The purpose of this study was to develop a method for evaluating core stability through subjective observation and to verify its validity. In addition, we aimed to clarify the relationship between artistic swimming (AS) performance and the scores given by evaluators on the stability of the core during core training and the quality of the movement of the lower limbs raised and lowered in the knee extension position.
Four evaluators subjectively scored multiple items of trunk stability and lower limb movement quality during lower limb movements in planks and single-leg bridges with weights of different weights (0, 2, 4kg) wrapped around the lower limbs for 10 AS swimmers. The same movement was evaluated twice on video, and the reproducibility of the results between the first and second evaluations was verified. The relationship between the scores obtained from such evaluations and underwater performance specific to AS (400m freestyle time, 25m breaststroke kick time, body boost height, thrust height, etc.) was also examined (p0.05).
There was a significant correlation between the score and body boost height when performing lower limb movements with a 2kg load in the plank position, and there was also a significant correlation between the score and 400m crawl swimming time and breaststroke kick time under the 2kg and 4kg load conditions in the plank position (p0.05).
This shows that athletes who can stably perform lower limb movements with a load in the plank position also perform better in the water.
These results may provide a new method for assessing core stability in athletes and patients.
subjective evaluation
artistic swimming
