Development of ventilatory training practices for artistic swimming athletes

In artistic swimming, athletes must perform complex movement routines in the water, while holding their breath for up to 60% of the time, which greatly accelerates the development of hypoxia-induced fatigue. Research shows that hypoventilation training at low lung volumes improves energy metabolism, thereby reducing muscle fatigue and improving physical performance. Furthermore, inspiratory muscle training can improve respiratory efficiency by reducing inspiratory muscle fatigue both in normoxia and oxygen-deprived environments. However, the potential synergistic effects of these two training modalities have not been examined. This project aims to 1) evaluate the feasibility of these two training methods to ensure optimal implementation and long-term sustainability in the context of artistic swimming in Quebec, and 2) explore the ergogenic effects on artistic swimming performance. This project will be conducted in Quebec City in collaboration with Natation artistique Québec, and will provide coaches and strength and conditioning specialists with new, evidence-based modalities and equipment for their toolbox to enhance training specificity and safety for their athletes.

Faculty Supervisor:

François Billaut

Student:

Partner:

Natation artistique Canada

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Université Laval

Program: