The effects of arms-or legs-only training on indices of swimming performance and dry-land endurance in swimmers

This study compared arm and leg performance and dry-land endurance before and after a 6-week swimming training programme. Fourteen club swimmers (mean± s; age 16 ± 5 years, stature 1.70 ± 0.08 m, mass 60 ± 10 kg), gave informed consent and were assigned to arms-only (ARMS) or legs-only (LEGS) training. Two types of testing were performed before and after the programme. First, simulated arm-pulling and leg-kicking ramp tests to exhaustion from which dry-land endurance was assessed as total exercise time (TETarms = TETlegs); second, 200m arms- (200arms), legs-only (200legs) and 400m full stroke (400full) time trials from which distance per pull and kick (DPP, DPK) were calculated from video recordings. MANOVA with repeated measures showed that for ARMS, TET = 200arms and DPP improved, whereas for LEGS only 200legs and DPK were enhanced after training (P<0.05). The results suggest that arms- and legs-only training produce changes in limb-specific local muscle endurance or technique and does not necessarily translate into improved whole stroke middle distance swimming performance.