Comparative Effects of Dolphin Kick Streamline Training Versus Flutter Kick Training on Core Stability and Sprint Performance in Competitive Swimmers

September 6, 2026 updated by: Riphah International University
This randomized controlled trial will compare the effects of dolphin kick streamline training versus flutter kick training on core stability and sprint performance in competitive swimmers. Both groups will receive the same land-based core conditioning program in addition to their assigned aquatic kicking training. Core stability and sprint performance will be assessed at baseline, Week 4, and Week 8 to determine whether either training approach produces greater improvements in competitive swimming performance.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This randomized controlled trial will evaluate and compare the effects of dolphin kick streamline training and flutter kick training on core stability and sprint performance in competitive swimmers. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of the two aquatic training groups. Both groups will receive an identical land-based core conditioning program to control for general core-strength adaptations. The intervention will be conducted over eight weeks, with outcome assessments performed at baseline (Week 0), Week 4, and Week 8. The study aims to determine whether dolphin kick streamline training or flutter kick training produces greater improvements in core stability and short-distance sprint swimming performance.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

**Inclusion Criteria:**

  • Minimum 2 years of competitive swimming experience.
  • Active participation in regular swimming training at the time of enrollment.
  • Medically fit and cleared for physical activity.

**Exclusion Criteria:**

  • History of musculoskeletal injury within the preceding 3 months.
  • Diagnosed neurological or cardiopulmonary condition.
  • Current participation in any structured core training program outside the study.
  • Inability to safely perform aquatic or land-based exercises.
  • Absence from more than two consecutive training sessions during the intervention period.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Dolphin Kick Streamline Training
Healthy male competitive swimmers aged 16-30 years with a minimum of 2 years of competitive swimming experience will be allocated to the experimental group. Participants will undergo an 8-week progressive dolphin kick streamline training protocol. Assessments will be performed at Week 0 (baseline), Week 4 (mid-assessment), and Week 8 (final assessment). The training program progresses from basic body undulation and flutter-to-dolphin transition to kickboard and underwater dolphin kick sets, race-pace butterfly training, sprint intervals, technique refinement, and race simulation. Participants will also receive an identical land-based core conditioning program consisting of forearm plank, side plank, bird-dog, and dead bug exercises throughout the 8-week study period.
Behavioral: Dolphin Kick Streamline Training
An 8-week progressive dolphin kick streamline training program for healthy male competitive swimmers aged 16-30 years with a minimum of 2 years of competitive swimming experience. Training frequency progresses from 3 sessions per week during Weeks 1-2 to 5 sessions per week during Weeks 6-8, with session duration progressively increasing. The training progresses from basic body undulation and flutter-to-dolphin transition to kickboard and underwater dolphin kick sets, race-pace butterfly training, sprint intervals, technique refinement, and race simulation. Participants also receive an identical land-based core conditioning program consisting of forearm plank, side plank, bird-dog, and dead bug exercises throughout the 8-week study period.
Active Comparator: Flutter Kick Training
Healthy male competitive swimmers aged 16-30 years with a minimum of 2 years of competitive swimming experience will be allocated to the active comparator group. Participants will undergo an 8-week progressive flutter kick training protocol with 2 sessions per week. Training intensity and exercise duration will progress across the 8 weeks, with medicine-ball resistance introduced during Weeks 7-8. Assessments will be performed at Week 0 (baseline), Week 4 (mid-assessment), and Week 8 (final assessment). Participants will also receive an identical land-based core conditioning program consisting of forearm plank, side plank, bird-dog, and dead bug exercises throughout the 8-week study period.
Behavioral: Flutter Kick Training
An 8-week progressive flutter kick training program for healthy male competitive swimmers aged 16-30 years with a minimum of 2 years of competitive swimming experience. Training is conducted 2 times per week. Weeks 1-2 consist of low-intensity training, Weeks 3-4 low-moderate intensity, Weeks 5-6 moderate intensity, Week 7 moderate-high intensity, and Week 8 high-intensity training. Exercise duration, rest intervals, and resistance are progressively modified, with light medicine-ball resistance introduced during Weeks 7-8. Participants also receive an identical land-based core conditioning program consisting of forearm plank, side plank, bird-dog, and dead bug exercises throughout the 8-week study period.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Horizontal Streamline Hold Test
Time Frame: Week 0, Week 4, Week 8
Time (seconds) that the swimmer can maintain a rigid horizontal streamline position in the water, used to assess aquatic core stability.
Week 0, Week 4, Week 8

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
15 m Freestyle Sprint Test
Time Frame: Week 0, Week 4, Week 8
Time (seconds) required to complete a 15-meter freestyle sprint from a push-off start. The best performance from two trials will be recorded.
Week 0, Week 4, Week 8
25 m Freestyle Sprint Test
Time Frame: Week 0, Week 4, Week 8
Time (seconds) required to complete a 25-meter freestyle sprint, used to assess sprint swimming performance and sustained swimming speed. The best performance from two trials will be recorded.
Week 0, Week 4, Week 8

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Riphah International University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Zobia Naseem, MS-SPT, Riphah International University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
February 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 6, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 6, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 11, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 11, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 6, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Aneesa Abid

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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