The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the difference of material, size, and cutting type of swimming wear on the energy expenditure during swimming and on swimming record. Subjects were 8 healthy female college swimmers. In this experiment, 4 types of swimming wears with different material and cutting type were used. Oxygen uptake, as an indicator of energy expenditure, was determined by an automatic analyzer and it was measured at 3 different water flow rates (i. e. 0.80, 0.90, 1.00 m・sec⁻¹). Furthermore, a drag of swimming wear per se and swimming record of 50 m exhaustive free style swimming were determined in each swimming wear. The drag of swimming wear per se did not significantly relate to oxygen uptake at submaximal water flow rate, or swimming record of 50 m exhaustive free style swimming. When the subjects put on the swimming wear of different size, there were not significant differences for oxygen uptake and swimming record of 50 m free style event were between different sizes. On the other hand, a significant correlation between relative values of oxygen uptake at a given water flow rate and relative values of swimming record of each subject was indicated. These results suggest that though the difference of the drag of swimming wear does not directly reflect on the active drag during swimming, the swimming wear of the cutting type and the size which fits better to the body type of the person can make decrease the active drag during swimming and can make increase swimming record.

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.17/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE