Eight competitive swimmers performed a series of maximum intensity tethered swimming tests using full-stroke, arms only, right and left arm only. In all tests, the force of each arm-stroke was determined. The validity of each arm-stroke separation was tested in advance using overwater and underwater video recordings (ICC=0.939, and 0.974, p<0.05). The reliability of force measurement for each arm-stroke was tested in a separate group of swimmers (ICC=0.985, and 0.975, p<0.05). Swimming force was not different between right and left arm-stroke in all tests (p>0.05). Right and left, single arm-stroke forces were correlated between tests (r=0.79 to r=0.92, p<0.05). Specific force of each armstroke can be reliably measured during tethered swimming using a valid separation of each arm-stroke.
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