Physiological loads in the team technical and free routines of synchronized swimmers

The purpose of the present study was to examine the physiological loads on synchronized swimmers during team technical and free routines by measuring their blood lactate concentrations and percentage of peak blood lactate concentration. Four trained college female synchronized swimmers participated as the subjects. The blood lactate concentration was measured in the first and middle periods and after the team technical and free routines. Peak blood lactate concentration was measured after maximum exertion in 100-m freestyle swimming. Average values and SD of blood lactate concentration and the percentage of peak blood lactate concentration after the team technical and free routines were 4.7 +/- 1.1 mmol x L(-1), 46.2 +/- 11.0% and 4.3 +/- 1.1 mmol x L(-1), 42.8 +/- 11.5%, respectively. The blood lactate concentration and percentage of peak blood lactate concentration after the team technical routine were significantly higher than those in the first period, and the blood lactate concentration after the team free routine was significantly higher than in the middle period. The blood lactate concentration of synchronized swimmers during the team technical and free routines in the present study tended to increase with the performance time. Thus, the predominant sources of energy may be phosphocreatine stores and aerobic metabolism during these routines, although glycolysis may also play an important role in relation to the energy requirements in the final period.