Mixed
Upper and lower body muscle power, measured via the Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAT) and Maximal Sustained Power Output (MPO) tests, significantly predicts freestyle swimming performance in sprint (50m) and middle-distance (400m) events.
If you are a sprint or middle-distance swimmer, focus on developing specific muscle power (both upper and lower body) rather than just increasing your aerobic volume. Use tests like the Wingate Anaerobic Test to measure your power output, as this is a strong predictor of your race speed. While technique (distance per stroke) is also critical, improving your power output through targeted training can lead to measurable performance improvements.
This study shows that strong relationships exist between upper and lower body power output and both sprint (50 m) and middle-distance (400 m) freestyle-swim performance.
Why this rating
High-quality observational correlation study with a decent sample size (n=22) and rigorous testing protocols, though not a randomized controlled trial.
Source
Muscle power predicts freestyle swimming performance.
John A. Hawley et al. · British Journal of Sports Medicine · 1992
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