Tracking fitness and performance is a key factor in exercise, health, and sports. Field evaluation protocols should be appropriate and specific to the context. In addition to laboratory tests, a training program should often try ecological approaches by including field evaluation protocols. A detailed analysis of performance trend over time is necessary to carefully plan the season (e.g., training load and tactics).The energetics of individual (or team) and cyclic (or not) sports have been explored systematically since the beginning of the twentieth century, mainly centered on locomotion and its contribution to exercise, health, and athletic performance. Since then, research in exercise physiology has been rising. However, when studying aquatic sports, the direct evaluation during full and unconstrained swim is difficult as compared to that which is performed on a terrestrial environment.It is well reported that swimming performance is strongly related to energetics and technique. In fact, energetics of human locomotion is one of the major topics in sport sciences, as well as its contribution to health and athletic performance. Our bodies are comprised of interdepending systems and a variety of factors can influence our ability to move rapidly in the water. Establishing determinant factors and the relationships between them is important for health and performance. Athletes’ performance can be improved by increasing their maximal metabolic power and/or by decreasing their energy cost. The application of propulsion in the aquatic environment poses a challenge in this regard.Because of the constraints posed by the water environment, being able to assess the athlete’s skill in reducing water resistance and in applying propulsive forces efficiently is important to identify the physiological demands of swimming. Therefore, the scope of this Research Topic is to underline new and emerging research strategies to bring innovative solutions for exercise, health, fitness programs and sports in aquatic environment. The focus will be on multilateral approaches such as integrated physiological, biomechanical and psychological aspects, to provide the required answer for each practical problem athletes and coaches face in their everyday practice.Original research, review articles or meta-analyses from this field with different populations (sedentary, recreationally active, trained, national, international, Elite or World Class) will be considered.
Tracking fitness and performance is a key factor in exercise, health, and sports. Field evaluation protocols should be appropriate and specific to the context. In addition to laboratory tests, a training program should often try ecological approaches by including field evaluation protocols. A detailed analysis of performance trend over time is necessary to carefully plan the season (e.g., training load and tactics).The energetics of individual (or team) and cyclic (or not) sports have been explored systematically since the beginning of the twentieth century, mainly centered on locomotion and its contribution to exercise, health, and athletic performance. Since then, research in exercise physiology has been rising. However, when studying aquatic sports, the direct evaluation during full and unconstrained swim is difficult as compared to that which is performed on a terrestrial environment.It is well reported that swimming performance is strongly related to energetics and technique. In fact, energetics of human locomotion is one of the major topics in sport sciences, as well as its contribution to health and athletic performance. Our bodies are comprised of interdepending systems and a variety of factors can influence our ability to move rapidly in the water. Establishing determinant factors and the relationships between them is important for health and performance. Athletes’ performance can be improved by increasing their maximal metabolic power and/or by decreasing their energy cost. The application of propulsion in the aquatic environment poses a challenge in this regard.Because of the constraints posed by the water environment, being able to assess the athlete’s skill in reducing water resistance and in applying propulsive forces efficiently is important to identify the physiological demands of swimming. Therefore, the scope of this Research Topic is to underline new and emerging research strategies to bring innovative solutions for exercise, health, fitness programs and sports in aquatic environment. The focus will be on multilateral approaches such as integrated physiological, biomechanical and psychological aspects, to provide the required answer for each practical problem athletes and coaches face in their everyday practice.Original research, review articles or meta-analyses from this field with different populations (sedentary, recreationally active, trained, national, international, Elite or World Class) will be considered.