Prediction of Swimming Performance on the Basis of Selected Physical Variables | Original Article

ABSTRACT:

Swimming is ability of man to keep in place in water or to move on the water surface by horizontal movements of his own locomotion. Swimming performance is determined by various factors. Purpose of this study was to predict 50 m swimming performance on the basis of selected physical variables. A total of 20 swimmers aged 18-30 years, with at least 1 year of swimming experience were chosen. They underwent testing of leg explosive strength, shoulder strength, abdomen strength, shoulder flexibility, trunk-hip flexibility and ankle flexibility and finally the recording of the 50m sprint swimming time in freestyle swimming. Multiple linear regression was used as statistical technique. In results, statistically significant negative correlations (p<0.05) between shoulder strength and 50 m swimming performance. Shoulder strength was contributory variable in model. Variable selected in the regression equation explain 20.7 of the total variability in the swimming performance which is low but quite good. Since F value for this regression model is highly significant (f=0.044), the model is reliable. At the same time, all the regression coefficients in this model are highly significant(p<0.05) and therefore, it may be interpreted that variable selected in the model, namely, shoulder strength is quite appropriate in estimating the 50 m swimming performance of swimmers.