Blood Lactate Monitoring after Maximal Exercise in Youth Swimmers

This study aimed to provide foundational data on anaerobic metabolism characteristics and lactate recovery ability in youth athletes by analyzing changes in blood lactate concentration after maximal exercise in elite elementary and middle school male and female swimmers. The participants were 16 elite swimmers (8 males and 8 females) currently active in the Seoul metropolitan area. All participants underwent measurements both in a laboratory and in a swimming pool setting, following the research procedures. The study was conducted using two methods. First, in the laboratory, the anaerobic power test (30-second Wingate test) was performed, and blood samples were collected at five time points: before exercise, immediately after exercise, and at 5, 10, and 20 minutes post-exercise to measure lactate concentration and analyze recovery rates. Second, in the swimming pool, lactate concentrations were measured before and after a 100-meter maximal swim, and swim performance and heart rate were monitored during exercise. The results showed that male swimmers exhibited significantly higher lactate levels than female swimmers in both laboratory and pool settings, and their lactate recovery rate tended to be slower compared to that of females ( p<.05). These findings highlighted the gender and age related differences in lactate response among developing swimmers and were expected to provide scientific evidence for optimizing training intensity and recovery strategies in youth swimming programs.