MINISTERIO

DE EDUCACIÓN, FORMACIÓN PROFESIONAL

Y DEPORTES

EXTREME PHYSIOLOGY

IN ARTISTIC SWIMMING

EXTREME PHYSIOLOGY

IN ARTISTIC SWIMMING

Unique

cardiovascular demands

1 . Similarity between

training and competition

High cardiovascular demands: the routines produce elevated

maximum heart rates, interspersed with episodes of

bradycardia caused by apnea.

Equivalence between training and competition: the routines

make similar physiological demands in training and competi-

tion, with regard to both objective indicators (heart rate) and

subjective indicators (rate of perceived exertion, RPE).

Heart rate pre-exertion

Heart rate (beats/min)

100

150

200

Maximum heart rate

during exertion

Minimum heart rate

during exertion

In duet routines for artistic swimming, the values for HR and

rate of perceived exertion (RPE) are very similar for both

training and competition.

Figure 3. Heart rate of one of the swimmers before, during (shadowed area) and after a duet free routine

performed during training (blue line) and competition (red line). Real data obtained during training and

competition.

Values: average and standard deviation

130.5 ± 13.9

133.6 ± 7.7

184.8 ± 5.8

184.8 ± 6.6

86.6 ± 4.0

86.3 ± 5.0

Heart rate (beats/min)

Time (seconds)

200

180

160

140

120

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

260

280

300

320

340

360

380

400

420

440

460

480

500

520

540

560

Range of variation

in heart rate

88.8 ± 28.5 beats/min

during the periods of apnea

191.7 ± 8.7

beats/min

Maximum values

during exertion

APNEA

Parasympathetic

Training

Competition

1050

Subjective perception of exertion

7.5 ± 1.2

7.9 ± 1.2

Routine

HR range

Maximum HR

Average HR

Minimum HR

Sympathetic

EXERCISE

KEY IDEA 1

Pronounced and immediate lowering of heart rate (HR) due to the apnea,

and a rise due to breathing + exertion.

KEY IDEA 2

A similar phenomenon is observed in both training and competition,

in the same routine performed by the same swimmer.

103.5 ± 28.7

beats/min

Rodríguez-Zamora, L., et al. (2012, 2014a, 2014b): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0049098 - https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182a20ee7 - https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0033-1353177

Iglesias, X., et al. (2014): https://archives.rpd-online.com/article/download/v23-n1-iglesias-rodriguez-zamora-etal/1430-4908-1-PB.pdf

RED SynchroProject II: High performance and health in female artistic swimmers (reference: SYNCPROJECT – 99784) – Funded by the Senior Council for Sports (Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports) – 2024 REDES sports science research programme.

SynchroProject, funded by the Senior Council for Sports (001/UPB10/11) and the Women’s Institute of Catalonia (U-34/10)

Iglesias, X. (2025). Extreme physiology in artistic swimming [Infographic]. SynchroProject. Grup de Recerca en Ciències de l’Esport INEFC Barcelona (GRCEIB): https://inefc-grceib.cat/synchroproject/

http://inefc-grceib.cat/synchroproject/

EXTREME PHYSIOLOGY

IN ARTISTIC SWIMMING

EXTREME PHYSIOLOGY

IN ARTISTIC SWIMMING

Blood

lactate

3. Oxygen

consumption

Moderate accumulation

in all of the routines.

The lactate gradually increases by a signiﬁcant amount

(p < 0.01) as the duet free routine progresses (n = 16),

thus indicating a cumulative impact of physical exertion.

Rapid increase in VO2 (cardiorespiratory capacity) during

exertion.

No differences in VO2 were observed before/after

prolonged apneas.

Average peak oxygen consumption values for 16 elite artistic

swimmers, measured on ﬁve separate occasions during a

duet free routine.

*Values in mL/min/kg.

Measurement of oxygen consumption obtained by segmen-

ting duet free routines based on the two ﬁgures with the

highest apnea:

KEY IDEA 4

No signiﬁcant differences in VO2 or blood lactate were observed before

or after prolonged apnea.

Solo free Team freeDuet free

KEY IDEA 3

• The accumulation appears to be mostly caused by the high energy

demands of the exertion, and not by the apnea.

• The peak values for blood lactate (Lapeak) are generally obtained

between minutes 5 and 7 of the post-routine recovery period.

