The effect of different inter-pad distances on the determination of active drag using the Measuring Active Drag system

Schreven, Sander; Toussaint, H.M.; Smeets, Jeroen B. J.; Beek, Peter J.

doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2013.05.020

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Using this approach, the swimmer's technique might present some alterations since the push-off is made from fixed pads rather than from moving water. However, considering that this circumstance seems to not influence the determination of drag [25], and since other methodologies have important limitations on its assessment -they are indirect evaluations [8], restricted to maximal velocities [16] and limited to a stable position during gliding from the wall [19] -we have favoured the MAD-system procedure. As expected, results were in line with the literature [6,30,31], showing an approximately quadratic increase in active drag with swimming velocity for both unimpeded and with snorkel conditions.…”

Section: Discussion ▼mentioning

confidence: 99%

AquaTrainer® Snorkel does not Increase Hydrodynamic Drag but Influences Turning Time

et al. 2015

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Our purpose was to verify if the use of the new AquaTrainer(®) respiratory snorkel lead to an increase of front crawl hydrodynamic drag and whether the constraint of using an adapted turning technique influences its corresponding turning time. 12 swimmers performed 2 (without and with snorkel) 12×25 front crawl repetitions from low to maximal velocity on the measuring active drag system. Complementarily, 3 swimming turns were compared: open turn with snorkel, tumble turn and open turn without snorkel. Drag values were similar without vs. with snorkel at 0.9, 1.1, 1.3, 1.5 and 1.7 m.s(-1) velocities: 15.84 ±5.32 vs. 16.18±4.81, 25.60±6.69 vs. 26.03±6.17, 38.37±8.04 vs. 38.88±7.56, 54.64±10.06 vs. 55.08±9.55, 74.77±14.09 vs. 74.92±13.14 N, (respectively, p≥0.05), and high agreement between conditions was observed (p<0.01). Front crawl swimming with snorkel using the open turn implied an increase in turning time of 14.2 and 5.1% than the tumble turn and open turn without the apparatus (p<0.01). AquaTrainer(®) snorkel does not lead to an increase in active drag during front crawl performed at a large range of velocities and, consequently, the metabolic energy necessary to overcome total drag will not be affected. However, turning with it requires an additional time that should be taken into account in scientific research and training conditions.

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Section: Discussion ▼mentioning

confidence: 99%

AquaTrainer® Snorkel does not Increase Hydrodynamic Drag but Influences Turning Time

et al. 2015

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“…In the present study, the MAD system was used to determine power output and drag. One of the limitations of the MAD system is that the push-off pads on the MAD system were placed at a fixed inter-pad distance of 1.35 m. Although it was found that different inter-pad distances did not affect the measured drag (Schreven et al, 2013 ), it has not been studied to date whether the maximal speed achieved on the MAD system varies with inter-pad distance. Therefore, it cannot be excluded that by using a different inter-pad distance, the correlation with swimming speed would have been different.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sprint Performance in Arms-Only Front Crawl Swimming Is Strongly Associated With the Power-To-Drag Ratio

Schreven

Smeets

Beek

2022

Front. Sports Act. Living

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To date, optimal propulsion in swimming has been studied predominantly using physical or computational models of the arm and seldom during real-life swimming. In the present study we examined the contributions of selected power, technique and anthropometric measures on sprint performance during arms-only front crawl swimming. To this end, 25 male adult competitive swimmers, equipped with markers on their arms and hands, performed four 25-m sprint trials, which were recorded on video. For the fastest trial of each swimmer, we determined the average swim speed as well as two technique variables: the average stroke width and average horizontal acceleration. Each participant also swam 10–12 trials over a custom-made system for measuring active drag, the MAD system. Since the propelling efficiency is 100% while swimming over the MAD system, the power output of the swimmer is fully used to overcome the drag acting on the body. The resulting speed thus represents the ratio between power output and drag. We included this power-to-drag ratio, the power output and the drag coefficient of the fastest trial on the MAD system in the analysis. Finally, the body height and hand surface area of each swimmer were determined as anthropometric variables. A model selection procedure was conducted to predict the swim speed from the two technique variables, three power variables and the two anthropometric variables. The ratio between power output and the drag was the only significant predictor of the maximal swimming speed (v = 0.86·power/drag). The variations in this ratio explained 65% of the variance in swimming performance. This indicates that sprint performance in arms-only front crawl swimming is strongly associated with the power-to-drag ratio and not with the isolated power variables and the anthropometric and technique variables selected in the present study.

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“…Also, despite the similarity of electromyography patterns obtained during MAD-System and normal front crawl swimming (Clarys et al, 1988), it is questionable whether the pulling on the paddles replicates the normal swimming action or restricts normal stroke mechanics . Schreven et al (2013) further assessed the reliability of the set inter-pad distances of the MAD-System based on anthropometric characteristics of a small sample of participants (n=11) swimming at sub-maximal speed and concluded that a fixed distance could be used. Whilst adding to the scope of studies utilising the MAD-System, it should be noted that the translatability of this finding to swimming in a competition setting requires further investigation.…”

Section: Overview Of Active Drag Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Selecting the right tool for the job” a narrative overview of experimental methods used to measure or estimate active and passive drag in competitive swimming

Sacilotto¹,

Sanders

Gonjo

et al. 2023

Sports Biomechanics

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Free-swimming performance depends strongly on the ability to minimise resistive drag. Therefore, estimating resistive drag (passive or active) may be important to understand how free-swimming performance can be improved. The purpose of this narrative overview was to describe and discuss experimental methods of measuring or estimating active and passive drag relevant to competitive swimming. Studies were identified using a mixed-model approach comprising a search of SCOPUS and Web of Science data bases, follow-up of relevant studies cited in manuscripts from the primary search, and additional studies identified by the co-authors based on their niche areas of fluid dynamics expertise. The utility and limitations of the methods of measuring active and passive drag were critically discussed with reference to primary research domains in this field, 'swimmer morphology' and 'technique analysis'. This review and subsequent discussions provide implications for researchers when selecting an appropriate method to measure resistive forces (active or passive) relevant to improving performance in free-swimming.

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The effect of different inter-pad distances on the determination of active drag using the Measuring Active Drag system

Cited by 10 publications

References 8 publications

AquaTrainer® Snorkel does not Increase Hydrodynamic Drag but Influences Turning Time

AquaTrainer® Snorkel does not Increase Hydrodynamic Drag but Influences Turning Time

Sprint Performance in Arms-Only Front Crawl Swimming Is Strongly Associated With the Power-To-Drag Ratio

“Selecting the right tool for the job” a narrative overview of experimental methods used to measure or estimate active and passive drag in competitive swimming

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