Backstroke start: updating knowledge and technological devices.
Since 1950s with Heusner (1959), researches have been interested in swim start analysis, using diverse technologies and methods that have revealed how the initial race component could be optimized for better overall event results.
The main efforts have been centred on ventral start improvements, probably due to the greater number of official events in which swimmers start over platforms. The backstroke start was firstly studied in 1960s and authors used cinematography to compare start performed at FINA and NCAA events.
Following the main significant FINA rule changes in mid 2005, researchers have begun to analyse the backstroke start technique using detailed biomechanical tools (e.g. electromyography). Nevertheless, those studies have not admitted the entire backstroke start technique evolution, being the general purpose of this project to update the backstroke start knowledge and technologies considering both, the current FINA starting (SW 6.1) and facility (FR 2.7 and FR 2.10) rules.
Researchers
Publications
1.de Jesus, K., de Jesus, K., Medeiros, A., Fernandes, R.J., Vilas-Boas, J.P., (2014). The backstroke starting variants performed under the current swimming rules and block configuration. Journal of Swimming Research, 22, 1-5.
2. de Jesus, K., de Jesus, K., Fernandes, R.J., Vilas-Boas, J.P., Sanders, R. (2015). The Backstroke Swimming Start: State of the Art. Journal of Human Kinetics, 10(42), 27-40. DOI: 10.2478/hukin-2014-0058.
3. de Jesus, K., de Jesus, K., Abraldes, J.A., Mourão, L.M., B-Santos, M., Medeiros, A.I.A, Gonçalves, P., Chainok, P., Fernandes, R.J., Vaz, M.A.P., Vilas-Boas, J.P. (2015). Effects of diverse feet and hands positioning on backstroke start performance. Submitted for publication to Sports Biomechanics (accepted with minor revision).
4. de Jesus, K., de Jesus, K., Abraldes, A., Medeiros, A., Fernandes, R.J., Vilas-Boas, J.P. (2015). Are the new starting block facilities beneficial for the backstroke start performance? Submitted for publication to Journal of Sports Sciences.
5. de Jesus, K., de Jesus, K., Medeiros, A., Gonçalves, P., Figueiredo, P., Fernandes, R., Vilas-Boas, J.P. (2015). Neuromuscular activity of upper and lower limbs during two backstroke swimming start variants. Submitted for publication to Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.
Videos
Funding
0761/12-5/2012-2015 EXPL/DTP-DES/2481/2013- FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-041981