Effects of shoulder and hip rotation on velocity in 400-m front crawl swimming - Thesis Proposal Example

? EFFECTS OF HIP AND SHOULDER ROTATION ON VELO IN 400-M FRONT CRAWL SWIMMING TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 2. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS 4. LITERATURE REVIEW a. History of Swimming and its Benefits to Human Anatomy b. Front Crawl Swimming c. Body Roll Swimming d. Effect of Hip and Shoulder Rotation on Velocity in 400-m Front Crawl Swimming 5. METHODOLOGY i. Data Collection ii. Sampling iii. Data Collection Procedure and Target Population 6. DATA ANALYSIS 7. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION INTRODUCTION Time and again people have often come across the term anatomy or human anatomy and if questioned as to what this particular term means, majority of them would answer that it is the study of one’s body structure. They would not be far from being right. While anatomy refers to the study of the composition, ‘human anatomy’ is the study of structure of human beings (Payton, Bartlett, Baltzopoulos & Coombs 1999). Human anatomy is also considered a primary medical science which provides information on the analysis of morphology of the human body. This particular study is not concerned with the study of functions of the numerous parts incorporated in the human body but rather solely concerned with structure (Cappaert, Pease & Throup 1995). Human anatomy consists of three main categories namely the Gross anatomy dealing with the study of macroscopic details of human structure, Basic anatomy explaining all the main concepts of human anatomy with an aim of understanding the basic components of different structural arrangements and the Microscopic anatomy which deals with the study of microscopic details related to the numerous structures of the human body (Castro, Vilas-Boas & Guimaraes 2006). It is vital that every individual is well aware of the structure of their own body as well as the arrangement of numerous organs throughout the body. It is also important for one to retain a healthy lifestyle where the person has sufficient awareness of themselves. One way in which an individual can best understand their anatomy is through different activities that relate to their structure for instance sporting activity such as swimming. Swimming as a sport involves body rolling as a type of physical fitness technique, which integrates certain aspects of yoga to stretch as well as tone the body with particular emphasis on body muscles (Castro, Minghelli, Floss & Guimaraes 2003). Body roll in swimming refers to one’s rotation around their long axis in the course of the stroke. This also includes the rotation of one’s shoulders, hips and torso. For this particular research study, I will begin by looking briefly at the history as well as the importance of swimming. I will then specifically delve into the main topic which is the effects of shoulder and hip rotation on velocity in 400-m front crawl swimming. In this particular study I will also briefly discuss front crawl swimming, also known as freestyle swimming technique. I will not only focus on but also elaborate in details on how correct rotation of the shoulder and hip in velocity swimming during distance racing can be applied. I will mention the required rotation angles of the shoulder joint and hip which contribute to the development of performance and speed. In this study, I intend to also discuss the importance of body roll or rotation in swimming and how one can know whether or not they are developing a good body roll technique. My research study will be supported by related studies carried out on the same subject matter. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The main rationale of this study is to: - Take a brief look at the history of swimming and its importance to the human anatomy Define body roll and discuss the importance of body roll in swimming Front crawl swimming Discuss the effect of shoulder and hip rotation on velocity in 400-m front crawl swimming Describe ways of achieving the correct rotation of the shoulder and hip in velocity swimming during distance racing Describe ways of achieving and developing a good body roll technique during swimming RESEARCH QUESTIONS This research study will also address the following questions: - i. What is front crawl swimming? ii. Does correct rotation angles contribute to the development of performance and speed in 400-m front crawl swimming? iii. What are the effects of shoulder and hip rotation on velocity in 400-m front crawl swimming? iv. What is the importance of body roll techniques? v. How can one attain the correct body roll technique in swimming? vi. Does increase in shoulder roll with reduced hip roll increase the velocity of swimmers? vii. Does increase in the shoulder and hip roll result in decreased velocity of swimmers? viii. Which angles are considered appropriate for the attainment of effective shoulder and hip rotation as well as the impact on swimmers’ velocity? LITERATURE REVIEW History of Swimming and its benefits to the Human Anatomy As earlier mentioned, swimming is one of the