Specializing When It Counts: Comparing the Dose–Time Effect of Distance Variety between Swimming and Track Running
Metadatos
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MDPI
Materia
adolescents diversification elite athletes
Fecha
2024-10-09Referencia bibliográfica
Born, D.P. et. al. Sports 2024, 12, 272. [https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12100272]
Patrocinador
Swiss Olympic (national governing body of sports) [311019/ng/Norm Values and Benchmarks]; Swiss Aquatics (national swimming federation) [ZI70B1020071 RLS 3M/SwissAqua/KPI]Resumen
Objective: To conduct a longitudinal retrospective analysis, explore the relationship between
success at peak performance age and the number of different race distances athletes competed in
each year (within-sport distance variety), and compare the dose–time effect of this distance variety
throughout the development process between male swimmers and track runners. Methodology:
Male swimmers (n = 6033) and track runners (n = 19,278) still competing at peak performance age
were ranked, and the number of different race distances was extracted retrospectively for each
year until early junior age (13–14-year-old category) from the databases of the European Aquatics
andWorld Athletics federations. Firstly, correlation analysis determined the relationship between
ranking at peak performance age and distance variety. Secondly, Poisson distribution provided the
probability and dose–time effect of distance variety for becoming an international-class athlete at
peak performance age. Results: Generally, correlation analysis revealed low coefficients (r ≤ 0.22)
but significant effects (p < 0.001) for larger distance variety and success at peak performance age.
Poisson distribution revealed the highest probability of becoming an international-class swimmer
when competing in 2–4 race distances at junior age, depending on the primary race distance. The
dose–time effect indicated a gradual reduction in the number of race distances as athletes approached
peak performance age, narrowing down to 1–2, 2–3, and 3–4 distances for sprint, middle-, and
long-distance races, respectively. Track runners exhibited a lower distance variety than swimmers,
with a consistent optimum of 1–2 race distances across the age groups. Conclusions: The present
findings including data of the most combined race distances for each primary race distance and a
comparison between swimming and track running provide new background information to challenge
traditional training regimes and help establish new strategies for long-term athlete development.