Predicting rowing ergometer performance in novice female rowers
Date
1999
Authors
Davidson, Christopher R.
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to establish a means of predicting time to complete 2000m on the Concept II Rowing Ergometer from simple and easily conducted dry-land field tests for novice female rowers. Predicting 2000m ergometer time can help attract new athletes to the sport, provide information for pacing 2000m ergometer tests and finally provide coaches with simple, standardized dry-land talent selection procedures. The 2000m ergometer test has been used extensively in the literature and in practice to quantify the physical demands of the sport. However, ergometer testing may not always be practical when testing large numbers of inexperienced, novice rowers.
Twenty-eight female volunteers (12 high school aged, 16 university aged) performed 2000m ergometer tests at the beginning (Pl) and end (P2) of their first season of rowing, which lasted six weeks. They also performed a 20m shuttle run to assess absolute V02max (V02maxA), a vertical jump test, and a maximal upright row test at the beginning and end of the season. Anthropometric measures of height, weight, sitting height and armspan were also taken. The P 1 V02maxA for the whole sample of subjects was highly correlated with Pl and P2 2000m rowing ergometer time (r = .80, r =85). None of the other exercise tests or anthropometric data significantly strengthened the relationship. The relationships for the high school aged subjects were also strong (r = .85, r = .90) for the same variables. However, the relationships for the university aged subjects were not strong for the same variables (r = .52, r = .60) and did not meet the r2 standard required to create predictive equations for 2000m ergometer time. As a result, predictive equations for 2000m ergometer performance could only be developed for the whole sample and high school aged subjects. This study found that the 20m shuttle run can be used to predict future 2000m ergometer performance in novice high school female rowers.
This predictive information can be used to quantify the physical component of rowing talent. Success in rowing is also influenced by skill and psychological factors not examined in this study. Ultimately, predicting 2000m ergometer performance from 20m shuttle run can be useful to both athletes and coaches of high school aged athletes as a dry-land measure of rowing physical potential. Further investigation is required to examine the use of simple, easily conducted dry-land tests for the prediction of rowing ergometer performance in university aged novice rowers.