most effective sporting activities in as far as exercising the body and keeping it in shape is concerned. Since time immemorial swimming has been considered one of the most crucial sports due to its low injury rate together with the amazing advantages of swimming irrespective of one’s age or ability (Payton, Hay & Mullineaux 1997). It has often been assumed that the very first individuals to learn swimming did so by observing how animals swim and when s/he fell into the water one day, the dog paddle came to be. Studies have discovered that by 3,000BC Egyptians were already implementing the front crawl and breaststrokes as compared to utilizing the dog paddle (Stelios & Carla 2011). Despite the fact that swimming had gained popularity in Ancient Greece as well as ancient Rome, there existed no organized competitions or swimming events in the ancient Olympic Games. However, the first swimming race on record took place in the 1st Century BC in Japan (Stelios & Ross 2008). Swimming is a healthy activity and sport which not only benefits the human body but can also be continued for a lifetime. The health benefits associated by this particular activity are worth the effort as swimming tends to work nearly all of the muscles in the human body. Some of the benefits associated with swimming include cardiovascular endurance (Yanai 2004). It is estimated that cardiovascular disease is considered one of the biggest killers in America as well as many parts of the globe and this can be attributed to the lack of exercise in addition to poor eating habits that a majority of individuals are engaging in presently. When one engages in swimming their muscles activity is stimulated and the individual gets to relax in the process of gliding through the water (Ross & Stelios 2009). The act of moving through the water where every stroke meets water resistance irrespective of the speed results in building lean flexible muscles that are not only strong but long-lasting (Stelios & Ross 2010). Swimming builds both endurance and muscular strength. Additionally, swimming is not only beneficial to the body structure but also possesses a few psychological advantages for instance it is considered a form of meditation. This is whereby a swimmer utilizes low effort while letting their mind wonder, focusing on nothing but the rhythm of their strokes and relaxing in the process (Castro, et al. 2003). Swimming assists in weight management as it tends to burn calories at an estimated rate of 3 calories a mile per pound of bodyweight (Cappaert, et al. 1995). The activity is thus vital to the human anatomy as it exercises almost the entire body with the inclusion of the heart, muscles and lungs putting very modest strain on the body joints. It is appropriate for general fitness of the body. Front Crawl Swimming When the individual body is at respite in water it is usually exposed to gravity pulling the body downwards and buoyancy which tends to bring the body to the water surface according to Archimedes’ principle (Payton, et al. 1997). For the majority of swimmers the center of gravity is more towards the feet rather than the center of the downward force. This is the reason as to why the legs will sink once a swimmer pushes off. Front crawl swimming, also referred to as the freestyle swimming is not only the fastest but also the most efficient swimming technique introduced to mankind more than a century ago (Ross & Stelios 2009). If applied correctly, the freestyle technique incorporates less energy as compared to other strokes. In modern day swimming, freestyle which is whereby a swimmer swims any stroke or combines most of them has come to be closely associated with the crawl. Majority of individuals interested in swimming, find crawl swimming the easiest stroke to learn (Payton, et al. 1999). In the freestyle the arms stroke alternatively recovering over the water while the legs act as additional propulsion thus maintaining a streamlined body position (Yanai 2004). It is important for swimmers to maintain the most streamlined position while moving their limbs. The crawl stroke is the most preferred for the majority of swimmers due to the efficiency of the stroke. The opposition of the arm and leg movements is similar to that of walking. In this particular technique the arms provide an estimated 80% of the propulsion which is considered more than in any other stroke (Stelios & Carla 2011). When implementing the front crawl swimming technique the hands tend to move backward relative to the shoulders where the latter are moving forward at the same rate. A number of individuals can testify to the fact that at the first trial, breathing is nearly impossible while learning the front crawl. However, in order for one to be able to breath while swimming the front crawl, it is important for them to follow the body’s natural roll (Cappaert, et al. 1995). In other words, as the body rolls toward the breathing side the swimmer should turn the head gently bringing the face and mouth out of the water thus making it easier to breathe. While doing the front crawl technique time out of the water breathing is kept at a minimal