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DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-3786
Comparison of Critical Swimming Velocity and Velocity at Lactate Threshold in Elite Triathletes
Publication History
Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)


The purpose of this study was to determine whether the critical swimming velocity (Vcrit) corresponds to the velocity at lactate threshold (V-LT) in elite triathletes. Eight elite triathletes (5 male, 3 female; age 26 ± 4 years; height 1.7 ± 0.1 m and body mass 75 ± 4 kg) participated in the study. Vcrit, defined as the speed that could theoretically be maintained indefinitely without exhaustion, was expressed as the slope of a regression line between swimming distance covered and the corresponding times of five time trials over 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1500 m and all combinations of these. Lactate threshold (LT) was determined by visual inspection as the point of first inflection of the lactate-work rate curve following 5 × 300 m swims of increasing velocity which were paced using the Aquapacer (Challenge and Response, Inverurie, Scotland). Velocities of the 300 m swims were - 10, - 5, 0, + 5 and + 10 % of the average 100 m pace from a 1500 m time trial. Vcrit was similar regardless of the combination or number of time trials used in the linear regression. For all subjects Vcrit was significantly faster (p < 0.05) than V-LT (1.23 ± 0.11 m · s-1and 1.15 ± 0.10 m · s-1 respectively). Blood lactate concentrations were also significantly higher (p < 0.05) at Vcrit (3.0 ± 1.0 mM) than at LT (1.9 ± 0.4 mM). Results from the present study demonstrate that Vcrit can be calculated from any two time trials in triathletes, however Vcrit did not represent V-LT in triathletes. Since Vcrit is faster than V-LT it is unlikely to be sustained indefinitely and consequently the notion of Vcrit should be re-evaluated in light of these findings.
Key words:
Critical velocity, lactate threshold, triathlon, swimming.