Does The Faster Ergometer Score Of The Heavier Rower Translate To On Water Performance?

Abstract

Rowers with more lean body mass commonly have faster ergometer scores than rowers with less lean body mass. The additional energy costs incurred by heavier rowers on an ergometer and in a single scull have not been measured. PURPOSE To quantify the energy costs (VO2) incurred by a heavier rower when compared to a lighter rower on the rowing ergometer (ERG) and in a single scull (SCL). METHODS A 44 year-old male (V02 max = 65ml/min/kg, 79.5 kg), ex- US National Team sculler rowed intervals at three different speeds both in a SCL and on an ERG with and without a 9.1 kg weight belt; V02 was measured during the last 2 minutes of each interval using a portable system. Each day of testing consisted of 6 rowing intervals of either 1000 meters in the SCL or of 4:30 min duration on the ERG. Two pieces were done at 3.0 m/s in the SCL or 2:12 min/500m pace on the ERG, followed by two pieces at 3.4 m/s SCL or 2:04 min/500m pace on the ERG and 2 pieces at 3.8 m/s SCL or 1:54 min/500m pace on the ERG; 40 seconds rest was taken between each interval. Erg trials, SCL trials, with weight and without weight trials were all done on separate days; a total of 28 intervals were completed in the SCL while a total of 24 intervals were completed on the ERG. RESULTS When the additional 9.1 kg weight (+9.1 kg) was added to the rower the V02 and heart rate (HR) of SCL rowing increased significantly at all three speeds, while the energy cost of rowing the ERG increased significantly while rowing at the faster two speeds:Table(“Pace” means minutes per 500 m. All data is significant with p<.05 using t-test for equality of means. Data is +- SEM) CONCLUSION There is a significant increase in energy cost for a heavier rower during both single scull and ergometer rowing. Heavier rowers incur relatively higher increases in energy cost during SCL rowing when compared to ERG rowing. An ex-US National Team (79.5 kg +9.1 kg) rower requires 4.62 = − .04 l/m to row a SCL at 3.8 m/s compared to 4.23 +- .05 l/m required for same rower (79.5 kg) without the added 9.1kg; this is an increase in VO2 of 9.2% at SCL speeds approaching the subject's maximal lactate steady state.