Dr.Biol., Professor I. N. Solopov^{1, 2}
Dr.Biol., Professor B.A. Dyshko³
Honored Coach of the USSR and the Russian Federation V.B. Avdiyenko^{4, 5
1}Center of Sports Training, Moscow
²Volgograd State Academy of Physical Culture (VSAPC), Volgograd
 ³Sports Technology”, Moscow
⁴All-Russian Swimming Federation, Moscow
⁵Swimming sports club “Volga”, Volgograd

Keywords: swimmers, ergogenic tools, breathing trainer, special physical fitness, functional fitness.

Background. Modern sports training systems apply a wide variety of ergogenic training tools to help the trainees adapt to extreme physical workloads, with the most efficient ergogens including dietary supplements and pharmacological, bioclimatic and physiological agents [1, 2, 5]. Increasingly popular and convenient among them are the modern breathing control systems [1, 5] due to the fact that breathing as a visceral function controls homeostasis on the one hand; and is widely manageable by external impacts to effectively modulate the bodily systems on the other hand [1, 7].

It is rather important for the sports trainings that the external respiration modulation by one or another method should secure the bodily gaseous homeostasis being controlled within a specific range [1, 7] to effectively regulate hypoxia and hypercapnia as the key functionality drivers thereby securing progress in functional mobilization and physical performance efficiency and stability [1, 3, 8]. In addition, the specific breathing function control methods have certain effects on the individual psycho-functional status  [6]. On the whole, different breathing control methods have demonstrated powerful multisided effects on the bodily system functions giving the means to vary them in a wide range and, hence, are ranked among the most effective combined-effect methods.

One of the most convenient, affordable and effective breathing control methods are different breathing trainers [1, 4, 5] including the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer designed for the swimming sport [4]. This breathing trainer system has proved of combined positive effects due to the simultaneous physical and physiological performance boosting factors associated with mechanical resistance to respiratory flows, low-frequency vibration of the expiratory flows in high-intensity physical activity with the controlled ‘extra dead space’ created by the system [4 , 5] in training practices. The breathing trainer system effectively energizes the physiological bronchodilation mechanisms in high-intensity muscular work and activates mucociliary clearance mechanisms to increase thereby strength and endurance of the respiratory muscles [4].

A few studies have proved benefits of the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer for trainings albeit they were focused on a few specific bodily functions only [2, 4, 5]. We assumed that it could be beneficial to rate and analyze combined functionality benefits of the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer applied on a systemic basis in a junior swimmers’ training system.

Objective of the study was to rate and analyze combined functionality benefits of the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer applied on a systemic basis in a junior swimmers’ training system.

Methods and structure of the study. We sampled for the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer application model testing experiment the 15-18 year-old swimmers (n=17) qualified Candidate Masters and Masters of Sport and split them up into Experimental (EG, n=8) and Reference (RG, n=9) Groups. The groups were trained twice a day for two weeks to increase their aerobic capacities, with the EG using the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer for 25% of the total training time, and RG trained traditionally. The group progress was rated by the pre- versus post-experimental 6x100m breaststroke tests, with the average interval times and post-swimming 10s heart rate recovery time fixed.

The multisided effects of the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer application model were rated by multifunctional computerized ESTECK Test System (MULTISCANPRO™) to produce the following test rates: II - integral index, CI - cardiac index, CO - cardiac output, SV - stroke volume, HR - heart rate, LF / HF - autonomous nervous system frequency index; and SI - Stress Index. The test data were statistically processed using standard nonparametric criteria, with Z criterion used to rate significance of the test data differences.

Results and discussion. Given in Table hereunder are the pre- versus post-experimental test rates of the EG and RG. Both of the groups were tested with statistically significant progress in the 6x100m breaststroke test although the EG showed significantly better progress than the RG estimated at 6.1% (p<0.05) versus 1.9% (p> 0.05), respectively. The EG was also tested significantly better that the RG on the 10s HR recovery (‘physiological cost’) test scale: 9.9% (p<0.05) versus 0.2%, (p>0.05), respectively.

Table 1. Averaged pre- versus post-experimental physical fitness and functionality test data of the EG and RG (Х ± m)

Note: *pre- vs. post-experimental data difference significant at p<0.05 (Z-criterion)

The blood circulatory system functionality tests showed significant progress in the EG; with the cardiac output and systolic volume tested to grow by 12.0% (p <0.05) and 26.0% (p <0.05), respectively; and the HR was tested to drop by 17.0% (p <0.05); with these progresses interpreted as indicative of the functional efficiency growth viewed as one of the key physical performance indices in sports [8].

