Abstract

Apnea training forms an essential drill used by athletes in aquatic sports such as diving, underwater rugby but also in swimming particularly fin and synchronized swimming. Literature suggests a number of long-term adaptations observed in apnea-conditioned athletes compared to controls. Unique responses to acute apneas have also been manifested by athletes with minimum apnea exposure though arguably to a lesser extent. The actual benefits of apnea training on athlete’s performance in aquatic sports have not yet been fully established. Perhaps, the type of apnea training might determine its impact on performance contingent to sport particularities. Three pilot case studies concerning Sport Science student responses to alternative forms of apnea after following a 13 ± 2 day apnea-training protocol is presented. Results suggest that the specificity of apnea drills might provide an explanation of the inconclusive results on apnea training benefits in aquatic sports.

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