This document discusses converting lab test results to on-water rowing performance. While rowing ergometry and on-water rowing have similar physiological demands at different intensities, the position of the rower in the boat can affect their physiological response. Lab tests of two rowers in a coxless pair showed completely different lactate performance curves compared to their on-water performance, with the stroke-side rower having higher lactate values in the boat despite appearing to have a better performance curve in the lab. Care must be taken to account for a rower's position when setting training intensities based on lab tests to avoid excessively high training loads.

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Jarek Mäestu
Sports Scientist (PhD),
Ex rower and rowing coach,
Rowing Academy Scientist
SPORTLYZER
ROWING ACADEMY
CONVERTING LAB
TEST RESULTS TO
ON-WATER

2. SPORTLYZER
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Why is performance evaluation important?
• To get feedback whether the adaptation of the athlete is positive and according to what
was planned;
• To determine and control the intensity zones for particular athlete.
Feedback from evaluation must allow changes to be made in the plan if necessary.
To get the most of the test, the test should be as specific as possible.However, it is not
always easy to follow this in rowing, as standardized conditions could be created in
lab, but on-water conditions are often affected by wind, currents, waves etc.

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Measurements in lab and on-water
Though it has been shown that rowing ergometry and on-water rowing have similar
physiological and energetic demands on particular intensities (Figure 1, Hofmann et al.
2007), there may also be some divergences.
0 10 20 30
70
90
110
130
150
170
190
Water Ergometer
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Target HR
Time
HR(b.min-1)
La(mmol.l
-1
)
Figure 1. Rowing at anaerobic threshold and the corresponding
lactate concentration on ergometer and on-water rowing

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One of those divergences may rise due to the position in the boat where the athlete is. It
has been indicated that lactate performance curves of two rowers could differ completely
in the lab and on water (Figure 2, Coen et al. 2003).
Figure 2. The influence of the position in the boat to the lactate performance curve in coxless pairs.
Rower A – stroke side, rower B – bow side.
As can be seen, rower A who indicates a lactate performance curve that can be
considered better compared to rower B on ergometer test, actually has higher lactate
values in the boat. This may cause problems in setting the appropriate training
intensities and eventually results in much higher training load for rower A in the boat
than expected.

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In Conclusion
• Rowing on the ergometer and on-water can be considered physiologically similar;
• The position of the rower in the boat can, however, affect the physiological response
to the certain intensity.
References
• Coen B, Urhausen A, Kindermann W. Sport specific performance diagnosis in rowing:
An incremental graded exercise test in coxless pairs. International Journal of Sports
Medicine, 2003; 24: 428-432.
• Hofmann P, Jürimäe T, Jürimäe J, Purge P, Mäestu J, Wonisch M, Pokan R, von
Duvillard SP. HRTP, prolonged ergometer exercise and single sculling. International
Journal of Sports Medicine, 2007; 28: 964-969.

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