Aerobic Endurance - Finding Optimal Rowing Ergometer Settings to Match Physiological Demands of Running

Abstract

Assessing aerobic endurance is crucial for evaluating fitness levels, with the Cooper 12-minute test widely recognized as a benchmark. However, indoor rowing on the Concept2 rowing ergometer lacks a standardized equivalent, prompting this study to explore the potential of a 12-minute rowing test as an alternative. Despite differences in muscle groups, rowing shares foundational aerobic capacities with running. The investigation centers around the rowing drag factor, hypothesizing its role in aligning rowing performance with the physiological demands of running. The study involved 56 healthy male soldiers (age: 22.89 ± 2.28 years) undergoing 12-minute running and three drag factor rowing tests. While basic anthropometrics showed limited influence, height correlated positively with rowing performances, and weight negatively affected both running and rowing at low resistance and positively at higher resistances. The closest correlation between running and various drag factor rowing tests, and also the only one with no statistically significant difference in distance covered, was found at damper setting 1 of the ergometer, representing the lowest drag factor. The relatively low coefficient of determination (r2 = 0,18) suggests diversity in the performance foundations of the 12-minute running and rowing. Therefore, further analysis is needed before the rowing test can be considered a valid alternative to the Cooper test.