Development of Specific Training Programs to Improve Breaststroke Performance for Sport University Students

Abstract

Background and Aims: Specific training programs are critical for improving breaststroke performance because they target muscle strength, flexibility, and stroke-specific technique, thereby increasing efficiency and speed in the water. Tailored drills also help to improve the timing and coordination required for optimal propulsion and smooth movement. The purpose of this study was 1) To develop a specific training program to improve breaststroke performance for sports university students. 2) To experiment with a specific training program to improve breaststroke performance for sports university students. 3) To study the effect of specific training programs to improve breaststroke performance for sports university students. Methodology: This study was designed with a two-group experimental design. Students from the School of Physical Education of Minnan Normal University in Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province were randomly selected and divided into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. Before receiving 8 weeks of specific training, they were tested and scored for breaststroke movements and 50-meter breaststroke, and the assessment was repeated after the 4th week and the final test after 8 weeks of training. The data were analyzed using a statistical software package for mean, standard deviation, and t-test, one-way ANOVA repeated measures, and Bonferroni post hoc analysis. The statistical significance threshold was 0.05. Results: The results showed that: 1) There were significant differences between the experimental group and the control group in the mean comparison of breaststroke movements (leg movements, hand movements, breathing timing, and whole body coordination) and 50-meter breaststroke results (*P＜0.05). 2) There were significant differences in the pairwise comparisons of the variables in the pre-test, the test after the 4th week, and the final test after 8 weeks within the experimental group (*P＜0.05). Conclusion: The data show that specific training programs significantly improve breaststroke performance, with noticeable improvements in leg and hand movements, breathing timing, body coordination, and 50-meter results. Furthermore, continuous improvements were observed in the experimental group over 8 weeks, demonstrating the efficacy of structured training.