The electromyographic signals of several muscles were analyzed to assess the extent of their involvement in the front crawl movement. The electromyographic recordings from a group of top and a group of average swimmers were compared, using a standardizing procedure, for isometric and dynamic contractions. The qualitative and quantitative analyses revealed some interesting electromyographic patterns. Although the front crawl movement in swimming is one. of the most thoroughlyinvestigated, the amount of information now available is far from sufficient for a definite statement as to which muscles are Involved in this swimming stroke and the extent of this involvement. Indeed the total number of electromyographic (hereafter referred to as EMG) investigations of muscle movements gccurring in water is small. This is probably because of: 1) the difficulty in fixing surface electrodes to the skin, and 2) the complexity and sophistication of the equipment needed to transmit and to record EMG signals from subjects while they are immersed in water. Two distinct methods of recording muscle potentials in water are presently in use by the scientific research community: 1) the combination of surface electrodes and wire transmission (Ikai, Ishii, and Mivashita, 1964), and 2) the combination of surface electrodes and teiemetric transmission (Lewillie, 196 7). Despite supplementary electronic requirements and the limitation of a two-channel recorder, a telemetric recording method was chosen because this method does not hinder the movements of the subject. Thus far, it has been determined that eight muscles and/ or muscle parts make a significant contribution to the front crawl movements.
© Copyright 1979 Swimming III. Proceedings of the Third International Symposium of Biomechanics in Swimming, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. Published by University Park Press. All rights reserved.