Long-Term Training in Swimming
Genadijus Sokolovas, Ph.D., Senior Physiologist
Global Sport Technology, Inc, www.globsport.org
Top-100 Study
 The purpose of this study was to investigate
the performances of elite level swimmers
based on the USA Swimming’s All-Time Top
100 times.
 May early high-level performances limit a
swimmer’s progression later in his/her
career?
Methods
 Analysis of USA Swimming’s All-Time Top
100 age group times by girls and boys.
 Five age groups: 10-under, 11-12, 13-14,
15-16, and 17-18.
 Swimming events: 100, 200, and 500
freestyle; 100 and 200 backstroke; 100
and 200 breaststroke; 100 and 200
butterfly; and the 200 individual medley.
 Calculating the percent of participation.
Participation at USA All-Time Top 100 in All
Events at Age 17-18 (Females)
Top 100
10.3%
Age 10 & under
Top 100
20.3%
Top 100
Age 11-12
Top 100
36.9%
Age 13-14
49.7%
Top 100
Age 15-16
Age 17-18
Participation for USA All-Time Top 100 in
100 Freestyle at Age 17-18 (Males)
Top 100
13.2%
Age 10 & under
Top 100
12.6%
Top 100
Age 11-12
Top 100
31.1%
Age 13-14
53.5%
Top 100
Age 15-16
Age 17-18
Freestyle Events for Girls
Backstroke and Breaststroke
Events for Girls
Age 15-16 vs 17-18
 There is still a low number of elite
swimmers at age 15-16 for girls and boys.
 About half of the elite swimmers in the Top
100 at age 17-18 were new swimmers
who were never ranked in the Top 100 at
any age.
 This statistics shows that most of the
future elite swimmers swim under Top 100
times until age 15-16.
Females vs Males
 There is a small difference between elite
female and male freestyle swimmers at age
11-12 and 13-14, where it appears that
higher numbers of female freestylers were
ranked in the Top 100.
 Higher numbers for females may be related
to earlier biological maturation in girls.
Selection of Main Event by Females
 51.6% of elite female swimmers are listed in
other events at age 10 and under.
 This number decreases with age and
reaches 37.9%, 26.6% and 24.9% at age
11-12, 13-14 and 15-16, respectively.
 Most of elite female swimmers select their
event at age 13-14.
Selection of Main Event by Males
 69.6% of elite male swimmers are listed in
other events at age 10 and under.
 This number decreases with age and
reaches 55.6%, 40.8% and 26.7% at age
11-12, 13-14 and 15-16, respectively.
 The elite male swimmers select their events
at age 15-16 or about 2 years later than elite
female swimmers.
Conclusion 1
 A small number of elite swimmers from the
Top 100 at age 17-18 were ranked in the
Top 100 at a younger age. Typically, a little
over 10 % were ranked as a 10-under, less
than 20% as a 11-12 year old, a little over
30% as a 13-14 year old, and about 50% as
a 15-16 year old.
Conclusion 2
 The analysis shows that most of elite level
swimmers were unknown at young ages.
About a half of elite swimmers at Top 100 at
age 17-18 are new swimmers, which never
were listed at Top 100 at any age. Most of
future elite swimmers swim slower than age
group champions, especially at ages until
15-16 years.
Conclusion 3
 Many participants ranked in the Top 100 as
age groupers are not present in the Top 100
as they become an elite swimmer in the 1718 age group. It may be related to their early
biological maturation and/or a high training
volume and intensities at a young age.
Conclusion 4
 Elite level swimmers change their events
during long-term training. Elite female
swimmers tend to change their events until
the age of 13-14. Elite male swimmers tend
to change their events until the age of 1516.
What is the Goal in Career
Training?
Best performance:
- 10 & under?
- 11-12?
- 13-14?
- 15-16?
- 17-18?
- at the age of peak
performance potential!