Comparative analysis of the LF/ HF index variations (this autonomous nervous system response frequency rate is indicative of the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions balancing in the autonomous nervous system) showed the EG making a shift towards prevalence of the parasympathetic division (20.1% growth, p <0.05). The shift versus the normal pre-experimental test rates may be interpreted as indicative of the autonomous nervous system functionality controls being optimized. This growth was significantly higher than in the RG with its only 2.2% (p> 0.05) progress from the pre-experimental values (that were within the optimal range in fact).

Of special interest was the group progress on the psycho-functional stability rating Stress Index scale. Both groups were tested with healthy falls on this scale, although the EG progress was again significantly better than in the RG – 42.9% (p <0.05) versus 6.4% (p> 0.05), respectively – to demonstrate practical benefits of the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer assisted trainings for the regulatory systems and stress controls.

Conclusion. The Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer assisted training model was tested beneficial for the skilled junior swimmers as verified by the EG progress in the combined functionality tests with the simultaneous drops in the physiological costs for the muscular workloads in the trainings. The EG that used the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer on a systemic basis was tested with significant improvements in the circulatory system performance with growth in the functioning efficiency test rates – particularly in the autonomous nervous system regulation functions and psycho-functional status (stress control) on the whole.

References

1. Avdienko V.B., Solopov I.N. The art of swimmer training. Coach’s book. Moscow: ITRK publ, 2019. 320 p.
2. Volkov N.I., Voytenko Yu.L., Tambovtseva R.V., Dyshko B.A. Problems of Egogenous Methods and Techniques of Training in Theory and Practice of Elite Sport. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. 2013. no. 8. pp. 68-72.
3. Gorbaneva E.P., Kamchatnikov A.G., Solopov I.N. et al. Optimization of breathing function via training with additional resistive resistance. Rossiyskiy fiziologicheskiy zhurnal im. I.M. Sechenova. 2011. V. 97. No. 1. pp. 83-90.
4. Dyshko B.A., Kochergin A.B. Non-drug unconventional ergogenic means and methods of training for elite swimmers. Sportivnaya meditsina: nauka i praktika. 2013. P. 23.
5. Dyshko B.A., Kochergin A.B., Golovachev A.I. Ergogenic purposeful aids in cyclic sports. Teoriya i praktika fiz. Kultury. 2015. No. 6. pp. 76-82.
6. Ismailov A.I., Solopov I.N., Shamardin A.I. Psycho-functional training of athletes. Volgograd: Volgograd State Academy of Physical Culture publ., 2001. 116 p.
7. Solopov I.N. Effect on ventilation efficiency and gas homeostasis by voluntary breathing control during muscular work. Systemic mechanisms and management of athlete’s special working capacity. Volgograd, 1984. pp. 126-138.
8. Solopov I.N., Kuznetsova T.Y., Suslina I.V. et al. Functional economization in athletes of various specializations. Problemy optimizatsii funktsionalnoy podgotovlennosti sportsmenov. no. 3. Volgograd, 2007. pp. 45-56.

Corresponding author: sporttec@yandex.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to rate and analyze combined functionality benefits of the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer applied on a systemic basis in a junior swimmers’ training system.

Methods and structure of the study. We sampled for the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer application model testing experiment the 15-18 year-old swimmers (n=17) qualified CMS and MS and split them up into Experimental (EG, n=8) and Reference (RG, n=9) Groups. The groups were trained twice a day for two weeks to increase their aerobic capacities, with the EG using the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer for 25% of the total training time, and RG trained traditionally. The group progresses were rated by the pre- versus post-experimental 6x100m breaststroke tests, with the average interval times and post-swimming 10s heart rate recovery time fixed.

The multisided effects of the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer application model were rated by multifunctional computerized ESTECK Test System (MULTISCANPRO™) to produce the following test rates: II - integral index, CI - cardiac index, CO - cardiac output, SV - stroke volume, HR - heart rate, LF / HF - autonomous nervous system frequency index; and SI - Stress Index. The test data were statistically processed using standard nonparametric criteria, with Z criterion used to rate significance of the test data differences.

Results and conclusions. The Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer assisted training model was tested beneficial for the skilled junior swimmers as verified by the EG progress in the combined functionality tests with the simultaneous drops in the physiological costs for the muscular workloads in the trainings. The EG that used the Russian Snorkel New Breath breathing trainer on a systemic basis was tested with significant improvements in the circulatory system performance with growth in the functioning efficiency test rates – particularly in the autonomous nervous system regulation functions and psycho-functional status (stress controls) on the whole.