Physical work capacity has an important influence on sports performances, especially in the cyclic sports. Therefore, the diagnosis and prognosis of the aerobic and the anaerobic capacity represent useful criteria for counseling in the training process. The anaerobic capacity also influences performances in swimming, especially in the short-distance events. The term anaerobic capacity, with its components maximum anaerobic power and anaerobic stamina, can be defined as the aptitude to exert short-time maximum work loads under oxygen-deficit conditions. This is influenced by physical qualities (speed, strength, and coordination); morphological factors (muscle mass and percentage of fast-twitch fibers); functional factors (impulse transmission speed, the influence of the biofeedback of proprioceptors, and the utilization of elastic energy); and metabolic factors (alactacid energy reserves, glycolytic rate, and acidosis tolerance). These facors are trainable to different degrees from highly to hardly at all (Szogy, 1985). Opposite to the aerobic capacity, in evaluation of anaerobic capacity there is no tendency for standardization and therefore a variety of methods exists for evaluation (Bar-Or, Dotan, & Inbar, 1977; Georgescu, 1969; Kindermann & Schnabel, 1980; Margaria, 1966; Simon & Thiesmann, 1985; Szogy & Cherebetiu, 1974). At the Institute for Sportsmedicine in Frankfurt, a method was developed for the evaluation of the anaerobic capacity based on the following conditions (Szogy, 1985): • The subject must be able to influence the magnitude of the workload. • The performance shall be measurable in physical units. • It shall permit the evaluation of anaerobic power and stamina. • Next to the diagnosis of the anaerobic capacity, it shall also permit a prognosis by the evaluation of remaining energy reserves. • It should be applicable in the laboratory and also under specific field conditions.
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