16
Average Age of Ten Best Swimmers in
History (Freestyle)
Event
Men (years)
Women (years)
50 FR
24.8 ± 2.7
25.3 ± 7.0
100 FR
25.3 ± 3.7
24.6 ± 6.7
200 FR
22.6 ± 2.1
20.8 ± 2.4
400 FR
22.1 ± 2.4
20.0 ± 2.1
1500/800 FR
21.3 ± 2.0
20.1 ± 2.6
17
Average Age of Ten Best Swimmers in
History (Backstroke & Breaststroke)
Event
Men (years)
Women (years)
100 BK
23.9 ± 1.7
21.9 ± 3.6
200 BK
23.1 ± 2.2
20.8 ± 3.7
100 BR
25.4 ± 2.5
21.3 ± 3.9
200 BR
23.6 ± 2.6
21.5 ± 3.3
BACKSTROKE
BREASTSTROKE
18
Average Age of Ten Best Swimmers in
History (Butterfly & IM)
Event
Men (years)
Women (years)
100 FL
24.8 ± 3.0
25.1 ± 4.4
200 FL
23.5 ± 1.6
22.4 ± 4.6
200 IM
23.2 ± 1.1
20.5 ± 2.9
400 IM
22.9 ± 2.3
19.6 ± 2.7
FLY
IM
19
Average Age of Ten Best Swimmers in
History (Male, Free)
26.0
25.0
50 FR
100 FR
24.0
200 FR
23.0
400 FR
1500 FR
22.0
21.0
20.0
2000
2005
2008
Average Age of Ten Best Swimmers in
History (Female, Free)
27.0
25.0
50 FR
100 FR
23.0
200 FR
21.0
400 FR
800 FR
19.0
17.0
15.0
2000
2005
2008
Swimming Performance
Progression
2
V (m /s)
1.8
1.6
10 best swimmers
1.4
Elite level swimmer 1
1.2
Elite level swimmer 2
1
9
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
Age (years)
22
Swimming Performance
Progression in Career Training
PERFORMANCE PROGRESSION FOR 100 FREE MEN (LC)
1:11.20
01:12
Elite level swimmer A
Elite level swimmer B
Elite level swimmer C
01:07
1:00.13
TIME
01:03
0:57.30
0:55.55
0:54.63
0:53.40
0:52.15
0:49.73
00:59
00:54
00:50
0:48.93
0:49.18
0:49.02
00:46
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
YEARS
23
Swimming Performance
Progression in Career Training
 Peak Performance / Performance at age 11
 For Females – 0.71-0.89 (71-89%)
 For Males – 0.61-0.79 (61-79%)
24
Swimming Performance
Progression in Career Training
WINDOWS FOR PERFORMANCE PROGRESSION
Lower level
Time at age 11
Upper level
TIME
Ratios:
Male - 0.61-0.79 (61-79%)
Female - 0.71-0.89 (71-89%)
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
YEARS
18
19
20
21
22
23
Peak performance time
25
Optimal Swimming Performance
Progression
WINDOWS FOR 100 FREE MEN (LC)
01:19
1:19.90
01:15
1:10.65
01:11
Lower level
1:04.67
TIME
01:07
1:00.41
01:02
1:01.70
00:58
0:57.31
0:54.99
0:58.99
0:53.23
0:56.85
00:54
0:51.87
0:55.13
0:53.72
00:49
0:52.57
0:51.62
Upper level
0:50.80
0:50.83 0:50.16
0:49.95 0:49.28
0:48.74
0:49.61 0:49.14
0:48.74
00:45
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
YEARS
18
19
20
21
22
26
Optimal Swimming Performance
Progression
WINDOWS FOR 100 FREE MEN (LC)
1:19.90
01:19
01:15
Lower level
1:10.65
01:11
Upper level
1:04.67
TIME
01:07
1:00.41
Sub-elite level
swimmer
01:02
1:01.70
00:58
0:57.31
0:58.99
0:54.99
0:53.23
0:56.85
00:54
0:51.87
0:55.13
0:53.72
0:52.57
00:49
0:51.62
0:50.80
0:50.83 0:50.16
0:49.95
0:49.28 0:48.74
0:49.61 0:49.14
0:48.74
00:45
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
YEARS
18
19
20
21
22
27
Optimal Swimming Performance
Progression
01:20
WINDOWS FOR 100 FREE MEN (LC)
1:19.90
01:16
TIME
01:07
Upper level
1:04.67
Elite level swimmer
1:00.41
01:03
00:59
Lower level
1:10.65
01:12
1:01.70
0:57.31
0:54.99
0:58.99
0:53.23
0:56.85
00:54
0:51.87
0:55.13
0:53.72
00:50
0:52.57
0:51.62
00:46
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
0:50.80
0:49.95 0:49.28
0:48.74
0:50.83 0:50.16
0:49.61 0:49.14
0:48.74
18
19
20
21
22
YEARS
28
Performance Progression Model
DATE
CURRENT PERFORMANCE
NAME
LAST NAME
AGE
GENDER
M
STROKE
Free
DISTANCE
TIME, Sec.
