Elite Female Rowers Research Articles

Anthropometric characteristics of elite female junior rowers

During the 1997 Federation Internationale des Societes d'Aviron (FISA) World Junior Rowing Championships, the anthropometric characteristics of 245 female junior rowers aged 17.5 ± 0.8 years (mean ± s) were assessed. Twenty-seven body dimensions (body mass, 6 heights or lengths, 4 breadths, 10 girths and 6 skinfolds) were measured in total. The elite female junior rowers were taller (174.5 ± 6.2 cm) and heavier (69.5 ± 6.2 kg), with greater length, breadth and girth dimensions, but lower skinfold thicknesses than a representative sample of Flemish (Belgian) girls of the same chronological age. An anthropometric profile chart was constructed that was rowing-specific and norms were established. Compared with scullers, sweep rowers were heavier (+4.2 kg) and taller (+2.8 cm), with greater length, breadth (except for femur width) and girth dimensions (except for calf girth). Sweep rowers also had greater skinfold thicknesses (except for the thigh and calf skinfolds). Finalists were heavier (+3.6 kg) and taller (+3.9 cm), with greater length, breadth (except for femur width) and girth dimensions (except for calf girth) than non-finalists. No significant differences were found for skinfold thicknesses between finalists and non-finalists.

Immune function in female elite rowers and non-athletes

Objective—To compare immune function in female rowers and controls in the resting state, and then correlate the results with a two month history of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). Methods—Subjects...

Recovery from exercise-induced desaturation in the quadriceps muscles of elite competitive rowers.

A simple muscle tissue spectrophotometer is adapted to measure the recovery time (TR) for hemoglobin/myoglobin (Hb/Mb) desaturation in the capillary bed of exercising muscle, termed a deoxygenation meter. The use of the instrument for measuring the extent of deoxygenation is presented, but the use of TR avoids difficulties of quantifying Hb/Mb saturation changes. The TR reflects the balance of oxygen delivery and oxygen demand in the localized muscles of the quadriceps following work near maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) in elite male and female rowers (a total of 22) on two occasions, 1 yr apart. TR ranged from 10 to 80 s and was interpreted as a measure of the time for repayment of oxygen and energy deficits accumulated during intense exercise by tissue respiration under ADP control. The Hb/Mb resaturation times provide a noninvasive localized indication of the degree of O2 delivery stress as evoked by rowing ergometry and may provide directions for localized muscle power output improvement for particular individuals in rowing competitions.

Seasonal changes in performance and free testosterone: cortisol ratio of elite female rowers

The aim of this study was to investigate the seasonal behaviour of the plasma free testosterone: cortisol ratio (FTCR) and to relate hormonal changes to daily training volume and performance parameters on a rowing ergometer in elite female rowers. During 9 months of training preceding the 1988 Olympic Games the resting values of the FTCR in six elite female rowers were regularly (ten times) studied. Daily training volume was analysed in terms of rowed distance (lrowed) and time (t). In addition, two performance parameters, the power at 4.0 mmol.l-1 lactate concentration in the blood and the maximal power, were determined by a test on a rowing ergometer. The results indicated that the mean FTCR test value did not differ significantly from the level of the initial test or from the mean value of the directly preceding test. A significant negative correlation (r = -0.98, P less than 0.01) between FTCR and lrowed was found in a period i.e. at a training camp, when there was a sudden increase in training volume. When FTCR was related to t a significant positive correlation (r = 0.88, P less than 0.05) was found only for the period at the training camp. Our data further suggested that the FTCR alone was not an adequate indicator for the anabolic/catabolic balance in elite female rowers. This finding was contrary to previous findings in elite male rowers. However, in training practice the FTCR seems useful as an indicator of the hormonal training status of elite female rowers when complemented with data about total and free testosterone, performance parameters and knowledge concerning cyclic variations of the FTCR.

Analysis of Seasonal Training Volume and Working Capacity in Elite Female Rowers

Preceding the 1988 Olympic Games 6 elite female rowers were regularly subjected to an exercise test on a rowing ergometer (REM-test) with a time interval of about 5 weeks. Daily training volume was analysed in terms of rowed kilometres (RKM) and training time (TOTMIN, rowing and land training). The purpose of this study was to investigate the training volume during a season and to study possible changes in the working capacity of elite female rowers. The REM-test consisted of 3 consecutive blocks: 3 min warming up, 5 min standard load at anaerobic threshold and 2 min "all-out". Blood lactic acid concentration (LA) was determined for the construction of a LA-power curve. The power at 4.0 mmol/l (P4) was estimated as a measure of the aerobic capacity. The "all-out" score was used for calculating the maximal power (PM). Results show that both RKM and TOTMIN increase (range resp. 40-400% and 20-25%) when compared with the initial value. P4 also increases, in parallel with changes in both RKM and TOTMIN, with 8-10% of the initial value. PM increases continuously during the season up to 10% of its initial value. However, based on maximal heart rate and lactate values, it is concluded that PM was maximal in only 15% of the tests. Our data suggests that evaluation of training volume in elite female rowers is better done with P4 than with PM. The behaviour of P4 shows a parallel with the seasonal changes in the training load.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)