Exploring Associations Between Energetic and Anthropometric Characteristics and Front Crawl Technique in Young Male Swimmers Using IMU Sensors: raw data

The study explored the relationships between hand movement patterns and overall kinematic indicators of front-crawl sprint technique in boys aged 12–14, while considering the role of the morpho-functional profile. The sample consisted of 41 participants. Data were collected from anthropometric measurements (8 variables), a 20-s arm-cranking test (6 variables), and a 25-m front crawl trial. Swimming motion was characterized using inertial measurement unit sensors (BlueTrident) and Artificial Intelligence (8 variables). Video analysis was used to determine swimming velocity (v), stroke rate (SR), stroke length (SL), and stroke index (SI). Principal Component analysis identified five components: Large Body Size (LBS), Low Fat (LF), Enormous Power (EP), Dynamism (D), and High Angular Velocity (HAV). Pearson correlation analysis revealed strong associations between LBS and EP (r=0.85), as well as between D and EP (r=0.51) and D and LBS (r=0.34). Velocity was related to LBS, EP, D, and LF (r=0.38–0.56). SR showed strong associations with D (r=0.76) and EP (r=0.35), whereas SL was negatively associated with D (r=−0.44). SI was related to LBS, LF, and EP (r=0.38–0.49). Overall kinematic indicators are influenced by hand acceleration and angular velocity, and inertial measurement unit based technique assessment supports evaluation of how effectively young swimmers utilize their anthropometric–energetic potential.