11
100
79
GOAL
AGE
TIME
Age
11
Optimal
Progression,
Sec.
79.00
Time, Min., Sec.
1:19
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
70.16
64.34
60.29
57.37
55.21
53.58
52.33
51.36
50.60
1:10.16
1:4.34
1:0.29
0:57.37
0:55.21
0:53.58
0:52.33
0:51.36
0:50.6
65.91
61.70
58.62
56.30
54.53
53.16
52.08
51.23
50.55
74.09
66.66
61.71
58.25
55.75
53.91
52.51
51.45
50.64
21
50.00
0:50
50.00
50.00
Upper Level Lower Level
71.89
86.11
21
50
29
Performance Progression Model
Forecast of performances progression
in career training
Optimal Progression,
Sec.
Upper Level
85.00
79.00
80.00
Lower Level
Time
75.00
70.16
70.00
64.34
60.29
65.00
57.37
60.00
55.21
55.00
53.58
52.33 51.36
50.6050.00
50.00
10
12
14
16
18
20
Years
30
Duration of Career Training
Age at Peak
Performances
Age at the
Beginning of
Career Training
Maintenance
of High
Performances
“Time Reserve”
to prepare each
swimmer to achieve
their individual
maximum potential
31
Duration of Career Training
 Age at the Beginning
of Career Training
 Age at Peak
Performance
 6-8 years
 18-25 years depending
on gender, distance
orientation and rate of
individual maturation
“Time Reserve” - 10-19 years!!!
“Time Reserve” for Men
(Freestyle)
Years
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
16.8
50 m Free
17.3
100 m Free
14.6
200 m Free
400 m Free
1500 m Free
17
14.1
13.3
33
“Time Reserve” for Women
(Freestyle)
Years
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
50 m Free
15
17
17.3
100 m Free
16.6
200 m Free
12.8
400 m Free
12
800 m Free
12.1
34
Stages of Biological
Maturation
 Early Childhood and Prepuberty
– Girls - until 11 years, Boys - until 12 years
 Puberty
– Girls - 11-14 years, Boys - 12-15 years
 Postpuberty
– Girls - after 15 years, Boys - after 16 years
35
EARLY CHILDHOOD
 Age 4-6:
– Kids don’t have good postural and balance skills
– Very short attention spans
– Imprecise eye movement
– There is no advantage to begin swimming at
this age
CHILDHOOD
 Age 6-9:
– Improved postural and balance skills
– Good age to begin organized swimming
practices
– Longer attention spans, but still isn’t long
enough to focus on long explanation
– More precise eye movement
– Simple swimming drills
– Difficulty to accomplish complex skills
PREPUBERTY
 Age 10-12:
 Good postural and balance skills
 Growth in extremities and long bones
 Maturational differences between genders and
early/late maturers
 Easy to learn advanced swimming technique
 Complex swimming and synchro drills
PUBERTY
 Age 12-17:
– Improved attention and decision making skills
– Rapid growth and development (sensitive
period). Decrease in strength and power
because of rapid growth.
– Improved aerobic capacity
– Deterioration in postural and balance skills (it is
important to continue working on swimming
skills at this age)
– Greater potential of skeletal-muscular injuries
POSTPUBERTY
 Age 16-19:
– Appreciation of variety in training and swimming
sets
– Improvements in racing skills
– Increased muscle mass and tolerance to the
high-intensity work (anaerobic capacity)
– Increased sprinting ability (strength and power)
– Improved cardio-vascular system
Sensitive Periods of
Development
 Physical characteristics and physiological systems
develop at different rates during maturation.
