Effects of aerobic and anaerobic training on freedivers' performance.

Background: Freediving is a sport that could be defined as both aerobic and anaerobic. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of aerobic-anaerobic training on the performance of moderate and elite freedivers.

Methods: The sample of participants included 26 freedivers (9 females) (average age of 26.62±3.34 years, body height of 178.95±9.19 cm, and body mass of 74.64±11.97 kg). The sample of variables included: anthropometric indices, relative maximal oxygen consumption (rVO2max), Diving anaerobic sprint test (DAST), Swimming anaerobic sprint test (SAST), 100-meter crawl sprint test (100 m), maximal dynamic apnea with monofin (DYN), maximal swimming length for 2 minutes (2 min). The study procedure included a 5-month aerobic-anaerobic training intervention. This intervention was conducted during a 4-phase (5-week each) training period.

Results: The results showed that moderate group showed a significant decrease in 100 m (final 83.94±15.68; initial 88.29±16.73; P<0.00), DASTmax (final 10.91±1.46; initial 12.01±1.38; P<0.00), DAST (final 70.29±8.95; initial 79.40±10.25; P<0.00), SASTmax (final 16.81±2.24; initial 18.01±2.69; P<0.00), SAST(final 112.87±19.19; initial 122.65±21.55; P<0.00), and increase in 2 min (final 140.56±21.53; initial 128.68±19.33; P<0.00), and DYN (final 130.48±26.89; initial 91.65; P<0.00). Similarly, the elite group experienced a decrease in 100 m (final 72.18±9.77; initial 75.00±11.36; P=0.02), DASTmax (final 10.14±0.95; initial 10.88±0.99; P=0.03), DAST (final 65.55±6.50; initial 71.24±7.32; P=0.02), SASTmax (final 14.82±1.84; initial 15.76±1.80; P=0.03), and increase in DYN (final 194.94±27.70; initial 161.11±27.70; P<0.00).

Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that dynamic apnea, as a main performance factor, had increase in all phases of procedure, with highest increase during anaerobic phases.