Anthropometric, lower-limb flexibility, power, and kinematic correlates of 5 m and 7.5 m performance during forward- and rear-weighted swim starts in adolescent female swimmers
APPLIED SCIENCES, cilt.16, sa.11, ss.1-20, 2026 (SCI-Expanded)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 16 Sayı: 11
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.3390/app16115273
- Dergi Adı: APPLIED SCIENCES
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-20
- Marmara Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study examined the anthropometric, lower-limb flexibility, power, and kinematic correlates of 5 m and 7.5 m post-entry passive underwater glide performance during forward-weighted (FW) and rear-weighted (RW) swim starts in adolescent female swimmers. Twenty-three trained female swimmers aged 14–16 years completed FW and RW starts in a randomized within-subject repeated-measures design. Anthropometry, ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, lower-limb muscle extensibility, vertical jump performance, and start kinematics were assessed. FW starts produced shorter block exit time (mean difference = −0.06 s; p < 0.001; Cohen’s dz = −1.63), shorter water-entry time (mean difference = −0.07 s; p < 0.001; Cohen’s dz = −1.65), and higher average water-entry velocity (mean difference = 0.17 m·s−1; p < 0.001; Cohen’s dz = 1.36) compared with RW starts. FW also yielded a faster 5 m post-entry passive underwater glide completion time (mean difference = −0.04 s, approximately 40 ms; p = 0.005; Cohen’s dz = −0.66), whereas 7.5 m post-entry passive underwater glide completion time did not differ between techniques (p = 0.725). Exploratory regression models accounted for 29.0–64.4% of the adjusted variance across outcomes, but these models were not externally validated and should be interpreted as exploratory, hypothesis-generating associations. Technique-related differences were specific to the block exit and early post-entry passive glide phases; selected physical characteristics may complement kinematic assessment in this population but should not be used as stand-alone criteria for start-technique selection.