Effect of Twelve-Week hypoxic interval training on lung volumes and records of elite swimmers in 50 and 100 meters breaststroke

Holding the breath during exercise causes hypoxia. This study set out to investigate the effect of the 12-week hypoxic interval training on lung volume and records of elite swimmers in 50 and 100 meters breaststroke.
In this quasi-experimental study, 22 male swimmers were randomly divided into the hypoxic interval training group (n: 13; age: 16.61±1.39 years; height: 177.92±1.94 cm; weight 70.17±3.55kg) and normal training group (n: 9; age: 16.67±1.16 years; height: 176.33±5.24cm; weight 67.83±4.24kg). The hypoxic interval training program included 3-8 sets of 25-200 m breaststroke and the butterfly (breathing every 4-6 strokes), six-time per week for 12 weeks. The normal training routine performed without breath-holding (breathing every 2 strokes). The FIVC, FEV1, FVC, and FIV1 parameters, as well as records in 50m and 100m swimming were measured pre- and post-training. The obtained data was analyzed with ANCOVA (P Swimmer's records in both 50 m and 100 m swimming scenarios significantly decreased after the application of the hypoxic interval training program. The FIVC, FEV1, FVC, and FIV1 parameters significantly increased only after the hypoxic training (P It seems that the 12-week hypoxic interval training program can increase the lung volume and improve the records of the elite swimmers in 50m and 100m breaststroke.