by exhaling under water. The swimmer may be tempted to breathe early so in order to avoid doing so the opposite hand should enter the water before turning to inhale (Yanai 2004). The main objective of perfecting a front crawl is to maintain a rhythm in the stroke since without breathing. The body tends to demand more and more oxygen, leading to fatigue sooner than expected. Body roll in Swimming The term body roll in swimming refers to the rotation around the long axis during a stroke (Ross & Stelios 2009). This also incorporates the rotation of one’s shoulders, hips and torso. Body roll is considered a vital part of one’s stroke technique where it is also referred to as a fundamental of freestyle swimming (Castro, et al. 2003). As a majority of swimming coaches would agree the shoulders, torso and hips should all roll together as one in an effort of achieving good efficient swimming technique (Payton, et al. 1997). In instances where one utilizes freestyle stroke it is rare to see them with too much body roll. However it tends to be very demanding on one’s body since unlike backstroke where one breathes as often as they want, majority of freestylers learn to breathe on every third breathe (Castro, et al. 2006). Body roll technique tends to improve a swimmer’s freestyle technique. It is not uncommon to see swimmers rolling well on one side as compared to rolling on the other in the course of their stroke technique. Those who have engaged in body roll have complained of experiencing a few challenges for instance body roll feels strange for the majority of swimmers (Stelios & Carla 2011). Another problem faced by them is that nearly all of whom breathe to one side only tend to have poor body rotation to the other side (Yanai 2004). In other words, single sided breathing results in poor rotation to non-breathing side. Not giving oneself extra time on every stroke to extend out is yet another challenge faced by a majority of swimmers with regards to freestyle and body roll techniques. Most of them tend to fight the water when swimming thus developing a short, slightly scrappy stroke with poor rotation (Cappaert, et al. 1995). There are however a number of technical reasons why body roll is considered most important or rather beneficial to the human anatomy. For instance, it prevents injury and assists in easier arm recovery (Castro, et al. 2006). This is because one tends to lie perfectly on their side with the bottom hand out in front of them, making it easy to recover the arm high over the water (Payton, et al. 1999). Body roll is also important in that a swimmer tends to use their larger muscles and core for power. When a swimmer rolls from one side to the other they relocate the power as of the rotation to the propulsive limb in the water (Payton, et al. 1997). As a way of powering the stroke, the swimmer tends to use their pecs, core and lats muscles as they are very powerful and strong. Body roll enables swimmers to have longer strokes and reach further forward thus considered beneficial (Ross & Stelios 2009). For a swimmer to achieve a good body roll in relations to front crawl swimming technique there are a number of guidelines that one should be aware of, for instance, the fact that the body should be in streamline position where the head should be looking down at the pool floor (Yanai 2004). The leading left arm should be straight and just under the water surface where the right arm should be slightly bent at the elbow protruding from the water (Castro, et al. 2003). Hips should be kicked with toes pointed. They should also be as high as possible as the power to roll one’s body comes from them. Additionally, while doing the front crawl the swimmer should ensure that their hands move backward relative to the shoulders (Stelios & Carla 2011). The correct stroke pattern should be accompanied by equal body rotation in order to avoid any injury. This means that the swimmer should ensure that the body rotates at least 45o from its extended axis uniformly in both orders (Payton, et al. 1999). The position of the head should be neutral on the backbone in such a way as to depict the person standing on a flat surface in good alignment (Castro, et al. 2006). Effects of Shoulder and Hip Rotation on velocity in 400-m front crawl swimming Hip rotation usually involves the rotation of the pelvic girdle around the long axis of a swimmer’s body, while shoulder roll/rotation is whereby the shoulder joints turn around around the extended axis of the person passing from side to side of the spine (Cappaert, et al. 1995). Recent studies have revealed that for a number of years swimmers were taught to pull themselves through the water while ensuring the trunk was flat and utilizing their arms alone thus having little rotation. This has however changed with modern day coaches advocating a wide range of hip rotation as a way of improving streamlining and stroke efficiency (Payton, et al. 1997). As observed, regarding body roll the shoulders tend to roll considerably more as compared to the hips as a consequence of the superior mobility of the shoulder girdle. For a swimmer to achieve the