Construction and validation of a water polo specific anaerobic swimming test

Abstract

Water polo lacks sport-specific anaerobic field tests that adequately reflect the physiological and respiratory demands of competition. The repeated sprint ability (RSA) test is commonly used to assess anaerobic performance; however, it does not account for the dynamic apnoea frequently experienced during match play. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of a newly developed water polo-specific anaerobic swimming test (TP) that combines repeated sprint swimming with dynamic apnoea. The protocol was designed to provide a more ecologically valid assessment of water polo performance by incorporating respiratory constraints that mimic real-game situations. Ten elite junior male water polo players participated in the study. The TP test consisted of repeated maximal swimming efforts combined with dynamic apnoea. Reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CV), paired-samples t-test, and minimal detectable change (MDC). Criterion validity was examined through Pearson correlations between TP outcomes and RSA performance. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test confirmed normal data distribution for all variables (p > .20). The TP test demonstrated high relative reliability (ICC = .86), indicating good consistency between testing occasions. The coefficient of variation was 8.6%, suggesting moderate measurement variability, while a significant difference between test and retest scores was observed (t = 2.50). The MDC was 1.99. Criterion validity analysis revealed moderate positive correlations with RSA performance (test: r = .488; retest: r = .543), indicating that both protocols assess related aspects of anaerobic performance while capturing different physiological demands. The TP test showed satisfactory reliability and moderate criterion validity. By integrating dynamic apnoea into repeated sprint assessment, the protocol captures sport-specific respiratory and anaerobic demands not addressed by traditional RSA testing. Although further validation in larger samples is required, the TP test appears to be a practical tool for athlete profiling and performance assessment in water polo.