The working capacity of young competitive swimmers, 10???16 years of age

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Abstract
The physical work capacities of 43 (19 girls, 24 boys) competitive swimmers, 10–16 years of age, were determined on a discontinuous steady-state bicycle ergometer test. During the test heart rates were monitored each minute and oxygen uptakes were measured in the last minute of the final work load. Blood was collected before and after the exercise for measurement of blood lactates. These subjects represented a select group of young boys and girls, in that they took part regularly in a regimen of relatively vigorous swimming training. This included, on the average 4 to 7 training sessions per week for the year. The average distance completed in each training session varied from 2,118 to 3,194 yards depending on age and sex. The maximal oxygen uptakes ranged from 40.5 ml/kg min for the older girls to 56.6 ml/kg·min for the older boys. The values for the boys are only slightly below those reported by others for champion swimmers. The values for P.W.C.170 (kgm/min) were much higher than those found in a general population of non-athletic boys and girls (girls 683 to 844 kgm/min; boys 851 to 1285 kgm/min). In comparison with a relatively elite group of 22 year old competitive swimmers the younger athletes had similar maximal oxygen uptake values (ml/kg·min). The development of speed and endurance in outstanding swimmers appears to be primarily dependent upon the maintenance of aerobic capacity established in early pre-pubertal growth years and the subsequent development of strength, swimming skill and capacity for anaerobic metabolism as the young swimmer matures.

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