Effect of daily training pattern on swimming performance and its association to glucose tolerance

Introduction

During swimming competition, carbohydrate becomes predominant fuel for extensive muscular contraction (Romjin et al., 1993). The purpose of the study was to compare the effect of two training regimens with different post-training recovery time on swimming performance and its association with glucose tolerance.

Methods

16 collegiate swimmers was divided in to two groups and assigned two different training regimens for one-month training. The first group performed swimming training once-daily for 180 min, designated T180 group. Whereas, the second group performed swimming training twice daily for 90 min, designated T2X90 group. Swimming intensity was controlled for both groups to preclude its possible influence. Blood lactate during training and creatine kinase level was used to monitoring the training load between two groups. Swimming performance was measure by determining the best effort to complete 50M swimming in butterfly style. Glucose tolerance was performed under fasted condition before performance test.

Results

We found that swimming performance was significantly reduced in the T2X90 group, but it was not changed in the T180 group. Blood lactate during training and CK level was not different between two groups. The improvement in glucose tolerance was only observed in T180 group.
Discussion/Conclusion
The current study demonstrates that once daily training regimen was better than twice daily training regimen for maintaining swimming performance, which is independent of training intensity and muscle damage. This study also suggested that glucose tolerance might be associated with swimming performance.

Reference

[1]. Romijn, J. A., Coyle, E. F., Sidossis, L. S., Gastaldelli, A., Horowitz, J. F., Endert, E., & Wolfe, R. R. (1993). Regulation of Endogenous Fat and Carbohydrate Metabolism in Relation to Exercise Intensity and Duration.American Journal of Physiology. 265, E380-391.