 During the adolescent growth spurt many
parameters show accelerated growth size and
strength.
 These accelerated phases of development are
called “sensitive periods” and represent the fastest
rate of development.
41
Anthropometric Parameters in Career
Training (Swimmers)
190
185
Males
180
Females
.
170
Height, cm
175
165
160
155
“Sensitive Periods”
150
145
140
10
12
14
Age, years
16
Timakova T.S., 1985
18
42
Changes in Height Gain
Peak Height Velocity (Puberty)
Initiation of Adolescent
Spurt (Prepuberty)
Deceleration
(Postpuberty)
43
Changes in Weight Gain
10
9
Males
8
Females
Peak Weight Velocity (Puberty)
WG, kg/yr
7
6
5
4
3
Deceleration
2
Initiation
of Adolescent
1
(Postpuberty)
0
Spurt
(Prepuberty)
9
11
13
15
17
19
Age, years
44
Vo2 max in Young Male Athletes
“Sensitive Period”
4500
4250
Vo2 (ml/min)
4000
3750
3500
3250
3000
Cunningham et al. (1987)
2750
Daniels et al. (1978)
2500
2250
Murase et al. (1981)
2000
Baxter-Jones et al. (1993)
1750
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Age (yrs)
45
Changes in Aerobic Capacity Gain
(Males)
1.8
VO2 max
“Sensitive
Periods”
1.6
O2 debt
Parameters
1.4
Vital Capacity
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
11
12
13
14
Age
15
16
17
Kashkin A.A., 1981; Timakova T.S., 1985
46
Strength Parameters in Career Training
(Swimmers, Males)
“Sensitive Periods”
Sokolovas G., Gordon S., 1986
47
Changes in Strength Gain (Males)
14
“Sensitive Periods”
Gain of Strength, KG
12
Dryland Strength
10
Water Strength
8
6
4
2
0
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Age
Priluckij P.M., 1998
48
Arm Pull
Vertical Jump
14
5
12
4
cm/yr
kg/yr
10
8
6
3
2
4
2
1
-3
-2
-1
PHV
1
2
3
-3
Bent Arm Hang
6
-2
-1
PHV
1
2
3
Sit and Reach
2
2
0
cm/yr
s/yrr
4
-3
-2
-1
PHV
1
2
1
3
-2
-4
0
-3
-2
-1
PHV
1
2
3
Data from Beunen et al., 1988
49
Progression of Physical Qualities in
Career Training
100.0
90.0
Progression, %
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
Aerobic
40.0
Mix
30.0
Anaerobic-glycolitic
Creatine phosphate
20.0
Specific power
10.0
0.0
10
12
14
16
Age
18
20
22
50
Duration of Sensitive
Periods
Physical
Quality
Boys
(years)
Girls
(years)
Flexibility
Balance
Agility
Endurance
Strength
7-13
9-11
10-12
12-14
14-16
6-12
8-10
9-11
11-13
13-15
51
Workload Progression in Career
Training (Male)
Total - 3,600,000 yrd
Aerobic - 62%
100.0
Mix - 22%
90.0
80.0
Progression, %
70.0
Distance
Swimmer
Anaerobic - 5%
CP - 1.5%
Total - 2,700,000 yrd
60.0
Aerobic - 59%
50.0
Mix - 30%
Sprinter
40.0
Anaerobic - 8%
30.0Total - 380,000 yrd
CP - 3%
20.0Aerobic - 90%
10.0Mix - 7%
0.0Anaerobic - 2%
10- 1%
12
CP
14
16
Age
18
20
22
52
Workload Progression in Career
Training (Male Sprinters)
3,000,000
2,500,000
Total
Workload, yrd
REC-EN1
2,000,000
EN2-3
1,500,000
1,000,000
500,000
0
9
11
13
15
Age
17
19
21
23
53
Workload Progression in Career
Training (Male Sprinters)
250,000
SP1-2
200,000
SP3
Workload, yrd
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
9
11
13
15
Age
17
19
21
23
54
Dryland Workload Progression in
Career Training (Male Sprinters)
8,000
7,000
General Strength
(Weights)
6,000
Specific Strength
(Biokinetic etc.)
