Accelerometry as a means of monitoring adherence to competitive swim training

Competitive swim coaches prescribe training sessions to multiple athletes simultaneously. A necessary assumption is that the athletes adhere to the imposed training stimulus. Recent literature had displayed that accelerometer–based activity monitors have the ability to quantify swimming distance and speed (Wright, Hinman, & Stager, 2010). Accelerometry provides an unobtrusive means by which swim training adherence may be monitored. PURPOSE:: The purpose of this study was to examine the use accelerometry as a tool to monitor swimmers' adherence to competitive swim training variables. METHODS: Comparisons between prescribed and performed swim training variables (e.g. distance and speed) were performed during three treatment conditions (i.e. coach present, no coach present, and coach + observer present). RESULTS: Results displayed that when no coach was present swimmers performed slower speeds than prescribed (1.29 ± 0.13 vs. 1.39 ± 0.13 yards*s-1; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:: Accelerometer-based activity monitors have the ability to monitor swimmers' adherence to prescribed training speed. Competitive swimmers' are more likely to adhere to prescribed training speed when a coach or a coach and an additional observer are present on the pool deck.