacity in young swimmers

The purpose of this paper was to confront some selected physiological parameters that describe aerobic capacity with young swimmers’ sports achievements. For the study, some athletes with the average age of 14.67, who train swimming at the SMS Szczecin Club, were selected. A progressive test of their oxygen power was performed in order to determine their aerobic capacity, with the means of the European Ranking (LEN). Each swimmer’s sports level was presented in points [pts.]. The swimmers’ characteristics were presented as divided into three groups: (S) – short-distance specialization, (M) – medium-distance specialization and (L) – long-distance specialization. In group (S), maximum oxygen consumption – VO2max [l/min] achieved the levels of 3.95 [l/min] (male swimmers) and 2,77 [l/min] (female swimmers); in group (M) – 4.12 [l/min] and 2.97 [l/min], respectively; and in group (L) – 4.14 [l/min] and 3.338 [l/min]. Among male swimmers, level of VO2 max [ml/kg/min] equaled 58.96 – group (S), 59.72 – group (M) and 62.10 – group (L); while among female swimmers it reached 48.67 (S), 49.36 (M) and 54.60 (L), respectively. The recorded values of VO2 max [ml/kg/min] qualify the young swimmers to the group of people with a very high physical capacity. Our selection of Szczecin’s athletes to individual groups proved to be correct. The considerations presented in the paper bring one’s attention to the substantive quality of the intake and selection of swimmers. In the selection, it is necessary to take such physiologic rates as VO2 max or VO2/HR into consideration.