title: Changes of the energetic profile in masters' swimmers over a season.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to track and compare the changes of performance and energetic profile of male and female masters swimmers during a season.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven female (age: 34.7±7.3-y) and fourteen male (age: 35.6±7.4-y) with 4.2±3.7-y and 3.9±1.6-y of experience in masters, respectively, performed an all-out 200 m freestyle to evaluate total energy expenditure (Etot), aerobic (Aer), anaerobic lactic (AnL) and alactic (AnAl) contributions. The oxygen uptake (VO2) was measured immediately after the 200 m trial and the VO2 reached during the trial was estimated through the backward extrapolation of the O2 recovery curve. Fingertip capillary blood samples were collected before the 200 m trial and 3, 5, and 7 minutes after its end.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences were observed between male (TP1:177.50±30.96s; TP2:174.79±29.08s; TP3:171.21±22.38s) and female (TP1:205.18±24.47s; TP2: 197.45±20.97s; TP3: 193.45±18.12s) for 200 m freestyle performance at the three time periods (TPs). Male presented higher Etot in all TPs (TP1:230.40±48.40kJ; TP2:242.49±37.91kJ; TP3:257.94±46.32kJ) compared with that found for female swimmers (TP1:188.51±35.13kJ; TP2:193.18±20.98kJ; TP3:199.77±25.94kJ). Male presented higher AnL (TP1:33.42±6.82kJ; TP2:30.97±8.73kJ; TP3:30.66±8.27kJ) and AnAl (TP1:30.61±3.48kJ; TP2:30.61±3.48kJ; TP3:30.60±3.48kJ) than female (TP1:18.83±8.45kJ; TP2:14.98±4.17kJ; TP3:18.33±8.66kJ) and (TP1:24.32±2.22kJ; TP2:24.31±2.23kJ; TP3: 24.31±2.23kJ). Aerobic metabolism is the major contributor for Etot both in male (TP1:71.63±4.99%; TP2:74.05±5.03%; TP3:76.14±4.46%) and female swimmers (TP1:76.87±3.86%; TP2:79.40±3.63%; TP3:78.40±5.54%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The better performance obtained by male compared to female swimmers may be due to the different contributions of the energetic pathways. Aerobic metabolism was the major contributor to Etot in a 200 m race, in both genders. Partial aerobic contribution was higher in female, while partial anaerobic contribution was greater in male.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal - mines_ferreira@sapo.pt.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Neiva
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vilaça-Alves
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Marinho
mesh_terms: D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019344:Lactic Acid