Morning Exercise: Enhancement of Afternoon Sprint-Swimming Performance.
BACKGROUND
An exercise bout completed several hours prior to an event may improve competitive performance later that same day.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the influence of morning exercise on afternoon sprint-swimming performance.


METHODS
Thirteen competitive swimmers (7 male, mean age 19 ± 3 y; 6 female, mean age 17 ± 3 y) completed a morning session of 1200 m of variedintensity swimming (SwimOnly), a combination of varied-intensity swimming and a resistance-exercise routine (SwimDry), or no morning exercise (NoEx). After a 6-h break, swimmers completed a 100-m time trial.


RESULTS
Time-trial performance was faster in SwimOnly (1.6% ± 0.6, mean ± 90% confidence limit, P < .01) and SwimDry (1.7% ± 0.7%, P < .01) than in NoEx. Split times for the 25- to 50-m distance were faster in both SwimOnly (1.7% ± 1.2%, P = .02) and SwimDry (1.5% ± 0.8%, P = .01) than in NoEx. The first 50-m stroke rate was higher in SwimOnly (0.70 ± 0.21 Hz, mean ± SD, P = .03) and SwimDry (0.69 ± 0.18 Hz, P = .05) than in NoEx (0.64 ± 0.16 Hz). Before the afternoon session, core (0.2°C ± 0.1°C [mean ± 90% confidence limit], P = .04), body (0.2°C ± 0.1°C, P = .02), and skin temperatures (0.3°C ± 0.3°C, P = .02) were higher in SwimDry than in NoEx.


CONCLUSIONS
Completion of a morning swimming session alone or together with resistance exercise can substantially enhance sprint-swimming performance completed later the same day.
Courtney J
CJ
McGowan
David B
DB
Pyne
Kevin G
KG
Thompson
John S
JS
Raglin
Ben
B
Rattray
D000293:Adolescent; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001831:Body Temperature; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000379:methods*; D055070:Resistance Training; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
competitive swimmers; core temperature; priming exercise; stroke rate