Introduction: 

Many different step test protocols exist for defining training workload in competitive swimming. When performing step tests in swimming without flume the distance of each step remains the same while the time per step decreases. Step distances of 200m or shorter will lead to an exercise time shorter than 2 minutes which is too short to achieve steady state in lactate concentration, VO2 and HR during incremental testing. Many coaches, even those working with elite athletes, use the results of these tests to define their training. Very often the workloads for the lower training paces given by these tests are far too high for the athlete. The aim of this study was to compare two common test designs with a test protocol with constant time length for every step, common to the test designs on a treadmill.

Methods: 

Ten male swimmers participated in the study (17.13.4years; 181.85.7cm; 71.36.7kg). The tests were performed in the front crawl technique. The first protocol was a set of 7x200m, start every 5min. The pace for the first 200m was personal best +35sec. Following 200m time should decrease by 5sec. The second step test protocol consisted of 5 steps. It was a set of 8x200m with varying rest periods. The velocity of the first step should be 70–85% of personal best. The last swim was supposed to be personal best. The third protocol was a set of 3min swims, with 1min rest between the repeats. The test was performed until exhaustion. Pace of the first swim was 1.2m/s. The increase for every step was 0.05m/s. After each step blood samples were taken for lactate measurement, and heart rate was measured immediately.

Results: 

The third protocol showed significant lower paces at the 3mmol/l and 4mmol/l lactate thresholds compared to the protocols one and two. The mean velocities at 3mmol/l lactate were 1.350.04m/s, 1.340.04m/s and 1.300.03m/s. At 4mmol/l lactate the velocities were 1.390.04m/s in the first test, 1.380.04m/s in the second and 1.340.03m/s in the third test protocol. The highest velocity in the final step was achieved in the second test protocol (1.530.04m/s). The final velocity in the 7x200m test was 1.510.05m/s and 1.440.04m/s in the 3min-step-protocol.

Discussion: 

The results of this study showed significantly faster paces for the test protocols with constant distances and the step test protocol with constant time per step. The decreasing time per step does not allow reaching a steady state, which is the purpose of a step test. The results are velocities at certain thresholds that appear faster than they actually are. As practical experiences show that the paces determined by the commonly used protocols are fare to fast, we recommend to use protocols with constant time. Further studies should investigate if the training paces for the "aerobic" training sessions given by the constant step-time protocols are moderate enough.