Effect of an activation protocol that includes eccentric loading on the freestyle sprint in swimmers

Abstract

The aim of the present research was to analyze the effect of four pre-competition activation protocols based on eccentric contractions on time in 25-m freestyle swimming. Ten swimmers (20.8 ± 4.7 years old; 175.2 ± 9.3 cm in height; 66.4 ± 10.4 kg in weight) of national level participated in the study. The swimmers performed a general warm-up (GEN), a competition warm-up (COM) without including post-activation potentiation stimuli (PAP) and three that included (i.e., three minutes later) six eccentric contractions of the lower (INF), superior (SUP) or mixted limb musculature (MIX), made with inertial device kBox-2 Exxcentrics. The results indicated improvements in 25-m time in freestyle (T25EL) after COM (effect size [ES]:-2.41), SUP (ES:-2.31), INF (ES:-2, 18) and MIX (ES:-2.30) with respect to GEN. No changes in T25EL were obtained when comparing COM, SUP, INF and MIX. In conclusion, activation protocols with (e.g., INF, SUP and MIX) or without (e.g., COM) PAP improve T25EL, but without obtaining positive effects on performance depending on the stimulated muscle group.