required angle of the shoulder girdle to the water surface in the course of the freestyle stroke it should be greater than 45o to the surface of the water (Ross & Stelios 2009). Shoulder roll has been well thought-out as a necessary part of the stroke rather than hip roll since the former is required for efficient arm recovery. Swimmers implementing the hip rotation tend to rotate the hip joints around a stationary longitudinal axis of the body (Yanai 2004). This particular rotation is controlled by the muscles acting on the pelvis and takes place within the same timing as shoulder rotation. It is however recommended that during a front crawl or freestyle stroke the hip rotation should take place slightly ahead of the shoulder rotation (Stelios & Carla 2011). In a recent study carried out to investigate hip and shoulder rotation in front crawl swimming it was observed that the hips and shoulders tend to move through different ranges, reaching their maxima at different times (Castro, et al. 2006). In yet another study to investigate body roll in sampled respondents it was realized that males produced an earlier hip roll as measured up to to their female colleagues, while the latter hip and chest roll took place almost simultaneously (Payton, et al. 1999). It was thus concluded that swimmers roll their shoulders more significantly than their hips and therefore shoulder and hip roll need to be calculated separately in as far as swimming is concerned. As the swimmer implements a greater range of hip and shoulder rotation in front crawl core fitness levels tend to increase as a result of greater involvement of the trunk muscles (Castro, et al. 2003). Majority of swimmers are presently encouraged to utilize a large range of hip and shoulder rotation in the course of their front crawl stroke as a way of improving stroke efficiency in addition to the power of each stroke, adding to the swimmer’s speed (Cappaert, et al. 1995). They are also informed that the timing of the hip rotation is crucial and should therefore commence early in the stroke cycle so as to precede the shoulder roll, producing a stretch on the trunk muscles (Ross & Stelios 2009). On being questioned as to how she managed to take gold in a world record Freestyle Olympic Final, Janet Evans confirmed that the majority of her focus on swim training is mostly on lowering stroke count in order to increase velocity. It has been observed that the faster a swimmer goes in the water the greater resistance the swimmer is likely to confront (Stelios & Carla 2011). In such cases a longer stroke with a lower stroke count does not increase the velocity of the swimmer. That is why it is important for the swimmer to establish proper balance between the stroke rate and stroke length to ensure optimum speed in the water. Correct body position in the water varies from one swimmer to the next and a swimmer’s kick pattern tends to influence how best their body should rest and move through the water (Yanai 2004). As Janet would testify combining reducing drag through technique as well as finding the right balance between stroke length and the rate has proven the most appropriate way of dealing with increasing racing drag and finally reaching peak velocity (Castro, et al. 2003). Some of the studies carried out regarding front crawl swimming and how it affects velocity predicted that swimmers utilize an estimated 70% to 90% of their forward speed generated from their arms and the rest from their legs (Payton, et al. 1997). Some individuals might even argue that the only source of power in this particular style is from the arms where the legs only act as a way of balancing the body as it rolls. Overall, those who use an 8 beat kick tend to get much more power from the legs as compared to others despite the fact that more energy is used in kicking this much. This is why distance swimmers such as Janet Evans utilize a 2 beat kick as they do not tire faster (Ross & Stelios, 2009). METHODOLOGY The methodology that will be utilized in this particular research study has been chosen as a way of acquiring information as well as deducing conclusions regarding the effects of hip and shoulder rotation on velocity in 400-m Front Crawl Swimming, also known as the freestyle technique. For this reason this particular research study will utilize an experimental design approach as it is more appropriate given the type of investigation to be carried out. The approach will enable the researcher not only to gain familiarity with the subject matter but also have a deeper understanding of it. Data Collection For the purpose of achieving the objectives of this research study, data will be collected to be used as both main (primary) and secondary data. While the secondary data will contribute towards the formation of the background information, the primary data to be collected will be used in gathering the necessary information needed for this particular research study. The researcher will first and foremost conduct a questionnaire survey with participants from University of Regina. Interviews will then be carried out with the same participants as a way of