Maximum sustained fin-kick thrust in underwater swimming

Yamaguchi H, Shidara F, Naraki N, Mohri M. Maximum sustained fin-kick thrust in underwater swimming. Undersea Hyperbaric Med 1995 ; 22(3) :241-248.-We examined the upper limit of a diver's fin-kick thrust force using a stationary-swimming ergometer. Heart rate, respiratory minute volume, oxygen uptake, and performance rate were measured in four male subjects who swam constantly for 8 min to maintain a horizontal position against an applied force at a depth of 0.7 m. The water temperature was controlled at 26° ± 1°C. The performance rate, which was the parameter of how well the subjects compensated for the applied load, showed an upper limit around 64 N of sustainable thrust force. This meant that the diver could generate the swimming thrust force within 64 N continuously for 8 min in a steady state. Heart rate, respiratory minute volume, and O 2 uptake showed almost proportional increases to the applied load within 64 N and tended to plateau about 69 N.