2015 Volume 29 Issue 1 Pages 51-58
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of CM-CB distance (the distance between the center of mass and center of buoyancy) on gliding performance and passive drag in a streamlined position. Fourteen well-trained male college swimmers participated in this study. The CM and the CB were measured in a streamlined position. Also, the gliding performance after wall push-off, and the passive drag forces and drag coefficients in a streamlined position at various velocities (1.0, 1.3, 1.6, 1.9, 2.2 m/s) were measured.
There was a significant negative relationship between CM-CB distance and the gliding distance (p < 0.01，R2 ＝ 0.61). CM-CB distance was not significantly correlated to the time to 5 m from wall push-off, but significantly correlated to the transit time to 10 m from the wall push-off (p<0.05，R2 ＝ 0.40). No significant correlation was found between CM-CB distance and the passive drag force. However, there was a significant correlation between CM-CB distance and the passive drag coefficient only at the velocity of 1.0m/s (p<0.05，R2 ＝ 0.31). The results suggested that the effects of CM-CB distance on gliding performance and passive drag in a streamlined position were greater at slower than at faster swimming velocities.
