INTRODUCTION: Most endurance training sessions are prescribed using intermittent exercise, which allow maintaining higher intensities with the same metabolic condition. In swimming, stroke technique (i.e., stroke rate - SR and stroke length - SL) and physiological potential may equally contribute to performance. When exercising above maximal lactate steady state (MLSS), a significant reduction in SL (Dekerle et al., 2005) has been found. Therefore, this study aimed to verify whether MLSS determined using continuous (MLSSc) or intermittent (MLSSi) protocols represent a boundary above which not only physiological but also technical changes occur. METHODS: Thirteen endurance swimmers (23 ± 9 yr) performed four to eight 30-min sub-maximal tests, to determine the MLSSc and MLSSi (12 x 150 s with 30 s of passive recovery). The time to complete 5 stroke cycles was used to calculate one SR value per 100 m. SL was calculated as the ratio between speed and SR. The blood lactate, SR, and SL were analyzed at minute 10 and 30 of each test. RESULTS: The speed at MLSSi (1.17±0.09 m/s) and MLSSc (1.13±0.08 m/s) were significantly different (3.2%) while the blood lactate concentration was similar (4.3±1.1 and 4.4±1.5 mmol/L, respectively). SR increased during MLSSi (32.5±3.2 and 33.8±3.2 cycles/min, 3.9%), 102.5% MLSSc (32.0±3.7 and 34.2±3.6
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