determining how effective front crawl is and the manner in which it is best applicable to attain the maximum speed using the least effort. Observation will also be used since the researcher will need to observe the effects of body roll and kicks on velocity of the swimmers. Sampling When carrying out a research study, a researcher may at one point be tempted into studying an entire population which proves to be quite impossible. It is therefore advisable to settle for a sample. A sample refers to a portion of elements taken from a given population which is considered to be a delegate of the whole population (Stelios & Carla 2011). For the collection of primary data the observation technique will be utilized where for the purpose of this particular study random sampling is selected. Keeping in mind that the survey will be carried out on University students, this type of sampling is most appropriate where a large number of individuals are concerned. Random sampling method gives each of the total sampling units of the population an equal and known non-zero probability of being selected (Cappaert, et al. 1995). Interview survey technique will also be implemented in the course of collecting data where the sample population for the interview will incorporate swimmers from the chosen academic institution. Data collection procedure and the Target Population In this research study Quantitative analysis will be used where 15 participants have been randomly chosen from the male front crawl swimming of national and international level. The number of the participants was chosen since they will be in a better position of providing accurate information regarding the subject matter. The researcher will also have a better understanding if the research is conducted on a bigger number of contestants. The University of Regina has been chosen as the target population where data will be collected in a swimming pool. Body roll will be measured in a 25-m indoor pool where the rest of the tests will be carried out. Each swimmer will be expected to perform a 400-m maximum front crawl swim using their exact competition pacing and strategy. The researcher will utilize 6 cameras (4 below and 2 above the water) to record swimmer performance with a 6.75-m calibration frame with orthogonal axes {4.5m x 1.5m x 1.5m, for direction of swim (X), the vertical (Y), and the lateral direction (Z) respectively}. The Direct Linear Transformation method will be used for 3-dimension to analyze the swimmers’ performance. The researcher will also implement experimental design in an effort of answering research questions. DATA ANALYSIS This section involves the analysis of data collected from the research study. Information gathered from the participants has been analyzed using interview guides, observation and questionnaires. These were in descriptive form thus provided sufficient detail and information needed for this particular study. Observation was carried out using the instruments aforementioned (camera) and data recorded at the end of the observations. This research was aimed at establishing the effect of hip and shoulder roll/rotation on velocity in 400-m front crawl swimming by looking at body roll in swimming, the most appropriate angles a swimmer can implement in order to achieve velocity, positioning in the water that allows a swimmer to breathe easily as well as how a swimmer can attain correct body roll technique. The study focused on 15 sampled participants from University of Regina who took part in the male front crawl swimming of national and international level. These particular respondents were between the ages of 19 years and 25 years. During this particular age the human anatomy is usually considered to be fully developed and able to withstand a number of strains it is subjected. Swimming is one of the most preferred activities in as far as body fitness and health is concerned as it not only exercises the muscles especially the torso, hips and shoulders but also relaxes the mind psychologically. A number of observations were made while carrying out this research study on the sampled participants which were helpful in determining effects of hip and shoulder rotation on velocity. The study was able to record the movement of the swimmers’ bodies into the water and analysis of movement through 3-dimension. Variables were calculated for the position of the body as well as the forces of the hand. When the participants were divided into groups on the basis of speed in this particular study, it was in an effort of comparing the different biomechanical variables. The researcher had generally assumed that the drag force acting against a swimmer’s arms while moving them directly backwards were causing the swimmer to be propelled forward. However, according to the observations made it is lift rather than drag that is responsible for the propulsion generated by the arms during freestyle swimming (Ross & Stelios 2009). Once the participants started swimming the front crawl it was also observed that their hands moved backward relative to the shoulders. The shoulders themselves moved forward at a similar rate. The