DRAG FACTOR ON ROWING ERGOMETER DURING 2000-M PERFORMANCE IN YOUNG ROWERS

Headnote

ABSTRACT

Indoor rowing is relevant for indoor training and testing. Furthermore, international indoor rowing competitions are organized using the Concept2 rowing ergometer, which permits resistance adjustments via a vent damper. To set the damper lever, indoor rowers can vary the drag factor (df) by setting the flywheel cage from 95df to 220df.

To evaluate the relationship between 2000-m indoor rowing ergometer performance with different df and the body mass of young rowers.

On three separate occasions organized on consecutive days, fifteen youth male rowers (age: 16.1±1.1yrs; body mass: 72.7±9.6kg; height: 177.4±6.4cm) performed maximal 2000-m rowing ergometer performances on a Concept2 (mod.D) with a 110df, 130df, and 150df, respectively. Average times (T₁₁₀, T₁₃₀ and T₁₅₀) and stroke rate (SR₁₁₀, SR₁₃₀ and SR₁₅₀) were measured. Pearson's correlation was applied to examine the relationship between anthropometric characteristics of athletes and their 2000-m performances.

Slowest 2000-m rowing ergometer performances resulted in T₁₁₀ (435.0±22.7s), intermediate in T₁₅₀ (433.7±25.2s,) and fastest in T₁₃₀ (419.1±24s) conditions. The highest SR emerged at 110df (SR₁₁₀=35.1±0.8n.min^-1), intermediate at 130df (SR₁₃₀=36.7±0.7n. min^-1), and lowest at 150 df (SR₁₅₀= 32.7±0.7n.min^-1). Rowing performances were significantly (P<0.001) correlated to body weight (T₁₁₀ : r=0.79; T₁₃₀ : r=0.86; and T₁₅₀ : r=0.84), and height (T₁₁₀: r=0.78; T₁₃₀: r=0.83; T₁₅₀: r=0.85).

The fastest time and highest SR reached during 2000-m indoor rowing performances with a 130df setting could suggest coaches to favour this resistance level, independently from the anthropometric characteristics of youth athletes.

Key words: Drag factor, Indoor rowing, 2000-m time trial

IZVLEČEK

Ergometrično veslanje je pomembno tako za treniranje kot tudi testiranje veslanja. Na mednarodnih tekmovanjih v ergometričnem veslanju uporabljajo veslaški ergometer Concept2, ki omogoča prilagoditve odpora s pomočjo dušilca. Za nastavitev dušilca lahko veslači spreminjajo faktor odpora (DF) tako, da pretok zraka skozi vztrajnik nastavijo na vrednost 95 do 220 DF. Ugotoviti, kakšen je odnos med uspešnostjo na veslaškem ergometru na 2000 m z različnimi DF in telesno maso mladih veslačev.

V treh ločenih poskusih, ki so bili izvedeni v treh zaporednih dneh, je 15 mladih veslačev (starost: 16,1 ± 1,1 leto; telesna masa:...