Olympic Rowing – Maximum Capacity over 2000 Meters

Abstract

Olympic rowing in its current form is a high-intensity boat race covering a distance of 2000 m with fastest race times ranging ~5.5-7.5 min, depending on boat class, sex, and environmental factors. To realize such race times, rowers need strength and endurance, which is physiologically evident in an oxidative Adaption of the skeletal muscles, a high aerobic capacity, and the ability to contribute and sustain a relatively high percentage of anaerobic energy for several minutes. Anthropometrically, male and female rowers are characterized by relatively large body measurements. Biomechanics & Physiology: The sitting position of the rower, the involvement of a large muscle mass and the structure of the rowing cycle, consisting of drive and recovery phase where the rower slides back and forth on a sliding seat, affect the cardiovascular and the respiratory system in a unique manner. In Addition to these physiological and anthropometric characteristics, this brief review outlines the extreme metabolic implications of the sport during racing and training and mentions rarely-discussed topics such as established testing procedures, summarizes data on training intensity distribution in elite rowing and includes a short section on heat stress during training and racing in hot and humid conditions expected for the Olympic Games 2021 in Tokyo.