Developing a Functional Training Program to Improve Breaststroke Athletes’ Performance in a Sports Club
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60027/iarj.2026.e293100Keywords:
Functional Training Program, Breaststroke Athletes, Sports ClubAbstract
Background and Aims: In many sports clubs, breaststroke athletes often lack access to individualized coaching, which limits the personalized technical feedback they receive. Traditional swimming programs typically emphasize general technique and endurance, while overlooking the specific functional training requirements unique to strokes like breaststroke. As a result, conventional methods often fail to address the full range of physical attributes essential for peak performance, particularly the functional movements critical to efficient breaststroke execution. To address this gap, this study seeks to design a functional training program aimed at improving the performance of breaststroke athletes in sports clubs.
Methodology: This research was mixed-method research. The population consists of 178 athletes and 21 coaches from six sports clubs in Guangdong Province, the People’s Republic of China. Through the purposive sampling method, a total of 30 athletes from Chaozhou Xinqi Sports Club were selected to participate in the experiment. All 30 athletes participated in a 100-meter breaststroke test, with their recorded times arranged in ascending order. The athletes were then divided into two groups using a systematic sampling method. The experimental group underwent an 8-week functional training program, while the control group followed a traditional training program. 100-meter breaststroke tests were conducted before training, after 4 weeks of training, and after 8 weeks of training to evaluate technical skills and swimming speed. Data analysis utilized mean, standard deviation, independent t-tests, one-way repeated measures ANOVA, and Bonferroni post hoc tests.
Results: The results showed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the post-test results for both the technical skill and swimming speed. This indicates that the functional training program developed was more effective in improving breaststroke athletes’ performance in the sports club. Furthermore, the breaststroke technical skill scores of the athletes before training, after 4 weeks of training, and after completing 8 weeks of training showed a statistically significant increase at the 0.05 level. Additionally, the time required to complete 100 meters breaststroke significantly decreased across the same time points, also reaching statistical significance at the 0.05 level.
Conclusion: The functional training program can significantly improve breaststroke athletes' technical skills and swimming speed in sports clubs and was more effective than a traditional training program.
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