EFFECTIVENESS OF PRE-SEASON TRAINING IN COLLEGE ROWERS

PURPOSE The effectiveness of a pre-season training program on female collegiate rowers was examined. METHODS Study participants were the top 12 female rowers from an NCAA Division I team (age = 20.3 ± 0.8 yr; ht = 179.5 ± 5.7 cm; wt = 75.6 ± 7.7 kg). Testing occurred immediately before and after 12 weeks of pre-season training. On day one, the women performed a discontinuous, incremental test to volitional exhaustion on a Concept II rowing ergometer. Expired gases were collected continuously, and fingerstick blood samples were obtained between test stages. Two days later, each athlete completed a 2 kilometer (2K) time trial on the rowing ergometer. Analyses were performed on aerobic capacity (VO2max), lactate at Stage 2 (LAC-2), lactate at the end of the incremental rowing tests (LAC-M), and 2K time results. Stepwise regression was performed to predict 1) Pre-training 2K time, 2) Post-training 2K time, and 3) Change in 2K time resulting from training. VO2max (L/min), LAC-2/LAC-M (%), and change in these variables were entered into the regression models. RESULTS Mean ± SD values for the pre- and post-training test results are as follows: 2K (sec) pre- 467 ± 15, post- 453 ± 15; VO2max (L/min) pre- 3.53 ±.37, post- 3.72 ±.39; LAC-2 (Mmol) 5.1 ± 1.6, post- 2.9 ± 1.2; LAC-M (Mmol) pre- 12.7 ± 1.4; post- 10.3 ± 2.4. On average, rowers' 2K times improved by 14 seconds at the end of training (p < 0.03). Regression showed that VO2max predicted 2K times in the pre-training tests (r2 = 0.69; p < 0.001), while post-training 2K results were related only to LAC-2/LAC-M values (r2 = 0.91; p < 0.001). Change in 2K times resulting from training was predicted only by change in LAC-2/LAC-M values (r2 = 0.32). CONCLUSION Aerobic capacity appears to be the best predictor of pre-season rowing performance, while submaximal blood lactate is the more important variable to monitor after 12 weeks of training. Despite a 7% increase in aerobic capacity as a result of training, VO2max did not add to the variance in 2K performances predicted by blood lactate.