Is the Energy Cost of Rowing a Determinant Factor of Performance in Elite Oarsmen?

Abstract

In elite oarsmen, the rowing ergometer is a valuable tool for both training and studying rowing performance determinants. However, the energy cost of rowing, often reported as a determinant of performance, has never been described for ergometer rowing. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the energy cost of ergometer rowing (ECR) in elite oarsmen, its contribution to 2,000 m performance, and its determinants. This study was conducted on 21 elite oarsmen from the French national team. It included an incremental exercise test up to exhaustion and an all-out performance test over 2,000 m, both conducted on a rowing ergometer. Gas exchange analysis was performed to calculate oxygen uptake and substrate utilization rate. Whole blood lactate concentrations during the incremental test were obtained from the earlobe. During the incremental test, ECR displayed a significant linear increase up to a plateau that reached a mean rowing speed of 5.23 ± 0.02 m⋅s^-1. The ECR values at 300, 350, and 400 W were positively correlated with performance expressed as the time required to perform the 2,000 m distance on the rowing ergometer. The same ECR values were found to be significantly related to fat oxidation (expressed in percentage of total energy supply) and blood lactate concentrations. This study provides the first description of ECR and of its relationship to exercise intensity on the rowing ergometer in elite oarsmen. ECR appeared to be a factor of performance and interestingly was related to energy supply from fat and blood lactate concentrations.

Keywords: elite performance; energy cost; ergometer rowing; fat oxidation; rowing.

FIGURE 1

Evolution of the energy cost of rowing (ECR) with rowing speed. Both ECR and speed were recorded for each step of a maximal incremental test on a rowing ergometer. Linear mixed-effect model: speed effect: p < 0.001. Post-hoc: *p < 0.05; ^***p < 0.001.

FIGURE 2

Correlations between fat oxidation, lactate accumulation, the ECR, and performance over 2,000 m rowing. For each parameter, the correlations were displayed for an intensity corresponding to 300 W (left panel), 350 W (middle panel), and 400 W (right panel). $\stackrel{.}{\text{W}}$, power; $\stackrel{.}{\text{V}}$O₂, oxygen uptake.