impression given that the hands move backward through the water was not observed. However, it was observed that if the swimmer’s palm faced outward and backward while the hands moved outward in the pulling phase of the stroke, the resultant force brought about by the water on each hand would be an inward and forward direction (Payton, et al. 1997). The researcher could also observe that if the hands moved in a direction at a right angle to the direction of the swimmer’s motion the lift component of the resultant strength acting in the course in which the swimmer moved served to propel the swimmer forward (Yanai 2004). In the course of recovery the palms were directed inward and backward where the lift component of the resultant force on each hand acted to propel the swimmer forward. This observation confirmed to the researcher that lift plays an important role in propelling the swimmer through the water and depending on the body roll or angle of the body in the water, also increases speed. The effects of the buoyant force were ascertained and considered as the main source of buoyancy on the rotation of the body. The angles of rotation of the body in the front crawl swimming are associated with the positioning allocated to the arms to bring about the propulsive diagonal driving resultant movement of the legs as well as the reduction of body movement of unwanted side. The researcher was able to observe body roll in different velocity in front crawl swimming. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION The main reason as to why training in the sport of swimming is carried out is to break the competitive level digital. The need to develop practical training methods in the sport of swimming is required so as to enhance training programs for athletes. Swimmers are in the course of their training taught on how to maximize swimming speeds at the lowest possible time interval thus improving their performance. From the research study conducted it has been established that the freestyle or front crawl is considered not only the fastest but the most efficient swimming technique in modern day sport. As earlier mentioned freestyle simply means application or rather utilization of any combination of strokes for instance breaststroke, butterfly, elementary backstroke or sidestroke. Despite the fact that front crawl swimming appears quite simple to a normal observer, it is in itself a rather complex stroke. For those trying out the technique for the first time, it is important to keep in mind two basic principles that is accelerate the hand speed until completion of the follow through and always keep the elbows high (Stelios & Carla 2011). From this particular research study it has been observed that an essential part of freestyle technique is the body roll. This is considered a natural motion brought about by the rotation of the arm during swimming. Body roll is not only essential in reducing drag, allowing large muscles of the back and shoulders to be put to maximum use but also assists the swimmer in achieving more distance with every stroke. During front crawl swimming as exhibited by the 15 participants in this study the right arm enters the water where the hips roll 45o to the right. As the left arm comes around the hips tend to rotate 45o to the left. It is currently argued that if swimmers roll more than 45o power can be maximized in front crawl swimming. The researcher was able to prove this particular fact by observing the chosen respondents in the study. For one to be able to breathe while swimming the front crawl it is advisable to follow the body’s natural roll (Cappaert, et al. 1995). From what the researcher observed, as the body rolls towards the breathing side the swimmer should turn the head gently bringing the face and mouth out of the water thus making it possible to breathe. Breathing can be done from whichever side is most preferable by the swimmer. In order for a swimmer to use less energy while performing the front crawl they should implement some variation of the 2-beat kick. REFERENCES Cappaert, J. M., Pease, D. L., & Throup, J. P. (1995). Three Dimensional Analysis of the Men’s 100-m Freestyle During the 1992 Olympic Games. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 11. Pp. 103 – 112. Castro, F. A. S., Vilas-Boas, J. P., & Guimaraes, A. C. S. (2006). Effects of Swimming Intensity and Breathing in Front Crawl Body Roll Angles for Swimmers and Triathletes. Brazilian Journal of Biomechanics, 7. Pp. 85 – 90. Castro, F., Minghelli, F., Floss, J., & Guimaraes, A. (2003). Body Roll Angles in Front Crawl Swimming at Different Velocities. Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming, Vol. Pp. 111 – 114. Payton, C. J., Bartlett, R. M., Baltzopoulos, V., & Coombs, R. (1999). Upper Extremity Kinematics and Body Roll during Preferred-Side Breathing and Breath-Holding Front Crawl Swimming. Journal of Sports Sciences, 17(9). Pp. 689 – 696. Payton, G. J., Hay, J. G., & Mullineaux, D. R. (1997). The Effect of Body Roll on Hand Speed and Hand Path in Front Crawl Swimming – A Simulation Study. 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