Signiﬁcant differences between routines:

8.5 ± 1.8 mmol/L

7.6 ± 1.8 mmol/L

6.2 ± 1.9 mmol/L

MINISTERIO

DE EDUCACIÓN, FORMACIÓN PROFESIONAL

Y DEPORTES

7.3 ± 2.7

mmol/L

Average ± Deviation

Maximum - Minimum

58.60 ± 8.79

75.21 - 47.95

Post-apnea 2

Pre-apnea 2Pre-apnea 1

Post-apnea 1

Post-apnea 2

Post-routine

Pre-apnea 2Pre-apnea 1

Post-apnea 1

22060 2001801601401201008040200-20

VO2(ml·kg-1·min-1)

Time (seconds)

Peak values

Lapeak

Pre-routine

60 2202001801601401201008040200-20

Time (seconds)

Lactate (mmol/L)

Rodríguez-Zamora, L., et al. (2012, 2014a, 2014b): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0049098 - https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182a20ee7 - https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0033-1353177

Iglesias, X., et al. (2014): https://archives.rpd-online.com/article/download/v23-n1-iglesias-rodriguez-zamora-etal/1430-4908-1-PB.pdf

SynchroProject, funded by the Senior Council for Sports (001/UPB10/11) and the Women’s Institute of Catalonia (U-34/10)

http://inefc-grceib.cat/synchroproject/

*Values from a sample of 96 routines performed in an ocial competition.

MINISTERIO

DE EDUCACIÓN, FORMACIÓN PROFESIONAL

Y DEPORTES

EXTREME PHYSIOLOGY

IN ARTISTIC SWIMMING

EXTREME PHYSIOLOGY

IN ARTISTIC SWIMMING

Rate of perceived

exertion

5. Conclusions:

apnea and adaptation

Artistic swimming produces a unique physiological response

due to the alternation between intense exertion and prolonged

apnea:

KEY IDEA 5

The lower the minimum and average heart rates during the routines,

the higher the swimmers’ rate of perceived exertion.

KEY IDEA 6

This alternation between extreme maximum and minimum heart rate values

is due to the interaction between the sympathetic activation catalysed by

the intense exertion and the parasympathetic activation catalysed by the

intermittent apneas during the routines.

The Lapeak correlates positively with the

values for rate of perceived exertion (RPE)

reported by the swimmers (R = 0.50,

P = 0.003).

Increased rate of perceived exertion associated with:

Increased duration/frequency of bradycardia events.

Lower average and minimum heart rates.

Greater range of variation in heart rate.

There is a correlation between lactate

and rate of perceived exertion.

Correlations

Inverse with

minimum HR

(R=-0.545)

Average HR

(R=-0.452)

Positive

with HR range

(R=0.520)

Lapeak

(R=0.50)

Time under the water

•For the majority of the routine, the swimmers are

under the water.

• 61.6 ± 6.4% of total time in apnea.

Cardiovascular response 2

•The facial immersion and apnea rapidly activate

the parasympathetic system and cause bradycardia.

•The intense exertion stimulates the sympathetic

system and increases the heart rate.

•Both systems compete to control the heart rate

during the routines.

•Alternating periods of tachycardia (due to

exertion) and bradycardia (due to immersion).

• Rapid increases and decreases in heart rate.

•Artistic swimming is unique because, although the

intensity of exertion is increased, the swimmer’s

heart rates are lowered as a result of the apneas.

Unique heart rate pattern 3

4Adaptation in elite swimmers

• Increased capacity to maintain apnea.

•More pronounced bradycardia response during

immersion.

•Suggestive of improved adaptation on the part of

the parasympathetic system

*RPE-bradycardia ratio.

RPE as a practical tool

Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) is a viable, cost-effective and

non-invasive alternative method for monitoring internal load.

*Solo and duet routines,

both technical and free,

in elite swimmers (n = 30).

Bradycardia

RPE

Rodríguez-Zamora, L., et al. (2012, 2014a, 2014b): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0049098 - https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182a20ee7 - https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0033-1353177

Iglesias, X., et al. (2014): https://archives.rpd-online.com/article/download/v23-n1-iglesias-rodriguez-zamora-etal/1430-4908-1-PB.pdf

SynchroProject, funded by the Senior Council for Sports (001/UPB10/11) and the Women’s Institute of Catalonia (U-34/10)

http://inefc-grceib.cat/synchroproject/