Rowing Performance and Estimated Training Load

• Published in: International journal of sports medicine 2005-06, Vol.26 (5), p.376-382
• Main Authors: Messonnier, L., Aranda-Berthouze, S. E., Bourdin, M., Bredel, Y., Lacour, J.-R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Body Size - physiology; Energy Metabolism - physiology; Exercise - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Physical Education and Training - methods; Sports - physiology; Sports Medicine - methods; Task Performance and Analysis; Training & Testing; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports
• ISSN: 0172-4622; 1439-3964
• DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-821051

Abstract We related the rowing performance and the associated physiological parameters to the training load as estimated by a questionnaire addressing the mean habitual weekly energy expenditure (MHWEE) of twenty-one international and national level oarsmen. The questionnaire also addressed the energy expenditure during training (EET) sessions classified as low- (EE1), moderate- (EE2), and high-intensity (EE3). To evaluate the physiological capability of the oarsmen, they performed incremental exercise to determine their maximal oxygen uptake (V·O 2max ) and the V·O 2 relative to V·O 2max corresponding to the 4 mmol · l -1 blood lactate concentration (V·O 2 4 %). The mean work rate sustained during a 2000-m all-out event on a rowing ergometer was considered as the rowing performance. On average, the rowers spent 16.4 ± 1.0 h · wk -1 in training with 56 ± 3 % of the time spent on the water. EET represented 43.5 ± 1.7 % of MHWEE. Rowing performance and V·O 2max were both related to MHWEE and EET. Also, rowing performance was related to EE1, EE2, and EE3. In contrast, V·O 2 4 % was not related to the estimated energy expenditures. These results suggest that rowing performance and V·O 2max are related to training load while V·O 2 4 % was not in the present group of highly trained oarsmen.