Effect of time-of-day on freestyle flip turn performance: influence on 50 m event

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to examine the daytime effects on flip turn performance [i.e., 3 m round trip time (3mRTT) as measure of turning performance] as well as global performance during a 50 m freestyle at maximal speed. Twelve college swimmers performed 3 × 50 m freestyle at maximum speed with a flip turn and glide in a 25 m pool in two experimental trials, one in the morning (08:00 h) and one in the evening (18:00 h). Kinematic and dynamic parameters of flip turn performance are analyzed using one underwater camera and a force platform recording wall force peak and time contact. Results showed that oral temperature is significantly higher (p < 0.001) in the evening than in the morning. Also, this study reported that daily variations have been observed for both, changes in swim performance and changes in (3mRTT). Thus, kinematic and dynamic flip turn variables associated with an improvement of freestyle swim performance. It is concluded that maximal swimming trials are performed better in the evening than in the morning, and that this might be linked to variations in oral temperature; also, might be explained by better flip turn performance at this time.

KEYWORDS:

• swim performance
• flip turn
• freestyle
• diurnal variation
• force peak

Acknowledgments

We wish to express our gratitude to the reviewers for their constructive comments and their help, and to the participants who volunteered for this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).