THE IMPACT OF STRENGTH TRAINING ACTIVITIES ON THE ENHANCEMENT OF SPEED IN SWIMMING FREESTYLE EVENTS

The current study aims to determine the impact of strength training on the growth of swimming speed in freestyle. Twenty male swimmers, aged 21 ± 2, from Physical Education and sport sciences department, the Islamic university in Najaf, Iraq, make up the sample for this study. Ten of them are in the experimental group and ten are in the control group. The experimental group received strength training on alternate days, or three sessions per week, including biceps curls, bench presses, front presses, back presses, and so on, while the control group received general training for eight weeks. 50-meter freestyle swimming was done for the pre- and post-tests in order to gauge speed. The dependent t-test was used to examine the impacts of strength training exercises for the development of speed among free style event swimmers. It was discovered that there was a significant difference in the speed of free style event swimmers at the 0.05 level of significance. This study demonstrates that the experimental group's 50-meter freestyle swimming performance has improved as a result of strength training when compared to the controlling group. To achieve at an elite level in swimming, strength training is crucial. In order to maximize the benefits of land-based training, we should choose exercises that are mechanically relevant to swimming, especially those that require the swimmer to push themselves through the water, like the arm pull and leg kick.