BLOOD GLUCOSE THRESHOLD IDENTIFICATION FOR PREDICT TRAINING INTENSITY IN SWIMMERS

Aim: The purpose of this study was to identify the blood glucose threshold (GT) through incremental protocol in competitive swimmers to determine training intensity. Methods: 12 swimmers of both sexes were recruited (28.00±9.68 years 1.75±0.07 m; 73.09±10.13 kg; 7.73±3.52 % BF), submitted to the protocol 5 x 200 m crawl swims, with increment of 0.05 m • s⁻1 every 200 m, and two minutes of rest between each repetition. Samples of blood were collected in the resting state, after each repetition and during the recovery period, using the swim velocity corresponding to the lowest glycemia determined as GT speed. Results: It was possible to identify the GT occurred at corresponding blood glucose = 93.2±14.7 mg/dL and speed of 1.35±0.16 m•s⁻1. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that GT can also be used to predict the swimming corresponding speed to the anaerobic threshold (AnT) in competitive swimmers; in spite of the possible independence of the mechanisms underlying AnT.