Physiological factors to predict on traditional rowing performance

The purpose of this study was to determine the best prediction factors of traditional rowing performance in traditional elite (ER) and amateur (AR) rowers. Average power during the 20-min all-out test (W _20 min), average power output which elicited a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol l⁻¹ \( \left( {W_{{4\;{\text{mmol}}\;{\text{l}}^{ - 1} }} } \right), \) power output in 10 maximal strokes (W _10 strokes), maximal strength and muscle power output during a bench pull (BP) and anthropometric values were all measured for 46 trained male rowers aged 21–30 with 8–15 years of rowing training experience. The ER group showed greater body mass (5%, p < 0.05), greater fat free body mass (5%, p < 0.05), greater 1RM_BP (13%, p < 0.001), longer training experience (43%, p < 0.001), and a shorter time in the 2,000 m test (4%, p < 0.05) than the AR group. The ER group showed higher power output values in W _10 strokes (9%, p < 0.01), W _20 min (15.4%, p < 0.01) and \( W_{{4\;{\text{mmol}}\;{\text{l}}^{ - 1} }} \) (17.8%, p < 0.01) compared with the AR group. Significant relationships were observed between \( W_{{4\;{\text{mmol}}\;{\text{l}}^{ - 1} }} \) and W _20 min (r = 0.65 and 0.80; p < 0.01 in ER and AR, respectively). The indices for rowing performance suggested that W _20 min, \( W_{{4\;{\text{mmol}}\;{\text{l}}^{ - 1} }} , \) W _10 strokes and 1RM_BP were the most important predictors of traditional rowing performance in elite and amateur rowers.