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. 2018 Dec 31:65:187-195.
doi: 10.2478/hukin-2018-0026. eCollection 2018 Dec.

Effect of Different Feedback Modalities on Swimming Pace: Which Feedback Modality is Most Effective?

Cesare Altavilla  1 , Roberto Cejuela  2 , Pablo Caballero-Pérez  3
Affiliations

Effect of Different Feedback Modalities on Swimming Pace: Which Feedback Modality is Most Effective?

Cesare Altavilla et al. J Hum Kinet. .

Abstract

To compare the effect of three different feedback modalities on swimming pace, sixteen male swimmers and triathletes participated in this study. Each participant swam 3 x 400 m, one for each feedback modality, swimming front crawl at 80% of their individual swimming critical speed. Three feedback modalities were examined: self-pacing, real time visual feedback and real time voice feedback. The swimmers adopted a fast start in all feedback modalities. In the real time voice feedback modality, the data recorded during the second lap (200 m) showed a significant improvement of their swimming pace approaching the swimming pace intended (-1.47 s, p < .01, medium effect size 0.79). A significant improvement toward the swimming pace intended was also noticed at the third split time (300 m) (0.05 s, p < .01, large effect size 0.81) and at the fourth split time (400 m) (0.46 s, p < .01, medium effect size 0.76). In self-pacing, the swimmers were not able to swim in line with the swimming pace intended. In real time visual feedback modality, the swimmers did not show a significant improvement approaching the swimming pace intended. The results revealed that communication with the swimmers using the real time voice feedback induced a significant improvement in their swimming pace and could help the athletes to swim with accurate and consistent pace.

Keywords: auditory pathways; performance; sensory; split time; training.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Swimming pace in three different feedback modalities The graph shows the mean differences in seconds from zero (swimming pace intended) throughout the three 400 m trials: real time voice feedback (black triangles), real time visual feedback (white circles) and self-pacing (black circles). Student’s t test ** p < .01; non-parametric Wilcoxon test ** p < .01. SP: Self pacing; VIF: real time visual feedback; VOF: real time voice feedback.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Standard deviation (SD) of swimming pace in three different modalities of feedback The graph shows the mean values of SD throughout the three 400 m trials: real time voice feedback (black triangles), real time visual feedback (white circles) and self-pacing (black circles). During the trials the SD was more stable in real time voice feedback, as compared to self-pacing and real time visual feedback. The graph shows significant difference between self-pacing and real time voice feedback at 300 m and 400 m. F-test *p < .05, ** p < .01; SP: Self pacing; VIF: real time visual feedback; VOF: real time voice feedback.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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