Min
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
9
11
13
15
Age
17
19
21
23
55
Total Swimming Workload Volume for
Early, Normal, and Late Matured Swimmers
3,000,000
Normal Matured
Early Matured
Workload, yrd
2,500,000
Late Matured
2,000,000
1,500,000
1,000,000
500,000
0
8
10
12
14
Age
16
18
20
Stages of Career Training





Preliminary Preparation
Basic Training
Specialization
Peak Performance
Maintenance of High
Performance
57
Preliminary Preparation
(Girls 7-9, Boys 8-10)
 Teaching of swimming technique in different
swimming strokes
 Teaching of diving and turns
 Improvement of interest to compete
 Development of flexibility, general (aerobic)
endurance, balance in water
 Playing & games method
 Recommended maximum number of sessions per
week - 3-4
 Recommended number of seasons - 3 (3 peak
58
performance competitions)
Basic Training
(Girls 10-12, Boys 10-13)
 Teaching of advanced swimming technique in
different swimming strokes
 Evaluation of individual swimming stroke and
distance orientation
 Development of aerobic and anaerobic-aerobic
(mix) endurance
 Development of quickness and agility
 Beginning of development of general strength
 Recommended maximum number of sessions per
week - 6-9
 Recommended number of seasons in one year - 23 (2-3 peak performance competitions)
59
Specialization
(Girls 12-17, Boys 13-18)
 Development of individual swimming technique
 Individualization of technical and racing tactics
 Development of aerobic-anaerobic mix, anaerobic
specific endurance, and general strength
 Beginning of development of specific strength and
speed
 Maintenance of flexibility
 Recommended maximum number of sessions per
week - 9-12
 Recommended number of seasons in a year - 2-3
(2-3 peak performance competitions)
60
Peak Performance
(Girls 16-20, Boys 17-22)
 Perfection and stabilization of individual swimming
technique, diving, turns, and tactical skills
 Development of distance specific endurance, specific
power, transition of specific power to water
 Development of specific strength speed
 Maximization of workload volume
 Modeling (race simulation) of all conditions of
competition
 Maintenance of individual flexibility
 Recommended maximum number of sessions during
peak week - 12-15
 Recommended number of seasons in a year - 2 (2
peak performance competitions)
61
Maintenance of High
Performance (Girls 18 and older,
Boys 20 and older)
 Maintenance of individual swimming technique,
diving, turns, and tactical skills
 Maintenance of individual power, endurance, speed,
and flexibility
 Reduction of total workload volume with increasing
of intensity
 Maintenance of health
 Recommended maximum number of sessions per
week - 9-12
 Recommended number of seasons in a year - 2 (2
peak performance competitions)
62
Optimizing Long-Term Training
 Measure height at least twice a year.
Increase workload volumes accordingly:
63
Optimizing Long-Term Training
 Identify early/late maturers:
– Early maturers experience early success due to
physical growth advantage
– Early success does not predict later success
– Late maturers often catch up and exceed the
performance of early maturers
– Keep success in perspective
– Develop sets to monitor individual progression
Optimizing Long-Term Training
 Evaluate distance orientation (sprint, middle
distance, distance):
Swimmer 1
Swimmer 2
Best Time on 100
Best Time on 200
Times in Seconds
00:54.50
01:57.70
54.5, 117.7 sec
00:55.00
02:02.10
55.0, 122.1 sec
Calculation
Ratio 200/100
117.7/54.5
2.16
122.1/55.0
2.22
Optimizing Long-Term Training
 Predict performance progression and make
corrections in workload volumes/intensities:
WINDOWS FOR 100 FREE MEN (LC)
01:19
1:19.90
01:15
1:10.65
01:11
1:04.67
TIME
01:07
1:00.41
01:02
1:01.70
00:58
0:57.31
0:54.99
0:58.99
0:53.23
0:56.85
00:54
0:51.87
0:55.13
0:53.72
00:49
0:52.57
0:51.62
0:50.80
0:50.83 0:50.16
0:49.95 0:49.28
0:48.74
0:49.61 0:49.14
0:48.74
00:45
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
YEARS
18
19
20
21
22
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION! QUESTIONS?