Roadmapping performance enhancement measures and technology in swimming

In recent years technology has played an increasing role in the quantification of swimming action, performance and physiological assessment. Where once the stop watch and hand marked events were the main stay measures, today detailed biomechanics is often also measured using technology like instrumented blocks, underwater and dolly cameras. With the development of micro-technology there has been an increasing trend to use wearable sensors such as heart rate monitors, cadence aids and more recently activity monitors. Whilst technology advances it is important these developments remain grounded to the requirements of the sport, and more importantly the need to help athletes improve their performance. This paper explores some of quantitative measures for swimming performance in the dominant disciplines of performance assessment, biomechanics and physiology, and maps these measures to currently available technologies for assisting the sport of swimming. Thus it is hope that this paper provides an aid in developing appropriate new technologies for swimming